At long last, Week 1 is finally here. The Seattle Seahawks kick off the 2026 season on Wednesday night against the New England Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl LX.
As for the Carolina Panthers, they will host the Chicago Bears in their first game of the new campaign on Sunday afternoon. While the reigning NFC South champions have made great progress over the last couple of years under general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales, they've still got a lot of work to do—as evidenced by their current position in the NFL landscape.
Here's where the Panthers stand across the power rankings heading into the regular-season opener . . .
USA Today
Rank: 24
Author: Nate Davis
Take: Looking for a major regression candidate? How about a division champion that
finished in a three-way tie with an 8-9 record last year with six of those victories coming by exactly three points.
NFL Media
Rank: 23
Author: Nick Shook
Take: There wasn't much to glean from the Panthers' preseason, but I am fascinated to see how they distribute carries in the backfield between Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks. Also, where does Xavier Legette fit into this receiving corps? And how much of a difference will Jaelan Phillips make on the defensive side?
ESPN
Rank: 23
Author: Mike Kaye
Take (on milestone to watch): Tetairoa McMillan becoming the fifth player in NFL history to post 70 catches, 1,000 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.
McMillan can join a pretty special club (Odell Beckham Jr., Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Marques Colston) by duplicating his production from his rookie season. While it took all 17 games for him to reach 70 catches, 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns, his chemistry has blossomed with QB Bryce Young this summer. In 2026, McMillan should be able to hit two-thirds of that stat line (catches and yardage) by mid-December, with a few weeks to spare for more touchdowns.
Pro Football Talk
Rank: 21
Author: Mike Florio
Take: Can Bryce Young secure his future in Carolina?
CBS Sports
Rank: 23
Author: Pete Prisco
Take: They've taken some injury hits in camp that will impact their play on the field. They won the division last year, but I don't think it happens again.
Sports Illustrated
Rank: 20
Author: Conor Orr
Take: I look at the Panthers and see a 10-win football team. Yes, I know about the offensive tackle situation. Yes, I know that defenses making huge, splash free-agent signings don’t typically work out. But the combination of Dave Canales, Ejiro Evero and Brad Idzik is a strong one, having consistently grinded to reshape one of the worst rosters in the NFL. The league always cruelly dispels our desire for neat, linear progression—ultimately why I have them at No. 20—but, man, do I want this staff to be rewarded for all its efforts.
The Athletic
Rank: 24
Author: Chad Graff and Josh Kendall
Take: Injuries to outside linebacker Nic Scourton and right tackle Taylor Moton have dampened the outlook. Pair that with a difficult out-of-division schedule, and the Panthers could take some lumps. Still, the defense should be better, and the NFC South is wide open.
Bleacher Report
Rank: 22
Author: Gary Davenport
Take: There are weapons in Carolina in wideouts Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. The Panthers spent big adding free agents on defense in linebacker Devin Lloyd and edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips.
But it's still a flawed team—led by a flawed quarterback.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Where do the Panthers stand across NFL power rankings heading into Week 1?
