Week 6 NFL Power Rankings Roundup: KC Chiefs Hanging With Top Dogs

After a fourth win in a row, Kansas City isn't going anywhere when compared to some of the NFL's best teams through five weeks.

The Kansas City Chiefs have plenty to figure out on the offensive side of the ball and some challenges are coming the defense's way, but Andy Reid's team has won four games in a row and is sitting pretty atop the AFC West. Additionally, Kansas City compares favorably to some of the best teams in the conference.

A week ago, a narrow win over the competitive New York Jets left many wondering whether there was another gear to the Chiefs' current offense. Those questions weren't answered in Week 5, although a seven-point victory over the Minnesota Vikings didn't necessarily hurt things either. Stacking wins in the NFL when things aren't going as planned is difficult, yet it's what Patrick Mahomes and company have done for weeks on end.

With the previous week of games in the books and a new slate on the horizon, where do the Chiefs stand? Let's look at some Week 6 NFL power rankings to see where major outlets rank Kansas City among its peers in the AFC and NFC. 

NFL.com: 3 (last week: 2)

Eric Edholm, lead draft writer for NFL's website, drops the Chiefs to the No. 3 spot despite the team winning last week. It doesn't appear to have a ton to do with Reid's team, however, as the undefeated San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles occupy the top two slots on the list. Here, the Chiefs are praised for their ability to grind out competitive wins: 

Two third-quarter touchdown drives -- one with Travis Kelce, one without -- helped the Chiefs get out of Minnesota with a W, even though they struggled to put the game away. Kelce's heroics aside, that might be the kind of game Kansas City will have to master this season. Outside of the thrashing of the Bears in Week 3, the other four games were one-score affairs that came down to a late possession. That's reminiscent of how the 2019 Chiefs won, battling through nine one-score games (with a 5-4 record) en route to their first Super Bowl title since 1969. They'd be fine going the blowout route instead, I am sure, and it could happen again soon, with two matchups upcoming vs. Denver. But learning to win hard-fought games in tough circumstances is never bad.

ESPN: 3 (last week: 4)

The Chiefs rise a spot in this week's ESPN power rankings, up from fourth a week ago. Tasked with narrowing down a fantasy surprise from Kansas City's offense, Adam Teicher opted for rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice: 

The rookie leads the Chiefs' wide receivers in catches (17), targets (24) and touchdowns (2). He would be doing better had he not dropped several passes. Despite that, he's been a more consistent producer than any of the team's veteran wide receivers. He should only continue to become more a part of the passing game as he gains more experience. -- Adam Teicher

Bleacher Report: 3 (last week: 4)

The BR NFL staff of Gary Davenport, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski also brings the Chiefs up from No. 4 to No. 3 in a Week 6 edition of power rankings, and the wideout spot was once again discussed in the team-specific analysis. The crew agrees that there might not be a top pass catcher outside of Travis Kelce, yet they don't believe that's a crippling problem: 

Frankly, the Chiefs may not have a true No. 1 receiver this year—because they don't need one. Superstar tight end Travis Kelce is Mahomes' top target, and so long as Mahomes is under center, the Kansas City offense will be dangerous no matter who is catching the passes.

But the time may come against opponents like the Miami Dolphins (Week 9) and Philadelphia Eagles (Week 11) when a youngster like Rashee Rice or Skyy Moore has to make a big catch in a close game.

The Athletic: 5 (last week: 5)

No change for the Chiefs in The Athletic's Week 6 rankings. This outlet is more critical of Brett Veach's 2023 draft class, however, citing the potential need for someone else to step up: 

It seems weird to say, but the Chiefs, who are a surprising ninth in the league in scoring (25.6 ppg), could use some help, and they aren’t getting much of it from this draft class. Second-round pick Rashee Rice is second on the team in catches with 17 but has only 173 yards. First-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah has four quarterback hurries and half a sack.

Yahoo Sports: 3 (last week: 4)

Frank Schwab publishes this week's rankings on Yahoo, following the leads of a couple of other sites by bringing the Chiefs from fourth to third. This might sound like a broken record, but production from the wide receiver room (or lack thereof) was the focus:

Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore led the Chiefs' receivers in snaps. They combined for three catches and 23 yards. It still feels like the Chiefs need to figure out the right receiver rotation. Rashee Rice has shown signs of life. Justyn Ross has been up and down in his very few snaps, but maybe he deserves a longer look. Kansas City needs to figure out which receivers should be playing the most.

Read More: Chiefs Rookie WR Rashee Rice ‘Absolutely’ Earning a Bigger Role on Offense