The first week of the Arena Football One (AF1) 2026 season is in the books, and the AF1 Fan Zone Weekly Power Rankings show a league in immediate flux. While the top remains frozen, the middle of the pack has been completely reshuffled following a weekend of defensive battles and statement wins.
The Top Tier: Holding Steady
- #1 Albany Firebirds: The defending champs proved they are still the “standard” with a commanding 50-23 win over Minnesota. Despite losing MVP QB Sam Castronova, Joshua Kulka’s 5-TD performance kept Albany firmly at the top.
- #2 Nashville Kats: Nashville holds the #2 spot despite a Week 1 bye. They remain the primary threat to Albany’s throne as they prepare for their season debut.
- #3 Kentucky Barrels: The Barrels validated their preseason hype with a gritty win over Michigan. Their defense, led by Jalen Wilson (11 tackles), looks like the real deal.
| Rank | Team | Previous | Change |
| 1 | Albany Firebirds | 1 | No Change |
| 2 | Nashville Kats | 2 | No Change |
| 3 | Kentucky Barrels | 3 | No Change |
| 4 | Michigan Arsenal | 8 | +2 |
| 4 | Oregon Lightning | 6 | +4 |
| 6 | Oceanside Bombers | 9 | +3 |
| 7 | Minnesota Monsters | 5 | -2 |
| 8 | Beaumont Renegades | 7 | -1 |
| 9 | Washington Wolfpack | 4 | -5 |
The Biggest Risers
- Oregon Lightning (#8 -> #4): The biggest story of the week. Oregon surged four spots after a dominant defensive showing against Washington. Forced turnovers and a goal-line stand helped them secure a 33-16 road win and a share of the #4 spot.
- Oceanside Bombers (#9 -> #6): Previously the basement dwellers, the Bombers climbed three spots after taking down Beaumont. They’ve moved from “unknown expansion” to a legitimate middle-tier threat.
The Biggest Fallers
- Washington Wolfpack (#4 -> #9): It was a rough homecoming for the Wolfpack. After entering the season with top-tier aspirations, offensive struggles and five turnovers in their loss to Oregon sent them tumbling all the way to the bottom of the rankings.
- Minnesota Monsters (#5 -> #7): Facing Albany in Week 1 is a tall order for any team. While they showed flashes, the 27-point loss caused a slight dip in their standing.
| Scott | Howie | Zach | Josh | Average | |
| Albany Firebirds | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.3 |
| Nashville Kats | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2.0 |
| Kentucky Barrels | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2.8 |
| Michigan Arsenal | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5.0 |
| Oregon Lightning | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5.0 |
| Oceanside Bombers | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5.5 |
| Minnesota Monsters | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6.8 |
| Beaumont Renegades | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8.0 |
| Washington Wolfpack | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8.8 |
Link to raw data in Google Sheets