NFC West power rankings after 2 weeks of preseason action

The 49ers remain atop the NFC West in mid-preseason NFL power rankings, but there are a few wild cards in the mix.

The first week of preseason action rarely reveals enough for fans to reach justifiable conclusions, whereas the second week of exhibition games showcase somewhat of an uptick in action, often featuring teams' first-team units and starters in limited fashion.

With two weeks in the books, the only "undefeated" team in the NFC West is the Los Angeles Rams, fresh off a 13-9 "road" victory at SoFI Stadium over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Does that matter? Not really.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers managed to get the most out of backup quarterbacks, Josh Dobbs and Brandon Allen, during their first exhibition win of the season, defeating the New Orleans Saints 16-10 despite not playing the bulk of their starters aside from a three-series effort by quarterback Brock Purdy.

Now at 1-1, should the Niners be worried about a team like LA threatening them within the division this season?

Let's take a look by exploring our mid-preseason NFC West power rankings.

NFC West preseason standings after 2 weeks

1. Los Angeles Rams (2-0)
2. San Francisco 49ers (1-1)
3. Seattle Seahawks (1-1)
4. Arizona Cardinals (0-2)

NFC West power rankings after 2 preseason weeks

Purdy wasn't exactly electrifying during his exhibition debut on Sunday, going 2-of-6 for 11 yards and being under relentless pressure for his three offensive drives.

But the Niners opted not to give Purdy the majority of his starting cast, meaning little can be gleaned from his substandard appearance.

San Francisco is dealing with contractual issues facing left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, while injuries have crept up at other points of the depth chart.

That said, the 49ers have one the most stacked rosters in the NFL, if not in the entire league. If they stay healthy, the Niners should run the division without issue.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford is already dealing with a minor injury, creating the possibility an old friend, Jimmy Garoppolo, squaring off against San Francisco early in the regular season.

But Garoppolo hasn't been the plus-storyline for Los Angeles over summer, while fellow quarterback Stetson Bennett seems to be the name to watch in case of a long-term Stafford injury.

Head coach Sean McVay's offense will always be a threat regardless of who's under center, but a revamped defense in the wake of perennial All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald's retirement will be something to watch this season.

Especially with first-year pros like defensive linemen Braden Fiske and Tyler Davis making names for themselves.

The Seahawks may threaten the Niners for the NFC West, but there's a pretty substantial drop in the pecking order after the Rams.

Quarterback Geno Smith didn't quite possess the magic in 2023 that he enjoyed the year prior, and questions abound whether or not first-year head coach Mike Macdonald can replicate the kind of defenses the Hawks enjoyed during their heyday years of the early 2010s.

The talent is there, though.

Macdonald's defense likely has to shoulder the load, though, as Seattle's offense has struggled on the ground and has little to brag about regarding run blocking.

If Smith struggles in the pass game, it could be difficult for the Seahawks to score points.

A minus-10 preseason point differential for the red birds suggests there'll potentially be some offensive woes despite the fact nearly every fan in the league wants to see the chemistry between quarterback Kyler Murray and top-flight rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Harrison didn't play in Arizona's preseason Week 2 showdown against the Indianapolis Colts, while the bulk of the Cardinals' backups dealt with plenty of mistakes, common for a bottom-feeding team going through a rebuild and sifting through the "fluff" of who can make the regular-season roster.

Arizona's defense still has plenty of holes that'll need to get figured out over the next year or two. And while the preseason offers little in determining how starters are faring, it doesn't appear as if the reserves will offer much hope.

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