NFL Power Rankings 2021: Where does Washington rank heading into Week 2?

The Washington Football Team entered the season with high hopes and expectations of repeating as the NFC East champions. The first drive by the Los Angeles Chargers was a kick in the mouth, and then Ryan Fitzpatrick getting helped off the field with a hip subluxation injury helped bring everyone down to reality.

Washington will now have Taylor Heinicke starting for at least 6-8 weeks. The team has obviously dropped in the power rankings, their average dropped 5 spots. Some "rankers" dropped them significantly, while some are still taking a wait and see approach heading into Week 2.

High: 10

Low: 27

Average: 20.4

#10

Oddshark - Last Week: 8

#16

Sportsnaut(Johnson)

There’s an element of uncertainty with this team after Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a hip injury. Taylor Heinicke is an adequate stop-gap option. With that said, he puts a ceiling on a passing attack that features Terry McLaurin and arguably the best catch we’ll see in 2021. Washington’s defense did nothing to shake our confidence in it, we just can’t say the same about the offense. Last Week: 12

#17

Pro Football Network

The raw stats from their offense don’t look good, but Washington and the Chargers averaged 5.3 and 5.4 yards per play, respectively. The Chargers dominated time of possession and ran 29 more plays than Washington. The Football Team simply ran into a talented roster that had a better day than them. Missing Ryan Fitzpatrick for any significant time will be tough to overcome. Last Week: 12

CBS Sports(Prisco) - Last week: 13

#19

The Lines

Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a hip injury that will keep him out multiple weeks, paving the way for Taylor Heinicke to stake his case as an NFL starter. Washington should remain a run-first team under Ron Rivera. Last Week: 13

The Ringer(Kelly) - Last Week: 16

#20

Bleacher Report

The Washington Football Team may have lost a lot more than just the season opener Sunday.

Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick left the game with a hip injury, and per NFL.com, he is expected to miss multiple weeks. The injury thrust Taylor Heinicke into the starting lineup, and tight end Logan Thomas indicated the team is confident the young signal-caller can lead the team when called upon.

“It sucks, man,” Thomas said, via ESPN’s John Keim. “Leader of our team and obviously he’s going to be missed. Business as usual. We’ve been in this situation before. Taylor’s a baller. Last year Taylor showed what he can do. We just have to move forward with whatever happens.”

Heinicke has flashed at times. He started the Wild Card Round loss to Tampa in the 2020 playoffs. He also adds a dimension of mobility that Fitzpatrick doesn’t have.But there’s a reason

Fitzpatrick won the starting job over Heinicke, and a prolonged absence from the bearded veteran would be a blow to Washington’s chances of repeating in the NFC East. Last Week: 12

Sporting News(Iyer)

WFT’s defense delivered as expected to contain the Chargers, but Ryan Fizpatrick’s ineffectiveness and then hip injury are concerning to get the best ouf of the fine young skill players in Scott Turner’s offense. Last Week: 15

Yahoo Sports(Schwab)

The good news is Taylor Heinicke is still an upgrade over what Washington had at quarterback last season. But they picked Ryan Fitzpatrick for a reason, and it’s a harsh blow to see him go down in Week 1 with a hip injury. Fitzpatrick is on IR with no set return date. Last Week: 16

#21

Athlon Sports

The FitzMagic era was over in a seeming instant but the effort against the Chargers is a good reminder that the defense will continue to carry the WFT as far as they possibly can. It wasn’t enough in the opener but it could be plenty against lesser opponents going forward as some solace to having to play yet another backup under center. Last week: 13

Touchdown Wire(Wojton)

A tough blow for Ryan Fitzpatrick. He’s out for a few weeks now with a hip injury. The Football Team’s defense held well in a close loss to the Chargers, but losing your starting QB isn’t going to help your power ranking standing. It’s Taylor Heinicke time. Last Week: 18

Yahoo Sports(Davis)

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick set a record by making a Week 1 start for his sixth different club before sustaining a hip injury likely to cost him at least half the season. But it could be a silver lining for the WFT as it takes an extended look at Taylor Heinicke, who could have a long-term future here. Last Week: 19

#22

ESPN

Top rookie: RT Sam Cosmi

In truth, it was not a great day for Washington’s four rookies. Cosmi had a tough first assignment: Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa. “Baptism by fire,” coach Ron Rivera called it. Not all of Bosa’s pressures came vs. him and Cosmi at least showed flashes of what he can become. He ranked first overall in the league in run block win rate, but was last overall in pass block win rate. It was not a great day, but the other rookies made it tough to look elsewhere. — John Keim. Last Week: 20

NFL.com(Hanzus)

The news on Ryan Fitzpatrick is not good. The veteran passer was moved to injured reserve on Monday after suffering a hip subluxation in Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the possibility of Fitzpatrick missing the rest of the year is “on the table.” Obviously, this is a crushing setback for both Fitzmagic and the Washington Football Team, which simply cannot find stability behind center. Taylor Heinicke had some moments against Los Angeles, but you have to wonder if Ron Rivera is truly serious about not bringing another veteran into the building. The fact that Cam Newton isn’t already on a plane to D.C. makes you wonder about how Rivera really feels about his former MVP. Last Week: 20

NumberFire - Last week: 18

#23

Washington Post(Maske)

The loss of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to a hip injury, coupled with the defeat at home to the Chargers, was a rough way to start the season. But don’t get carried away with the importance of Fitzpatrick’s presence in the lineup to the team’s chances of success. He has never been the long-term answer for any team. Taylor Heinicke could keep Washington competitive in the still-not-imposing NFC East. Last Week: 14

#24

New York Post

#26

Fansided(Baxter)

The 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year welcomed the 2020 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year as Chase Young and the Washington took on Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Ron Rivera’s club lost Ryan Fitzpatrick in the first half.

Enter Taylor Heinicke, who threw for 122 yards and led the team to their only touchdown of the day. But the pass rush barely harassed Herbert, who was picked off once but threw for 337 yards and one score. Last week: 18

#27

Sports Illustrated(Orr)

This is purely a reflection of the quarterback injury. Ryan Fitzpatrick will miss nearly half the season, handing the ball off to Taylor Heinicke (and, perhaps, someday, hopefully Cam Newton). I think many of us were high on Ron Rivera and what the best of Fitzpatrick could lend this vicious defensive line.