NWSL Power Rankings: Washington Spirit flying high with Jose the Coyote; Chicago Stars not shining

CBS Sports

If April showers bring May flowers, then the 2026 NWSL regular season is blooming with chaos. The NWSL schedule is firmly settling into unpredictability season, and with it comes power shifts. If a struggling club is upsetting a top-ranked team, you're probably watching the league.

That means it's time for my weekly NWSL Power Rankings to return. If you're keeping track of clubs from match to match, here are my previous rankings.

While a quarter of the season is behind every team now, it's still early enough for a large chunk of teams to make some statements. That's exactly what Boston Legacy did heading into matchweek eight.

Boston were pretty haunted by the demons that chase most expansion sides in year one, but not only have Legacy FC strung together some wins, but they're doing so in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion. The roster is also quickly developing a reputation for its physicality. They currently lead the league in fouls committed (145) and tackles made (206), and have the honor of not getting bumped back down in my rankings.

Elsewhere, it's no secret that the Washington Spirit have a deep roster and are considered among the most powerful teams this year, but it's impressive how the group is proving it, with Jose the Coyote, their new good luck charm, catching eyes.

If last week I said that Utah Royals' midfield is emerging as one of the best across the league, then it's hard to ignore who is the flat-out best. For me, that honor belongs to Washington Spirit players Rebeca Bernal, Leicy Santos, and Hal Hershfelt. The fact that head coach Adrian Gonzalez has midfield reinforcements working back into form, with Andi Sullivan and eventually Deb Abiodun, is a trove of riches.

For teams that are built for the long haul, it takes handling games in all sorts of ways. Whether it's producing blowouts, tight contests, flashy or ugly results, the Spirit are managing them all.

Scoring woes continue for others, Seattle Reign, Chicago Stars, and Bay FC specifically. Chicago look just as lost as ever, despite a new head coach and some new roster additions. The ball isn't going in the back of the net, and somehow, part of that is also on the defensive side of things.