Who Will Win 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 17? Ranking the Queens After Episode 9

RuPaul’s Drag Race is back, and that means that in a few short months, we’ll know America’s Next Drag Superstar v.17. After nine weeks, we’ve now eliminated six queens. We’ve seen our girls walk plenty of runways, compete in plenty of challenges and deliver plenty of confessionals. So, while we still have a few weeks before the finale, we’ve got a lot of information already as pertains to the eight remaining queens.

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Which brings us to the question: Who will win Season 17 of RuPaul’s Drag Race?

To that end, I’ve put together a ranking of the full cast of drag queens competing this season, ordered from least likely to most likely to be crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar. It’s a power ranking, if you will, and while there are supposed spoilers on dark corners of the internet, I haven’t read any of them. And to clarify, this ranking relates specifically to their chances of winning Season 17 and not just making it far.

This week, Kori King was sent packing, and last week I ranked her in ninth place out of nine queens and said that her boo, Lydia B. Kollins, would be the one to beat her in a lip sync. Sometimes RuPaul is just a smidge too predictable. 

You can read last week’s ranking here, and check back every week throughout the season for updated rankings as the queens are eliminated. But without further ado, here’s our ranking after Episode 9.

Related: ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Renewed for Season 10

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 Episode 9 Power Rankings

8. Lana Ja’Rae

Last Week: 8th
Track Record: Safe, Safe, Safe, Safe, Bottom, Bottom, Safe, Safe

With the exit of Kori King, only two queens left in the competition have never landed a top placement: Lana and Lydia. It seems inevitable that these two will be heading out the door in the next three weeks, barring a catastrophe from the front runners. We’re sort of just waiting around for the endgame at this point, and Lana Ja’Rae doesn’t seem likely to be there. 

7. Lydia B. Kollins

Last Week: 7th
Track Record: Safe, Safe, Safe, Bottom, Safe, Safe, Safe, Bottom

I put Lydia one slot higher just because RuPaul seems to genuinely like her. That said, Lydia hasn’t managed to crack the top once in eight episodes, and she’s lip synced twice. It’s often third times a charm for these queens. And if Lydia has to face off against someone like Onya or Sam, she’s toast. 

6. Arrietty

Last Week: 6th
Track Record: Safe, Top, Bottom, Eliminated/Saved, Win, Bottom, Safe, Top

I suppose that the dark horse for next week’s elimination (if you can say a queen who was saved by a twist already going home would be a shocker) is Arrietty. She’s performed consistently well across the design challenges and probably should have won this week if we’re being honest. That said, she’s probably got at least three weeks before we get to the makeover episode, and I think it’s highly likely a performance challenge takes her out before then. Her saving grace could be that neither Lana nor Lydia seem particularly adept at those challenges either. 

5. Lexi Love

Last Week: 5th
Track Record: Win, Safe, Safe, Safe, Safe, Top, Safe, Top

Lexi hasn’t earned a win since Episode 2, which is quite the dry spell this season. However, her top placement this week and her general likability make me think she’s still got a chance at the crown. Lexi is in a bit of a do-or-die moment though. If she can’t earn a second win in the next few weeks, she may be cut just before the finale. 

4. Jewels Sparkles

Last Week: 4th
Track Record: Top, Safe, Safe, Safe, Safe, Top, Top, Win

While Jewels’ win this week doesn’t alter her spot in my rankings at all, it does push her a lot closer to the top three two-time winners’ circle. With no bottom placements and four trips to the top, Jewels certainly is one to watch. She’s also proven herself to be adept at performance challenges, and we’ve theoretically got a few of those coming up after this week’s design competition. If she can earn a second win, she might breeze past the other girls for the top spot. 

3. Suzie Toot

Last Week: 3rd
Track Record: Win, Safe, Top, Win, Safe, Safe, Top, Safe

Suzie was the first queen of Season 17 to earn a second win. But since then she’s spent a lot of time as safe. She’s also got a rather harsh edit these last few weeks, as she continues to overestimate her abilities. I think at this point she’s going to need a bit of a redemption arc to win the season. Luckily for her, the design challenges appear to be mostly over and she somehow survived all three. Suzie should be smooth sailing to the finale at the point. 

2. Onya Nurve

Last Week: 2nd
Track Record: Safe, Top, Win, Top, Safe, Win, Top, Bottom

Onya really got saved from her first lip sync of the season this week by the fact that Lydia and Kori were dating. If not for that magical piece of TV drama, that bow look would have certainly sent her to the bottom two. As for Suzie, the end of the design challenges should help Onya moving forward. But also like Suzie, Onya hasn’t been shown in the best light, especially during the spray paint fight with Lexi. Onya seems in no danger of being eliminated, but I don’t know if she’s the likely winner. 

1. Sam Star

Last Week: 1st
Track Record: Safe, Win, Safe, Bottom, Top, Top, Win, Safe

While Sam was just safe this week, she’s had a very impressive season so far and is giving us pageant with a twist that I think could be winner worthy. We’ve certainly got a few weeks for things to change, but as of now, Sam Star is the one to beat. Especially with more performance-based challenges coming down the road, I think she’s likely to snatch a third win and lock her spot in the finale. If Jewels keeps up her momentum, perhaps we’ll have drag family members facing off against one another for the crown for the first time. Exciting stuff!

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