1. Buffalo Bills (1-0)
Previous rank: 4
This is the Bills’ year. Talent hasn’t been an issue in the Josh Allen era. Yet the Bills have piled up heartbreaking playoff losses and haven’t returned to the Super Bowl since infamously losing four straight in the early 1990s. Well, that “curse” ends this season. Allen’s offense looks even more dangerous with DJ Moore as his top target, and Buffalo has already started exorcising demons by defeating the Texans in Week 1. Allen had been 0-4 in Houston as a starter.
2. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)
Previous rank: 2
They’re contenders even with an extended Darnold injury. Sam Darnold led the Seahawks to Super Bowl glory in February, but his early-season availability is in question due to an injury sustained last week. Seattle proved that it will be fine even without its starting quarterback by defeating the Patriots in a Super Bowl rematch. Backup passer Drew Lock knows the offense well enough, and the Seahawks’ defense is the NFL’s best.
3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)
Previous rank: 8
They finally have the right mix of players and coaches to win it all. The Ravens have suffered more than a few playoff disappointments during the Lamar Jackson era, but first-year head coach Jesse Minter already has the team where it needs to be. Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Zay Flowers appear unstoppable. Defensively, the pass rush – an area of concern in recent years – was great in Trey Hendrickson’s Ravens debut. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was the most pressured QB of Week 1.
4. Chicago Bears (1-0)
Previous rank: 5
Chicago will break the NFL’s scoring record. Ben Johnson said in August that one of his goals this year is for the Bears to break the league’s all-time scoring record for a season. That belongs to the 2013 Broncos, who scored 606 total points in 16 outings (37.9 per game). Chicago is on track to shatter that mark after putting up 59 points against the Panthers on Sunday.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)
Previous rank: 9
Kenneth Walker was this year’s best free-agent signing. The Chiefs’ addition of Walker on a three-year, $43-million contract split opinions in the offseason. Walker is a two-time 1,000-yard rusher and the reigning Super Bowl MVP, but he’s battled several injuries in the NFL and has never even earned a Pro Bowl berth. Where are the haters now? Walker recorded 191 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage in his Kansas City debut, sparking the Chiefs’ offense and proving his worth in a win over the Broncos.
6. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
Previous rank: 11
CMC should be second fiddle in the run game. Christian McCaffrey remains one of the NFL’s best playmakers, but reducing his touches is beneficial for San Francisco. He was limited to 10 carries against the Rams, yet the 49ers moved the ball just fine, partially because third-round rookie Kaelon Black looked good. McCaffrey led the league in touches in 2023 and 2025; it would be wise to keep him fresh as the season progresses. Let Black carry most of the load in the run game and use CMC as a situational back and a passing weapon.
7. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)
Previous rank: 7
Their offense is the same. The Eagles hired rookie coordinator Sean Mannion to fix their offense, but the unit lacked consistency in an unimpressive two-point win over the Commanders. Philadelphia’s once-elite offensive line looks vulnerable, and first-round receiver Makai Lemon had minus-5 yards on three catches.
8. Los Angeles Rams (0-1)
Previous rank: 1
They’re worse than last season. Sean McVay and Co. built a “dream team” by trading for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie in addition to bringing Aaron Donald out of retirement. But Donald isn’t fully ready; he didn’t play in Australia in Week 1. And Garrett landed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Los Angeles gave up standout pass-rusher Jared Verse to acquire Garrett, and it’s now left with a major question about the statuses of its best defenders. That, combined with the immense pressure stemming from a Super Bowl-or-bust roster, makes the Rams’ path more complicated than when they reached the NFC title game last season.
9. Denver Broncos (0-1)
Previous rank: 6
The Davis Webb experiment won’t work. Sean Payton gave up play-calling duties this year to Webb, but they should rethink that. The 31-year-old offensive coordinator, who had no previous experience as an NFL play-caller, couldn’t get his unit going in a 31-10 loss to the Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Denver posted only 176 total yards, Bo Nix was sacked four times, and top receivers Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton combined for three catches and 13 yards on eight targets.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)
Previous rank: 10
Jacksonville should’ve paid Parker Washington. The Jaguars didn’t reward the 24-year-old with an extension after his breakout 2025 season, and his asking price will only keep getting higher. In Week 1, he totaled 83 yards on five catches, one of which was a spectacular diving touchdown grab. Not a bad way to start his contract year.
11. New England Patriots (0-1)
Previous rank: 3
Last season’s Super Bowl trip was a fluke. The Patriots fumbled an opportunity to start the season with a win, blowing a second-half lead against the Lock-led Seahawks as Drake Maye threw three fourth-quarter interceptions. It’s hard to argue that New England’s Super Bowl appearance last season wasn’t a product of the team’s historically easy schedule.
12. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)
Previous rank: 15
Sunday’s triumph is … concerning? We don’t mean to spoil the Vikings’ party after a wild victory; they stunned the Packers with 29 unanswered points in a huge rivalry win despite playing most of the game with backup Carson Wentz at quarterback. But let’s look at the big picture here: The QB position remains a huge question for Minnesota, and Wentz, who stepped in after starter Kyler Murray suffered a concussion, doesn’t offer much upside.
13. Houston Texans (0-1)
Previous rank: 12
Houston may not make the playoffs. The Texans’ defense – their biggest strength last year – allowed 409 total yards and 36 points against the Bills without forcing a turnover. It’s hard to imagine C.J. Stroud leading this team to the playoffs in a stacked AFC without a dominant defensive unit. He lost a fumble in the dying seconds of Houston’s potential game-winning drive Sunday.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
Previous rank: 16
Their defense is finally good enough. The Bengals wasted some spectacular seasons from Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Co. in recent years because they didn’t have a strong defense, but those days are gone. After making several offseason moves to fix that side of the ball, Cincinnati limited the Buccaneers to 282 total yards and forced four turnovers, including a scoop and score, en route to a 33-27 victory.
15. New York Giants (1-0)
Previous rank: 19
They’re the NFC East’s best team. Jaxson Dart’s strong outing helped New York play a solid game on Sunday Night Football en route to beating the Cowboys. John Harbaugh’s Giants boast a strong offensive line, capable skill-position players, and a much-improved run defense. Given the Eagles’ unconvincing win over the Commanders, the Giants might be the division’s best team at the moment.
16. Detroit Lions (1-0)
Previous rank: 17
Gibbs will break the fantasy scoring record. Jahmyr Gibbs is the life and soul of Detroit’s offense. With David Montgomery out of town, the fourth-year back finished Week 1 with a whopping 34 touches for 186 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 5.4 yards per rush and now has 51 career TDs in 50 games. There’s no stopping Gibbs, and no one should be surprised if he breaks LaDainian Tomlinson’s fantasy PPR record (481.1 points in 2006) after he tallied 33.6 on Sunday.
17. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
Previous rank: 13
They haven’t changed a thing. The 2025 Cowboys struggled with a poor defense, a high number of penalties, and costly drops on offense. A year later, Dallas showed the same weaknesses in its season-opening loss to the Giants. The Cowboys had no answers for Jaxson Dart and committed nine penalties that accounted for 90 yards.
18. Los Angeles Chargers (0-1)
Previous rank: 14
Jim Harbaugh’s seat will be hot soon. An in-season coaching change would be uncharacteristic for the Spanos family, but the Chargers’ head-scratching home loss to the Cardinals wasn’t expected, either. After failing to win as 8.5-point favorites, how will Harbaugh and Co. survive a stretch from Weeks 3-10 that features clashes with the Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans, and Ravens?
19. Green Bay Packers (0-1)
Previous rank: 18
Extending LaFleur was a mistake. Matt LaFleur doesn’t have answers when the Packers need them most against tough opponents, as evidenced by the team’s latest fourth-quarter collapse against the Vikings. Since Micah Parsons suffered an ACL injury in December, Green Bay is 0-6. In that span, excluding last season’s Week 18 when most starters rested, LaFleur’s outfit has been outscored 87-12 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)
Previous rank: 20
This might be as good as it gets. A win is a win, but Steelers fans shouldn’t get too excited after Week 1. Pittsburgh’s offense put up only 13 points against a competitive-but-not-great Falcons defense. T.J. Watt scored the winning touchdown on a pick-6 that may not have happened if Atlanta didn’t start third-string passer Cooper Rush. The Steelers’ potential remains limited with head coach Mike McCarthy and 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers in charge.
21. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
Previous rank: 31
Mike LaFleur will win more games than his brother this season. The Cardinals pulled off Week 1’s biggest upset by defeating the Chargers, while the Packers – coached by Mike’s brother Matt – allowed 29 unanswered points in a stunning loss to the Vikings. Matt boasts 76 regular-season career wins, but Green Bay has been trending downward since the end of last season. Meanwhile, Mike showed in his head coaching debut that Arizona has an underrated roster that could surprise many around the league.
22. New Orleans Saints (0-1)
Previous rank: 22
Tyler Shough is the Saints’ best QB since Drew Brees. Shough didn’t play flawless football throughout Sunday’s overtime loss to the Lions, but his second-half performance showed why New Orleans is so high on him. He finished the game with 410 passing yards and three touchdowns, becoming the franchise’s first quarterback to eclipse 400 yards since Brees in 2018.
23. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
Previous rank: 21
Only a historic JT season can save Indy’s offense. Quarterback Daniel Jones is coming off an Achilles injury, so he’ll have natural limitations. Top receiver Alec Pierce looked fine in Sunday’s loss to Baltimore, but he isn’t firing on all cylinders after undergoing offseason surgery. That means Jonathan Taylor is the Colts’ only hope offensively. They’ll need a 2,000-yard, 20-touchdown season from him in order to compete in the AFC South.
24. Washington Commanders (0-1)
Previous rank: 23
Bad vibes will ruin the team. The Commanders don’t look anything like the electric team that reached the NFC title game during Jayden Daniels’ rookie season. The third-year passer was mocked in the offseason for his odd dispute with LSU over the No. 5 jersey. Dan Quinn is a popular pick for the first coach to be fired this season. And Stefon Diggs committed a costly penalty in his team debut. On and off the field, the energy around the 2026 Commanders doesn’t feel right.
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)
Previous rank: 24
They instantly regret Mayfield’s extension. Days after signing a three-year, $165-million extension, Baker Mayfield failed to throw a touchdown and fumbled three times in a loss to the Bengals. His numbers declined last season, so the Buccaneers probably should’ve let him play on a contract year in 2026.
26. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)
Previous rank: 27
We won’t see Mendoza this year. No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is the Raiders’ future, but they started Kirk Cousins in Week 1 instead. The 38-year-old delivered by throwing three touchdowns and helping Las Vegas claim a 27-13 win over the Dolphins. If that production continues, there’s no reason for head coach Klint Kubiak to rush to start Mendoza.
27. Carolina Panthers (0-1)
Previous rank: 25
Time for a DC change. If Sunday’s 59-37 loss isn’t an indication that Carolina should find a replacement for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, what is? Granted, the dreadful showing came against Ben Johnson’s Bears, but this is becoming a usual sight for the Panthers, who’ve allowed 40-plus points in an NFL-high eight games since Evero took over in 2023.
28. New York Jets (1-0)
Previous rank: 29
Their playoff drought will come to an end. The vibes are high for the Jets after their 23-10 win over the Titans. Geno Smith was efficient behind a solid offensive line, Breece Hall was a difference-maker, and the defense looked good. New York should feel confident in its quest to end the franchise’s 15-year playoff drought.
29. Tennessee Titans (0-1)
Previous rank: 26
Tennessee will draft a first-round QB in 2027. There was significant hope for Cam Ward and the Titans’ offense entering 2026. That optimism is all but gone after the 2025 No. 1 pick completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 140 yards and one touchdown (late in the fourth quarter with his club trailing by 20) in a Week 1 defeat. Several outstanding quarterback prospects will be available in next year’s draft, including Arch Manning, and we expect Tennessee to target one.
30. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
Previous rank: 28
The season is almost lost. There’s obviously a lot of football left in 2026, but it’s hard to project many good things for Atlanta given its QB situation. Rush, the Falcons’ third-string passer, didn’t record any completions over 5 air yards in their loss to the Steelers. Meanwhile, projected starter Tua Tagovailoa is sidelined with an oblique injury, though he hasn’t played at a high level in years anyway. Additionally, former top-10 pick Michael Penix Jr. still isn’t ready for game action after suffering an ACL injury last year.
31. Miami Dolphins (0-1)
Previous rank: 32
Miami’s rebuild won’t take as long as you think. Dolphins fans should be encouraged despite Sunday’s loss to the Raiders, as several Miami rookies performed well. First-round left guard Kadyn Proctor didn’t allow any sacks, third-round receiver Caleb Douglas led the team with 94 yards, Round 2 linebacker Jacob Rodriguez finished with 14 tackles, and Day 3 safety Michael Taaffe registered an interception.
32. Cleveland Browns (0-1)
Previous rank: 30
Cleveland will go winless again. How can the Browns be expected to win a single game this year after Sunday’s 34-10 loss to the Jaguars? Cleveland’s only touchdown came in garbage time. Deshaun Watson had another disappointing performance that included an interception on the team’s first possession, the running game was nonexistent, and the defense took a step back without Myles Garrett. Even if the Browns replace Watson with Shedeur Sanders, they will be in danger of becoming the first team ever to post two winless seasons (2017).
