Hunter Tierney Sep 26, 2026 29 min read

NFL Power Rankings: Bills Are Scary, Chargers Are Lost

Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) -rtb for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Two weeks into the season, and we already think we know everything.

The Bears might score 40 points every week. Or maybe they’ll never score another touchdown. The Rams looked cooked in Australia, then came home and piled up 481 yards. The Panthers gave up 59 points one week and three the next.

That’s the problem with having just enough football to form strong opinions, but not enough to know whether any of them are right.

That’s also what makes power rankings fun. They aren’t standings with extra steps. They’re about what teams have shown, what looks sustainable and, most importantly, who you’d trust if these teams played tomorrow.

Denver beat Jacksonville, but one fourth-quarter comeback doesn’t erase the previous seven quarters. Philadelphia's 2-0, but both of those wins have felt much more stressful than they needed to be.

And then there are the injuries. Caleb Williams is week-to-week. Jayden Daniels dislocated the same elbow that cost him time last season. Jaxson Dart’s year is done after taking a hit to the knee. Sam Darnold's played five snaps, and Kyler Murray lasted one possession before finding himself in the concussion protocol.

So, yeah, things are already messy.

Buffalo and San Francisco have separated themselves a bit. Kansas City suddenly has a running game. Seattle keeps winning no matter which quarterback is out there. After that, almost everyone has at least one reason to feel uneasy.

Let’s try to make sense of it.

1. Buffalo Bills (2-0)

Josh Allen's playing like somebody told him the season ends in October, and he took that personally.

He’s already accounted for nine touchdowns, Buffalo is averaging a league-best 7.1 yards per play, and Joe Brady’s offense has put up 77 points against Houston and Detroit. Allen threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns against the Lions and also ran for 69 more, scoring twice on the ground. James Cook added 135 rushing yards, giving Buffalo the kind of balance they've spent years trying to find around their quarterback.

The defense has allowed 62 points, so no, everything isn’t perfect. But they've done enough when the games have tightened, and Gregory Rousseau already has four sacks in Jim Leonhard’s system. When the offense is scoring like this, “enough” might be all Buffalo needs. Allen looked completely in control in the opening of the new Highmark Stadium.

2. San Francisco 49ers (2-0)

Kyle Shanahan is in his bag right now.

The 49ers got to Australia early, and then embarrassed a loaded Rams team that got there about 28 hours before kickoff. San Francisco came home and kept rolling, scoring touchdowns on five straight drives against Miami. Brock Purdy finished 20 of 22 for 287 yards, two touchdowns, and a 149.1 passer rating. He also completed all 10 of his throws that traveled at least 10 yards downfield.

That’s ridiculous.

Purdy’s accuracy gets plenty of attention, and for good reason. But what really makes this offense so tough to defend is how quickly he sees the game. He knows exactly where Shanahan is trying to create space and gets the ball there without making every snap feel like a high-wire act. The receiver injuries are starting to become a real concern, especially for an older roster that can’t afford to keep taking hits all season.

For now, though, this might be the cleanest and most efficient offense in football.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)

Sep 14, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III (9) takes the field at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Apparently, all Patrick Mahomes needed was a running back who could make defenses miserable without needing much help from him.

Kenneth Walker ran for a career-high 173 yards in his Chiefs debut, the second-most ever by a veteran in his first game with a new team. He finished with 191 yards from scrimmage, and Kansas City had more rushing yards after contact than Denver had total offense. The Chiefs haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since 2017. That streak probably isn’t making it through this season.

Mahomes still doesn’t look completely like himself after coming back from his knee injury, but he threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns against Indianapolis. Kansas City piled up 523 yards and survived an overtime game they probably should’ve put away sooner. This team can win by running the ball, asking Mahomes to throw it 50 times, or leaning on a defense that should only get better as the season goes on.

That’s a pretty nice place to be.

4. Los Angeles Rams (1-1)

I’m willing to chalk up a lot of Week 1 to the Rams’ ridiculous travel decision.

Flying across the world, landing just before the game and then expecting to look normal against San Francisco was always a weird plan. Once the Rams got home and had a chance to sleep in their own beds, they looked a lot more like the team everybody expected.

Matthew Stafford threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns against the Giants without Puka Nacua. Davante Adams caught eight passes for 195 yards and two scores. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 164 rushing yards, and the offense finished with 481 total yards. On defense, Trent McDuffie didn’t allow a catch on five targets. Aaron Donald being back seemed to give the entire front some extra juice.

This roster has way too much talent to panic after one international disaster. The 28-6 win over New York was a much better look at the Rams — and probably a lot closer to what this team will be.

5. Seattle Seahawks (2-0)

Sam Darnold played just five snaps, and Seattle is still 2-0.

That tells you a lot about the rest of this team.

Drew Lock finished the opener, then threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 155 yards and three scores. Mike Macdonald’s defense was even better, holding the Cardinals to 151 yards, 3.2 yards per play, and just 10 first downs.

Seattle's now won 12 straight games, playoffs included. And even better news: Darnold's expected to be back at practice in some capacity this week. There's also rookie running back Jadarian Price who's already picked up 94 rushing yards through two games, which is pretty useful for a rookie sharing the backfield.

Lock has shown he can keep the car on the road. If Darnold gets back soon, the defending champions still have one of the deepest, most complete rosters in the league. There’s really no reason to make this more complicated than it is.

6. Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

Look, blowing an eight-point lead to the Saints in the fourth quarter was bad.

There’s really no way around it. The offense managed just 27 yards on their final 12 plays, Derrick Henry got only five carries in the second half, and the defense kept letting New Orleans convert on third down. It felt way too much like the late-game collapses that helped bring John Harbaugh’s tenure to an end.

But I’m not bailing on Baltimore after two games.

The Ravens put up 506 yards and 41 points in Week 1. Lamar Jackson looks healthy again and this offense has too many answers to stay stuck like this for long. Zay Flowers being out clearly changed the spacing against New Orleans, and Baltimore is still getting comfortable in Declan Doyle’s new offense.

The Saints found a real problem. They didn’t prove the whole operation is broken. Still, another blown fourth-quarter lead is going to follow this team around until Baltimore finally figures out how to stop doing this.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) celebrates his game-winning touchdown as tight end Hunter Long (84) reacts during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28.
Corey Perrine / Florida Times-Union

Jacksonville’s first bad half in a long time came against an excellent Denver defense, so I can live with that.

Trevor Lawrence spent the first half throwing with the confidence and accuracy we’ve seen more and more over the last two seasons. Then Denver turned up the pressure. Lawrence threw a momentum-killing interception, and the Jaguars never really found another answer. He was pressured on 45.2% of his dropbacks, and that made the entire offense look a lot more ordinary than it had earlier in the game.

The receiving corps still leaves something to be desired. Parker Washington has become incredibly important, but Jacksonville needs more consistent help around him. Even so, Lawrence has played some of the best football of his career since the middle of last season, and Liam Coen clearly knows how to build an offense around him.

The defense wasn’t great late in Denver, but those five sacks and two takeaways from Week 1 weren’t imaginary either. One loss doesn’t erase a nine-game regular-season winning streak.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (2-0)

Man, who are these Bengals?

For most of the Joe Burrow era, Cincinnati has needed their quarterback to bail out a shaky defense and an inconsistent running game. Two weeks in, neither one has been a problem.

The rebuilt defense forced four turnovers against Tampa Bay, then held Houston without a touchdown. Cincinnati also generated 27 pressures on 62 dropbacks in Week 2, their highest total since Al Golden took over the defense. Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen have completely changed the middle of that front.

And Burrow hasn’t even needed to be at his best yet. He took five sacks against Houston, so the offensive line is still the obvious concern, but he still found Ja’Marr Chase for two touchdowns. In past seasons, 267 yards of offense probably would’ve meant a Bengals loss. Now they’re 2-0 with the offense still figuring things out.

That should scare everybody.

9. Denver Broncos (1-1)

Yes, Denver beat Jacksonville. No, that doesn’t automatically mean I have to rank the Broncos above the Jaguars.

The first seven quarters were way too inconsistent. Denver managed just 176 yards against Kansas City, and their supposedly elite defense missed 28 tackles — the most by any defense in a game since at least 2018. The run game still hasn’t found anything dependable, and Bo Nix keeps bouncing between decisive playmaker and frantic improviser.

The fourth quarter against Jacksonville finally felt different. Riley Moss’ interception woke everyone up, Nix led two touchdown drives, and Jaylen Waddle finished with eight catches for 138 yards. Denver’s defense started attacking instead of just reacting.

That comeback mattered. It just didn’t wipe away the concerns. The Broncos look dangerous when the defense takes control and Nix can play off it. So far, though, we’ve only seen that combination for about one quarter.

10. New Orleans Saints (1-1)

Sep 20, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) throws a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
James Lang-Imagn Images

Who honestly had the Saints being up here before the season started?

New Orleans nearly erased a 21-point deficit in Detroit, then went into Baltimore and scored touchdowns on their final two meaningful possessions. Tyler Shough's already thrown for 662 yards, and his connection with Chris Olave looks very real. Olave followed up his 182-yard opener with eight catches, 86 yards, and the game-winning touchdown against the Ravens.

The most encouraging part was how Shough handled the pressure. Baltimore kept blitzing him, and he completed 10 of 13 passes for 113 yards against it. That’s not just a young quarterback hanging on. That’s a young quarterback recognizing where the answer is and getting the ball there.

The defense also settled in after halftime, holding Baltimore to three points and forcing Jackson into the game-ending interception. New Orleans might not be a contender yet, but Kellen Moore’s team is already making people uncomfortable — and that’s a pretty fun place to start.

11. Chicago Bears (1-1)

The Bears scored 59 points in Week 1 and then scored three in Week 2.

Football is wild sometimes.

Caleb Williams was spectacular against Carolina, becoming the first Bears quarterback to put up 200 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, 50 rushing yards, and two rushing scores in the same game. Then Brian Flores blitzed him on 27 of 33 dropbacks, and Williams left Week 2 with a hamstring injury having managed just three points. Chicago’s 56-point drop from Week 1 to Week 2 was the second-largest in NFL history.

The good news is Williams is considered week-to-week, not done for the season. The bigger concern is how many defenses can steal pieces from Flores’ game plan. Chicago’s still fast on defense and loaded with talent on offense. Plus you don’t score 59 points by accident.

But you also can’t just shrug off what Minnesota did to them.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)

The Eagles are 2-0. That’s the part that matters.

But they’ve needed a failed two-point conversion to squeak past Washington and a last-minute touchdown to beat Tennessee. The offense ranks 24th in success rate, and the Eagles’ running backs rank 27th in rushing success. That’s tough to make sense of with Saquon Barkley in the backfield.

DeVonta Smith looks completely comfortable as the No. 1 receiver, and Jalen Hurts still knows how to save an ugly afternoon. He threw two interceptions against the Titans, then made the throws that mattered on a nine-play, 65-yard winning drive.

Philadelphia’s defense is good enough to keep giving the offense chances, but they've had a few leaks, too. Tennessee shouldn’t have been able to turn an 84-yard fourth-quarter drive into a lead.

The Eagles keep finding ways to survive. At some point, though, they need to start taking control of games.

13. Carolina Panthers (1-1)

Bryce Young has been outstanding. There’s really no other way to put it.

He’s thrown for 648 yards, six touchdowns. and one interception while averaging 8.9 yards per attempt. After throwing for 361 yards against Chicago, he followed that up with 287 yards and three scores against Atlanta. Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker finally give him two receivers who can take over stretches of a game, too.

The defense is a little harder to figure out. Carolina gave up 552 yards and 59 points in Week 1, then forced five turnovers and allowed just three points in Week 2. Devin Lloyd was all over the place against Atlanta, finishing with two interceptions, a sack and a pick-six. But he was also one of the players who got fooled over and over again in Week 1.

The Falcons obviously aren’t the Bears, but responding that decisively still matters. Carolina made the playoffs last season even with a losing record. If this version of Young is real, the Panthers won’t need that kind of technicality again.

14. Green Bay Packers (1-1)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) in congratulated by head coach Matt LaFleur after throwing a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter of their game Thursday, September 11, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Green Bay Packers beat the Washington Commanders 27-18
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I expected a lot more from Green Bay.

Jordan Love hasn’t been terrible, but the offensive line can’t handle pressure, the run game disappears for long stretches, and the whole team keeps making the kind of mistakes that make you want to pull your hair out. The Packers have already committed 26 accepted penalties. Against the Jets, they converted just one of nine third downs and picked up a first down on only four of their 12 drives.

They still won, and that matters. Love helped pull them out of a 10-point fourth-quarter hole, and the defense came up with back-to-back overtime sacks to give the offense another shot.

But this still doesn’t look like a serious contender. Minnesota overwhelmed the protection with blitzes, and New York kept Green Bay scrambling for almost four quarters.

If you need a laugh during the next Packers game, keep an eye on Ty Schmit’s X timeline. At this rate, Green Bay might break him before we get to October.

15. New England Patriots (1-1)

The Super Bowl hangover is real.

Drake Maye threw three fourth-quarter interceptions in the opener, looking a lot more like the overwhelmed quarterback from the Super Bowl than last season’s MVP runner-up. He was better against Pittsburgh, but he still didn’t look totally comfortable. The explosive plays came back — four completions of at least 29 yards — but so did a few ugly misses and another interception.

New England’s defense overwhelmed Pittsburgh, giving up 235 yards and just two third-down conversions. That was a huge step up from the opener, but it’s certainly worth mentioning that the Steelers offense can make just about any defense feel good right now.

The Patriots still have enough talent to settle down. Maye's too good for this to drag on all season, and TreVeyon Henderson’s explosiveness changes the offense when he’s out there.

For now, though, this looks a whole lot harder than it did last regular season.

16. Minnesota Vikings (2-0)

Minnesota's already won two games with their defense doing almost all the heavy lifting.

Brian Flores blitzed Green Bay on 78.3% of their defensive snaps, then sent extra rushers at Caleb Williams on 81.8% of his dropbacks. The Vikings have allowed six points over their last six quarters. That’s completely absurd in today’s NFL.

Carson Wentz didn’t do much against Chicago, but he didn’t turn the ball over in miserable weather and led the late drive that put the game away. That was enough.

Now Kyler Murray's cleared the concussion protocol and will play against Tampa Bay. We barely saw him before the injury, so it’s impossible to know what the Kevin O’Connell-Murray partnership will look like. His movement and willingness to push the ball downfield could unlock a version of this offense we haven’t seen yet.

The defense gives him plenty of time to figure it out.

17. Houston Texans (0-2)

Both sides of the ball have been disappointing, but the offense is the bigger problem.

Houston scored 31 points against Buffalo, then couldn’t find the end zone against Cincinnati. David Montgomery and Woody Marks combined for just 18 rushing yards on 14 carries in Week 2. C.J. Stroud threw for 353 yards, but most of that production went to Dalton Schultz, who had 140. No other Texans pass catcher topped 40 yards.

That’s what happens when Nico Collins is out and nobody behind him is ready to step up.

The defense looked a lot better against Cincinnati, sacking Joe Burrow five times and holding the Bengals to 267 yards. Houston still couldn’t turn that into a competitive game, though. The offense went 0-for-4 on fourth down and scored just three points on four trips to the red zone.

The Texans started 0-2 last season and managed to recover. Here they are making things harder on themselves again.

18. Indianapolis Colts (0-2)

Oct 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Being 0-2 after facing Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes isn’t the end of the world.

The way Indianapolis got there isn’t exactly comforting, though. Baltimore piled up 506 yards in Week 1, and Kansas City followed with 523 in Week 2. The Colts have now lost nine straight games dating back to last season.

Jonathan Taylor's still the safest bet on the roster. He had 121 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns against Baltimore, then ran for 92 yards and two more scores against Kansas City. Daniel Jones has been steady enough to keep the offense moving.

Alec Pierce’s injury puts an already thin receiving group in an even tougher spot, and the defense has to stop making the offense chase elite quarterbacks all afternoon.

There were some real positives in the overtime loss. At some point, though, Indianapolis needs one of those positives to turn into a win.

19. Detroit Lions (1-1)

This defense is a mess.

Detroit's allowed 71 points, 915 yards, and 63 first downs. The Saints scored on five of their final six possessions in Week 1. Buffalo scored touchdowns on six of nine drives in Week 2. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph should help whenever they get back, but neither one of them are expected to return before at least Week 5.

The offense is still really good. Jared Goff threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns against Buffalo. Jahmyr Gibbs already has 55 touches and is still capable of taking over a game on his own.

That’s also the problem. Detroit can’t spend four months counting on Goff and Gibbs to score every time they touch the ball. Even 31 points weren’t enough in Buffalo.

Until this defense shows they can get a few normal stops against a real offense, the Lions have a pretty clear ceiling.

20. Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Dallas has one thing they can trust right now: the passing game.

Dak Prescott completed 26 of 31 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns against Washington. CeeDee Lamb caught eight passes for 153 yards and two scores, and Prescott passed Tony Romo for the franchise touchdown record.

The rest is a lot harder to trust. Dallas has rushed for only 135 yards through two games, and the defense is still shaky at best. Washington put up 203 yards in the second quarter alone before Jayden Daniels got hurt.

The Cowboys looked awful against the Giants and dangerous against the Commanders, which probably means they’re going to spend the entire season giving everybody something to argue about.

Prescott and Lamb are good enough to win shootouts. The question is how often Dallas can avoid needing one.

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)

Good thing Baker Mayfield got his money when he did.

Not because he didn’t deserve it. He absolutely did. But this start wouldn’t exactly be helping his case in the next round of negotiations.

Mayfield lost three fumbles against Cincinnati, then looked uncomfortable for most of the loss to Cleveland. Zac Robinson’s offense leaned on screens and swing passes, but they haven't done much to create anything downfield.

Todd Bowles’ defense hasn’t given the offense much cover, either. Letting this version of Cleveland put together two second-half touchdown drives is a problem, no matter how bad the weather got.

Tampa still has enough talent to turn this around. But right now, almost nothing looks easy.

22. Los Angeles Chargers (0-2)

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) looks to pass the ball during a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, Sep 28, 2025, East Rutherford, NJ, USA.
Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This might be the biggest disappointment in the league so far.

The Chargers scored 14 points against Arizona and 14 against Las Vegas. Those teams combined for six wins last season. Mike McDaniel was supposed to unlock Justin Herbert, but the offense is averaging just 1.22 points per drive, 28th in the league.

Herbert threw two interceptions and fumbled three times against the Raiders. Joe Alt committed four penalties. One third-down snap hit a motioning receiver in the legs. At this point, nothing looks like it’s happening on the same page.

The defense hasn’t been much better, and now the schedule gets nasty: Buffalo, Seattle, Denver, Kansas City, a bye, then the Rams, Houston, and Baltimore.

There’s way too much talent here for the Chargers to look this lost. If Herbert and McDaniel don’t figure things out quickly, this season could be gone before November.

23. Washington Commanders (0-2)

It’s difficult to feel optimistic about Washington right now.

Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the final play of the first half against Dallas — the same elbow that cost him time last season. The Commanders haven’t talked about any timetable yet and are still consulting specialists.

Marcus Mariota is one of the better backups in the league. He can keep an offense functional. He just can't replace the explosiveness Daniels gives a team that already looked pretty ordinary even with him out there.

Washington went 3-7 without Daniels in 2025. The defense hasn’t shown enough to compensate, and the Commanders are already 0-2 with Seattle coming next.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)

This offense just isn’t working. It’s as simple as that.

The line keeps getting beat, the run game is barely giving them anything, and DK Metcalf has caught eight of 19 targets for 67 yards. Aaron Rodgers looked every bit of 42 against New England, throwing for 187 yards and losing two fumbles on some brutal hits.

Pittsburgh scored 20 points in Week 1 because T.J. Watt took an interception back for the winning touchdown. The defense can still keep this team in games, but they can’t be asked to hold everyone under six points every week.

And against New England, six points wouldn’t have been enough anyway.

Mike McCarthy has to find answers that don’t involve Rodgers standing in a collapsing pocket and waiting for Metcalf to win downfield. Through two games, those answers have been pretty hard to find.

25. New York Jets (1-1)

Aug 22, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium.
Mark Smith-Imagn Images

The Jets are better than I expected them to be.

They controlled Tennessee in Week 1 and had Green Bay on the ropes in Week 2. New York led 17-7 in the fourth quarter before bad decisions and shaky special teams let the Packers slip away with it.

That loss hurt, but it wasn’t meaningless. Geno Smith has been pretty good with taking care of the ball and the rebuilt defense ranks in the top 10 in several important efficiency categories. The Jets also gave Green Bay plenty of help, so I’m not ready to say that afternoon proves they’re anywhere near the contenders.

Still, this roster has more fight and structure than they did last season. Performances like the one in Week 2 probably won’t become the norm, but they don’t look like the laughing stock of the league anymore.

26. New York Giants (1-1)

Jaxson Dart’s injury changes everything.

The Giants built this roster around giving Dart a real second-year evaluation, and he looked like he was off to a great start. He threw three touchdowns and ran for 54 yards in an opening-night win over Dallas. Then, seven snaps into Week 2, he injured his left knee between two Rams defenders.

Further testing reportedly showed damage to his MCL, PCL and meniscus. His ACL is intact, but season-ending surgery is coming.

Jameis Winston couldn’t get the offense moving after that and the defense gave up eight yards per play. Maybe John Harbaugh can keep the season respectable, but without Dart, any hope of actual progress this season has mostly disappeared.

That’s a brutal turn after such an encouraging first week.

27. Tennessee Titans (0-2)

There’s hope here. It’s just more about the future than 2026.

Cam Ward struggled badly against the Jets, then looked much more comfortable against Philadelphia. He threw for only 183 yards in Week 2, but averaged 9.2 yards per attempt and avoided the mistakes that buried Tennessee in the opener.

The defense can make life difficult. Jeffery Simmons had seven pressures against the Eagles, and Tennessee held Philadelphia to 4.7 yards per play while forcing two turnovers. The problem was that the defense spent more than 13 extra minutes on the field and eventually ran out of gas.

Ward needs more help, and Simmons can’t be the entire defensive identity. The Titans took a real step forward in Week 2, but they’re still at least a year away.

28. Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

Week 1 was fun. Week 2 was a much tougher reality check.

Arizona piled up nearly 400 yards against the Chargers, then managed just 151 against Seattle. Jacoby Brissett threw for 95 yards, the offense had only five first downs outside the lone touchdown drive, and the Cardinals didn’t have a play longer than nine yards until garbage time.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is still a serious concern. He caught one pass on three targets in the opener and hasn’t looked like the game-changing receiver Arizona drafted him to be.

At some point, the Cardinals will have to decide how long Brissett keeps the job and when it makes sense to get a look at Carson Beck. This isn’t a top-tier defense that can cover for the offense forever.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (2-0)

Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza (15) and Kirk Cousins (8) sit on the bench while watching the action on the field during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium.
David Brytus-Imagn Images

Ranking an undefeated team 29th feels ridiculous.

I’m doing it anyway.

Kirk Cousins has thrown three touchdowns in both games, becoming just the second Raiders quarterback to do that in the first two weeks of a season. The defense ranks first in success rate, and rookie Hezekiah Masses picked off Herbert twice.

This has been a legitimately good start. I’m just not convinced it’s going to last.

Miami and the Chargers haven’t exactly put up much resistance. Now the Raiders get New Orleans, Kansas City, New England, Buffalo, and the Rams. Cousins was shaky throwing downfield in Week 1 before looking better against Los Angeles, and every bad game will bring the Fernando Mendoza conversation right back.

Maybe Las Vegas makes this ranking look stupid. The Raiders have already done more than most people expected. I still need to see them do it against somebody good.

30. Atlanta Falcons (0-2)

You couldn’t have scripted a worse start.

Michael Penix Jr. hasn’t been healthy enough to play. Tua Tagovailoa hurt his oblique before Week 1. That left Cooper Rush, who managed 86 passing yards and two interceptions before getting benched against Carolina. Jack Strand took over and threw a pick-six on his first NFL pass.

Atlanta's scored 16 points in two games. Bijan Robinson's still brilliant, but asking one running back to drag a broken passing game through an entire NFL season isn’t much of a plan.

The defense hasn’t given them much help, either. Carolina scored 34, and Young threw three touchdowns.

Penix should be back now, which should at least make the offense look recognizable again. But I'm not sure that'll be enough for this team.

31. Cleveland Browns (1-1)

Deshaun Watson’s Week 2 numbers were good: 24 of 30, 238 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. His +0.25 EPA per dropback was his best mark as a Brown.

Fine.

I’m still not buying it.

Week 1 was a disaster, and even the Tampa performance was more a testament to his receivers making plays around him. One efficient afternoon doesn’t erase years of bad football, and Watson’s comments keep making it harder to believe he understands how little of a leash he has left.

The Browns’ defense is good enough to keep them competitive if Watson can just be average.

That Week 2 performance bought him more time. It didn’t rebuild any trust for me.

32. Miami Dolphins (0-2)

There’s almost nothing here.

The offensive line gave up five sacks in Week 1 and still hasn’t consistently protected Malik Willis or opened running lanes for De’Von Achane. The defense couldn’t sack Kirk Cousins, then let San Francisco score touchdowns on five straight possessions.

Miami showed a little life against the 49ers, but two promising first-half drives stalled inside the 10. The only touchdown came on a 77-yard pass in garbage time, after the game was already over.

Caleb Douglas is the exception. The rookie has caught seven passes for 113 yards, including 94 in his debut, and looks like someone Miami can keep around whenever this rebuild finally starts heading in the right direction.

Right now, though, the Dolphins are exactly what they look like: a young, overmatched roster with a very long season ahead.

All stats courtesy of Fantasy Points Data.


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