Weekly NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Seattle, Buffalo On the Rise

Week 2 is always interesting. After waiting so long for football, we tend to overreact much more easily. And, sure, there may be some overreactions to Week 1’s action in this edition of the Fantasy Life NFL Power Rankings, but only time will tell.

Let’s make some fan bases mad, shall we?

NFL Power Rankings Week 1

1. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

Change: +1

Despite losing Sam Darnold five snaps into the season, Seattle managed to defeat the Patriots last Wednesday. Drew Lock filled in admirably, and with matchups against Arizona and Washington upcoming, the Seahawks probably don’t feel the need to rush Darnold back. The defense is still elite, and will get even better once starting safeties Nick Emmanwori and Ty Okada return.

Let’s just start giving Jadarian Price more touches, huh?

2. Buffalo Bills (1-0)

Change: +2

Josh Allen overcame his nightmares of Reliant Stadium, torching arguably the league’s best defense to the tune of 334 yards, two touchdowns and an additional two scores on the ground. DJ Moore impacted the game in more ways than just receptions, yards and touchdowns, while the offensive line limited the impact of Houston’s vaunted pass-rushing duo.

Jim Leohnard’s debut didn’t go exactly as planned, but Buffalo’s pass rush looked much improved, while defensive lineman Deone Walker looks like a rising star. A brand new scheme will lead to some defensive growing pains, but there were some encouraging signs.

3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)

Change: +2

Both Jesse Minter and Declan Doyle impressed in their Baltimore debuts, but especially Doyle, who deployed Zay Flowers in such a way that can really unlock this offense even more. Lamar Jackson looked healthy, which is terrifying for the rest of the NFL, while Derrick Henry apparently has no clue how running back regression is supposed to work. Hopefully the wide receiver room can get healthy, as injuries to Flowers and rookie Ja’Kobi Lane could make this position thin.

4. Los Angeles Rams (0-1)

Change: -3

Maybe I should move the Rams down even more after an embarrassing Week 1 showing. But I’ll give Sean McVay the benefit of the doubt and chalk that up mostly to a weird Australia game. The offense will get back on track, though losing Myles Garrett for at least the next four weeks is obviously a concern.

If only they could add a Hall of Fame defensive tackle…

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)

Change: +4

Sure, it was against Cleveland, but Jacksonville’s offense once again looked unstoppable. Dating back to Week 9 of last season, Trevor Lawrence has been one of the best quarterbacks in all of football, so this is no longer just a cute little stretch of play.

He has arrived.

6. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)

Change: +2

Last week, I had San Francisco ranked aggressively high for one simple reason. When they are healthy, they are a top-tier team.

But in Week 1, they exceeded my expectations.

A statement win over the preseason Super Bowl favorites was impressive. Brock Purdy remains the most underrated quarterback in football; Mike Evans looked healthy; Deebo Samuel looked like 2021 Deebo; and the run game was a lot more explosive.

7. Denver Broncos (0-1)

Change: -4

Yikes.

I had the Broncos as the third-best team in football last week, ahead of my beloved Buffalo Bills. And this is how they repay me? Bo Nix looked awful, the offensive line was a mess and Jaylen Waddle was irrelevant. But perhaps most alarming? The defense couldn’t tackle anyone. I still really like this roster and believe they’ll right the ship. But the schedule doesn’t get any easier for Denver.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)

Change: +6

I easily could have put the Chiefs ahead of the Broncos considering they just dismantled them 31-10. And if you have them ahead, no issues here. Kenneth Walker appears to be the most impactful free-agent addition in football, giving Kansas City their best run game in the Patrick Mahomes era.

9. Houston Texans (0-1)

Change: -3

Some may move the Texans down even further after Week 1, and while the defense was obviously disappointing, they aren’t going to face the best player on the planet every week. Outside of two costly fumbles, I thought C.J. Stroud played mostly well, while David Montgomery made an immediate impact out of the backfield. This isn’t suddenly a bad defense because they got torched by Josh Allen.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Change: -3

The Eagles move down in the rankings, not because I’m overly worried, but more because other teams are moving up. Sean Mannion’s offense wasn’t firing on all cylinders in his first game, but Jalen Hurts played very well and the defense continued to generate a ton of pressure.

If there is one concern? An already declining offensive line looked even worse on Sunday, especially in the run-blocking department.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)

Change: -1

The argument for the Bengals returning to contender status is based on two things: Joe Burrow staying healthy and the defense improving. And while they didn’t force a punt on Sunday, the Bengals did turn the ball over four times, while the run defense looks light-years better with Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen on the defensive line.

12. Chicago Bears (1-0)

Change: +3

Ben Johnson clearly wasn’t bluffing.

After making his intentions clear that he wanted to lead the highest-scoring offense in NFL history, Johnson and the Bears put up 59 points against Carolina on Sunday. Caleb Williams looks like a future MVP candidate, the run game remains elite and the young pass-catchers are immensely talented. The Bears want to score as many points as humanly possible this season.

And given how the defense looks, they might have to.

13. Detroit Lions (1-0)

Change: +3

It wasn’t pretty, but the Lions held on to defeat the Saints in overtime this past weekend. The offense left a lot of points on the board, while the secondary remains a concern. But with other teams falling, the Lions move up. They can make a statement this Thursday against the Buffalo Bills.

14. New York Giants (1-0)

Change: +11

Perhaps this is an overreaction, but I was really impressed with the Giants in their first game under John Harbaugh. The power run game with Cam Skattebo and Patrick Ricard made a statement, while Jaxson Dart played arguably his best game as a pro.

15. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

Change: -4

Dallas was very disappointing in primetime. The preseason hype surrounding this defensive unit didn’t come to fruition, as they were pushed around by New York’s power run game, and their zone coverage was some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Because their defense couldn’t get off the field, the offense saw just two drives during the second half.

Better days are ahead, and this team has too much talent. But Week 1 was a major letdown.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

Change: +2

The Bucs played a weird game against the Bengals on Sunday. Four turnovers told the story, but the defense settled in during the second half. And while the final results weren’t insane, I loved how Zac Robinson utilized Emeka Egbuka in his first game as the Bucs playcaller.

17. New England Patriots (0-1)

Change: -4

I know New England was missing some players, but last Wednesday was a really bad loss. Drake Maye hasn’t played a good football game since last December, and now he’ll have to survive without A.J. Brown for the next 4-6 weeks. Many (myself included) thought this team greatly benefited from having the softest schedule since 1999 last season. They need to show me they can beat the top dogs in the league.

18. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)

Change: +1

Despite losing their starting quarterback almost immediately, the Vikings managed to come from behind the beat division rival Green Bay. Brian Flores dialed up insane blitzes that really gave the Packers fits. We’ll see if Kyler Murray can return for Week 2, but Carson Wentz can keep this team afloat in the meantime, especially considering how well the Vikings are coached on both sides of the ball.

19. Green Bay Packers (0-1)

Change: -2

On one hand, I am really, really excited about Green Bay’s passing game this season. But it’s largely due to necessity because this team cannot run the ball in any capacity right now. The offensive line is a mess, and MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks can’t create for themselves like Josh Jacobs. And until Micah Parsons returns, this defense will remain vulnerable.

20. Los Angeles Chargers (0-1)

Change: -8

This was the most Chargers outcome of all time.

One of the most hyped teams during the offseason, the Chargers, in true fashion, let everyone down on Sunday, losing at home to the Cardinals. The offensive line was brutal, Justin Herbert didn’t play well, and the team just didn’t seem to be on the same page all game long. Better days are ahead, but man, it’s just never easy with this team.

21. New Orleans Saints (0-1)

Change: +2

If the Saints played some semblance of offense during the first half, they probably would have upset the Lions on Sunday. Still, they were an overtime two-point conversion away from getting the job done. Once Tyler Shough settled in, he started to connect over and over again with Chris Olave, while the defense held their own for much of the game.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

Change: -1

The Steelers should have destroyed the Cooper Rush-led Falcons, but escaped with a 20-13 win. T.J. Watt and the defense made key plays, but they’ll have to be much better when not facing a high-school-level passing attack.

23. Washington Commanders (0-1)

Change: +1

There were things to both like and dislike from Washington’s Week 1 effort against the Eagles. Outside of one Dallas Goedert catch and run, Dan Quinn’s defense was flying all over the field, tackling really well. Rookie Sonny Styles looked legit, too.

But the offense left plenty to be desired.

Jayden Daniels looked uncomfortable all day long, while new OC David Blough’s scheme and route combinations didn’t do him any favors. The offensive line remains a serious concern, as Daniels was under pressure over 42% of the time.

24. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

Change: +5

This may seem a tad low following their upset victory over the Chargers, but I do believe this is still a bottom-10 team in the NFL. Give Mike LaFleur and company credit, but I’m not suddenly expecting anything from this team in 2026.

25. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

Change: -5

The good news? Jonathan Taylor remains really good at football. And better days are certainly ahead for this offense. The bad news? This team invested a ton in this defense, and it was BRUTAL on Sunday, coughing up 7.9 yards per play and five plays of 20-plus yards.

26. New York Jets (1-0)

Change: +1

We’ll temper expectations because it was against the Titans, but the Jets looked good in Week 1. Geno Smith gives this offense a reliable quarterback, while the offense has more playmakers than ever, even without rookie wideout Omar Cooper.

27. Carolina Panthers (0-1)

Change: -5

This could be too low for Carolina, but when you give up 59 points at home, you have to move down the rankings.

28. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)

Change: +2

It turns out not only is Ashton Jeanty fully healthy, but he’s still really, really awesome. Klint Kubiak dialed up some great stuff for Jeanty in the receiving game, and this offense will only improve once Brock Bowers returns to the lineup.

29. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)

Change: -1

As long as Cooper Rush is under center for this team, the Falcons will remain a bottom-dweller in the rankings. Rush completed 12-of-22 passes for 143 yards. He averaged a laughable 3.5 air yards per attempt, while 41.2% of his pass attempts were at or behind the line of scrimmage. On top of that, the defensive line is beat up. This team is a mess right now.

30. Tennessee Titans (0-1)

Change: -4

Even at home against the Jets, this offense looked like it had zero clue what to do. Nothing was easy, while the offensive line struggled to slow down the pass rush.

31. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

Change: 0

Just an embarrassing Week 1 showing from Cleveland, who will continue to start Deshaun Watson. This team won’t suddenly jump into the top-20 once they inevitably make a quarterback change, but it can't get much worse than this.

32. Miami Dolphins (0-1)

Change: 0

Getting pushed around by the Raiders is a pretty tough look. This is clearly one of the worst teams in football, but it was encouraging to see rookies Jacob Rodriguez and Caleb Douglas impress in their NFL debuts.

Players Mentioned in this Article

SamDarnold
QBSEA
PPG
0.5
DrewLock
QBSEA
PPG
12.8
Proj
11.7
NickEmmanwori
SAFSEA
PPG
0.0
TyOkada
SAFSEA
PPG
0.0

Published Sep 16, 2026, 3:33 PM ETUpdated Sep 16, 2026, 5:16 PM ET