Buffalo Rumblings’ weekly look at where the Buffalo Bills land in the latest batch of power rankings is back this time with an extensive group of list-making experts. No one is ever wrong when it comes to their power rankings, but very seldom are most people right. Except when it comes to favorable conversations about the Bills, right?
Last week before Buffalo tamed the Detroit Lions, NFL writers, analysts, and more were riding high on the Bills. Clearly that must be true ahead of the team’s Week
3 home game against the Los Angeles Chargers — and it is, mostly.
Buffalo is among the league’s top three teams in 23 of the 25 rankings listed below. Does that mean you shouldn’t check out what opinionated experts had to say? Hardly true. Do the Bills fall in any of these rankings? You’ll have to scroll to find out.
This week, we pick up rankings from a few new sites, which lead off the group below. So, are the Bills the NFL’s best team in most peoples’ eyes at the moment? Not so fast, at least not everywhere. At such an early stage, it may not even be accurate to suggest they’re the NFL’s most complete team.
As you may have guessed, where there are concerns… things center around the defense. That makes Buffalo’s positioning in many of these rankings all the more impressive when you consider it’s really Josh Allen (and James Cook III, thank you) raising the bar.
Still, the hope is that the Bills’ defense eventually comes around. Maybe that’s true as soon as this Sunday. But failing that, would anyone readily count out Josh Allen and the team’s postseason quest? Right, foolish if that’s the case.
On that note, let’s put aside the the small talk and get down to the very serious business that is NFL power rankings. Yes, you love it. Everyone loves this stuff!
Here’s the Week 2 Bills power rankings article for reference, if you’re keeping score. Let’s get to it…
Windy City Gridiron: 1
“Contender, pretender, or TBD: Contender”
“The offense is legit, and even if there are questions about the defense (they’ve given up 31 points in consecutive weeks), it should be enough to keep them as strong Super Bowl contenders all season. Josh Allen looks primed for another MVP run, so assuming the defense can get their sea legs under them at some point soon, they might be the most complete team in the AFC.” — Aaron Leming
Bleeding Green Nation: 3
“With nine total touchdowns and zero giveaways through two wins, Josh Allen is currently the betting favorite to win MVP. His odds are listed at +250 while the next closest player is Mahomes at +750.” — Brandon Lee Gowton
Sharp Football Analysis: 1
“After a big road win in Week 1, the Bills opened their new stadium with a 41-31 victory over the Lions, cementing their spot at the top of these rankings. Buffalo is averaging 7.1 yards per play (1st) after two games, and Josh Allen is averaging a massive 9.7 yards per attempt. The defense needs to take a step forward, and the schedule remains tough with the Chargers, Patriots, and Rams the next three weeks. Still, Buffalo has opened the season with two impressive wins.” — Raymond Summerlin
Gridiron Experts: 1
“It’s hard to move the Bills out of the top spot; they look great this year, and maybe even better than in years past. This week they take on a very desperate Chargers team. The mark of a great football team is not overlooking anyone and taking care of business, which they should do in Week 3.” — Adam Henley
ClutchPoints: 1
“The Josh Allen MVP conversation is fully back on, as Buffalo’s standout quarterback put everything on full display against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football. Allen threw for three touchdowns and ran in two more, as the Bills outlasted the Lions in a fun shootout, 41-31. Allen’s performance helps keep the Bills locked into the top spot of the Week 3 NFL Power Rankings.” — Mike Johrendt
NFL Spin Zone: 3
“Much has been made about the Buffalo Bills thus far. Through two weeks, Josh Allen looks every bit like an MVP candidate, and the offense looks unstoppable in the Joe Brady era. With that said, it’s only been two games, and I feel like this exact thing happens each year: the Bills enjoy a short stretch during the regular season where people wonder if they’ll be beat and if this year is the year….
But as we have seen, it has never been the year thus far. The truth is, unfortunately, that the Bills will again be a very good team, likely win the AFC East, but may fall flat on their faces in the playoffs when it matters the most, or simply won’t be good enough.
It’s happened for years now, so while Buffalo is very good, let’s pump the brakes for the time being. The defense has been putrid across the first two weeks, for what that’s worth.” — Lou Scataglia
NFL.com: 2 (down from 1 in Week 2)
“Joe Brady’s promotion from offensive coordinator to head coach has elevated Buffalo’s offense from a productive and versatile group to an incredibly diverse, efficient and explosive attack that looks like a juggernaut through two weeks. Josh Allen is playing the best football of his career and he’s on an early track to win his second MVP award. If I trusted the Bills’ defense a bit more, I’d move them up to No. 1.” — Nick Shook
The Athletic: 2 (up from 3 in Week 2)
“Rookie spotlight: Davison Igbinosun”
“The Bills aren’t getting much from their rookie class, but they don’t need much with the way Josh Allen is playing. Buffalo’s quarterback has accounted for nine touchdowns through two weeks. That gives you some flexibility on defense, and the Bills are using it to give Igbinosun, a cornerback, a few snaps each week behind Max Hairston to get the rookie ready. He had three tackles against the Lions.” — Josh Kendall, Chad Graff
ESPN: 1 (up from 3 in Week 2)
“One thing we know about the QB1: Josh Allen is going to make defenses pay either way.“
“Allen has kept his eyes downfield through two games, averaging a career-best 9.7 yards per attempt on his deepest average depth of target (10.5) since 2018, his rookie season. That has led to three touchdowns on throws of 20-plus air yards. But Allen is just as dangerous when defenses bail out to protect against the deep ball. Of his 92 rushing yards on 20 carries this season, 70 have come on six scramble plays.” — Nick Suss
FOX Sports: 1 (up from 4 in Week 2)
“Josh Allen has five passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns through two games. If he keeps playing anywhere close to this the rest of the way, there may be no stopping the Bills.” — Ralph Vacchiano
CBS Sports: 2 (up from 3 in Week 2)
“Josh Allen is playing at an unreal level right now. He is the leader for the MVP after two games. The defense does need to be better.” — Pete Prisco
USA Today: 2 (up from 3 in Week 2)
“They’ve got the league’s best player (Josh Allen) and, apparently, have paired him with the right coach at the right time. Also feels like an upgraded home-field advantage is already in (lake) effect.” — Nate Davis
NFL Trade Rumors: 3 (up from 4 in Week 2)
“Even through two games, the historical comps for Bills QB Josh Allen are ludicrous. It would be silly to name MVP favorites this early in the season, but he’s putting together quite the resume already. While Buffalo’s defense won’t win them many games by itself, this defensive line continues to impress. Wiht their ability to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and the unstoppable duo of Allen and RB James Cook on offense, this Bills team is checking a lot of Super Bowl-contender boxes.” — Ethan Woodie
Fansided: 6 (up from 10 in Week 2)
“Joe Brady can definitely walk and chew gum at the same time or coach and call plays on offense. Josh Allen looks even more possessed than ever; they are getting a little more off the edge than usual. I have concerns about the defense, but they are putting their best foot forward.” — Jason La Canfora
Sports Illustrated: 2 (no change from Week 2)
“Buffalo’s absolute clobbering of the Lions shows a team that has an otherworldly presence at quarterback, who has faced two teams in the middle of an identity crisis to start the season. That doesn’t mean bad teams. Houston and Detroit are going to be far better at the end of this season and these wins are going to look even more quality in hindsight.” — Conor Orr
Bleacher Report: 2 (no change from Week 2)
“The Buffalo Bills shredded the Houston Texans’ vaunted defense to avenge a loss from the previous year and outpaced the high-scoring Detroit Lions on a short week for two impressive victories.
As a passer and ball-carrier, Josh Allen has accounted for nine of the Bills’ 10 touchdowns so far. He’s on his way to another stellar season for a team that looks to finally reach the Super Bowl with him at the helm. While that’s far down the road, Buffalo is a class above the league right now; though, defensively, it needs to shore up its 26th-ranked pass defense.
No need to nitpick after the first two weeks, though. Any team that faces the Bills is running into an offensive buzzsaw. They’re the only team that can challenge Chicago Bears’ head coach Ben Johnson’s quest to lead the highest-scoring offense in NFL history, especially if Caleb Williams misses time with a hamstring injury.” — Maurice Moton
Pro Football Focus: 1 (no change from Week 2)
“Odds to make playoffs: 90%”
“Odds to win Super Bowl: 13%”“The Bills’ offense has fired on all cylinders to start Joe Brady’s head-coaching tenure, leading the league in EPA per play and explosive play rate behind heroics from Josh Allen and Dalton Kincaid. While Jim Leonhard’s defense has experienced growing pains — sitting 28th in EPA per play — Buffalo looks poised to compete for the AFC crown yet again, especially if Deone Walker and Greg Rousseau continue to be maulers up front.” — Bradley Locker
Sportsnaut: 2 (no change from Week 2)
“Here’s the good news for the Buffalo Bills. We’re only through Week 2, but this is the best version we’ve seen of Josh Allen in years. It’s not just the breakout season from tight end Dalton Kincaid, it’s that Joe Brady is allowing Allen to be more aggressive and that’s leading to the best version of this passing game. Unfortunately, Buffalo is also going to need Allen to keep playing at this level because its defense looks abysmal.” — Matt Johnson
The Sporting News: 1 (no change from Week 2)
“The Bills are rolling with Joe Brady pushing the offense to even higher production with Josh Allen while raising his profiler to be a master motivator for the entire team. Buffalo pushed the right button to make that happen early.” — Vinnie Iyer
yahoo!sports: 1 (no change from Week 2)
“It seems like Josh Allen has simply decided that he’s going to have a historic season. Allen has at least two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in each game to start the season. That’s only the second time in NFL history a player has scored multiple rushing and passing touchdowns in consecutive games. The first time was Allen in 2024, according to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press. Having a healthy Dalton Kincaid seems to have unlocked a new level in the offense. Kincaid has played well at times but injuries have held him back. Now that he’s healthy, he’s third in the NFL with 225 receiving yards. Assuming DJ Moore’s shoulder injury isn’t serious, there’s no reason Allen can’t set career-high marks this season. And we’re talking about a player who has accounted for at least 39 touchdowns in six straight seasons.” — Frank Schwab
New York Post: 1 (no change from Week 2)
“Josh Allen was as good in his first game at the Bills’ new home stadium as he was in so many at their last digs. He accounted for five touchdowns, including four on the first four offensive possessions of a 41-31 victory against the Lions. James Cook added 134 rushing yards and a put-away touchdown.” — Ryan Dunleavy
theScore: 1 (no change from Week 2)
“Josh Allen is even better. The Bills superstar has arguably been the NFL’s most unstoppable quarterback in the past three years, but he might somehow be even better in 2026. The 2024 MVP has accounted for nine touchdowns with no interceptions in two games.” — theScore staff
Pro Football Network: 4 (no change from Week 2)
“The Buffalo Bills now have consecutive wins against top competition to begin the 2026-27 NFL regular season. After putting up 36 points against the Texans in Week 1, they scored a whopping 41 points against the Lions on Thursday night, improving to 2-0 to kick off the new year.
Josh Allen is playing at an MVP level through these last two weeks, and Buffalo’s offense looks as dynamic as ever. There are questions about the team’s defense going forward, but as long as the Bills’ passing attack keeps playing at this level, they’ll be incredibly difficult to beat.” — Jacob Infante
Computer Cowboy/Ben Baldwin: 2 (no change from Week 2)
“The Rich Eisen Show”: 1 (no change)
Rich Eisen returns to action for his first show without an appendix. As it relates to the Bills, Eisen has no notes. But, here’s the video just in case you need something to waste time on a Friday.
That’s it for this edition of Buffalo Rumblings’ Bills power rankings round-up. If we add up the rankings from above we get the number 47. Divide that by 25 outlets and you have an average overall ranking of 1.88 this week. Buffalo has a tall task ahead of itself in sustaining such praise.
Where do you believe the Buffalo Bills should fall in the NFL’s power rankings?
