Throughout the offseason, there was a heavy consensus about where the Carolina Panthers ranked compared to the rest of the NFL. There were a few exceptions, but the vast majority of media outlets had Carolina ranked somewhere between 20th and 25th in the league.
After their Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears, little changed in that picture. Let's see if Sunday's dominant 34-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons does anything to boost their standing around the web.
Here's a review of where the Panthers stand in the power rankings heading into Week 3 . . .
USA TODAY
Rank: 19 (+4)
Author: Nate Davis
Take: They'd never opened a season with scoring outbursts of at least 30 points in their first two games … until now. Remarkably, QB Bryce Young is also tied for the league
lead in TD passes (6) and finally starting to justify why the Panthers picked him atop the 2023 draft instead of Stroud.
NFL.com
Rank: 17 (+10)
Author: Nick Shook
Take: Call it a fortunate draw if you must, but the Panthers still had to play quality football against a division rival in Atlanta to emerge victorious on Sunday. They did that and then some, enjoying significant contributions from key defensive additions (including one of the best days you'll ever see from a linebacker in Devin Lloyd) while Bryce Young continued to perform at a remarkably encouraging level. The Panthers won’t play Cooper Rush and the Falcons every week, but they certainly took care of business in Week 2.
ESPN
Rank: 21 (+5)
Author: Mike Kaye
Take: Young averaged 5.6 yards per dropback over the past two seasons. He is averaging 8.0 yards in 2026, which ranks fifth. On Sunday, Young completed 8 of 11 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown on throws beyond 10 yards. Against the Bears in Week 1, Young threw for a career-high 221 yards on throws beyond 10 yards. Young is also sharing the wealth among his targets, as wide receivers Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan each have a 100-yard receiving performance this season.
CBS Sports
Rank: 20 (+5)
Author: Pete Prisco
Take: Bryce Young lit up the Falcons and he's off to a good start. He's going to make them pay him to be their long-term guy at this rate.
Sports Illustrated
Rank: 20 (+1)
Author: Conor Orr
Take: Vibes in Carolina? Immaculate, why do you ask?
The Athletic
Rank: 19 (+5)
Authors: Josh Kendall and Chad Graff
Take: Carolina is second in the league in scoring (35.5 points per game) and has a top-10 offense by EPA (6.82) with the first-round tackle starting both games. Second-round defensive tackle Lee Hunter is also starting and has looked nasty in spurts next to Derrick Brown. It’s very early, but the Panthers look like contenders in the NFC South.
Bleacher Report
Rank: 21 (+2)
Author: Moe Moton
Take: Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has been slinging the ball all over the field as of late, throwing for 648 yards, six touchdowns and an interception in two games. He's shown that he can lead an offense with his arm and doesn't need a dominant ground attack to move the ball up and down the field.
The Panthers' Week 2 win will come with skepticism because they beat a team with a third-string journeyman and an undrafted rookie at quarterback. Yet no one can deny Young is playing his best football, which gives this team a chance to compete for a division title. Carolina could creep up in the power rankings if it racks up signature wins against playoff-caliber opponents in October.
Pro Football Talk
Rank: 21 (+2)
Author: Mike Florio
Take: Bryce Young is finally becoming exactly what the Panthers hoped he’d be.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Where the Panthers stand in NFL power rankings going into Week 3
