Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season is in the books. And that means plenty of overreactions surrounding all 32 clubs and your fantasy football teams.
We’ll get a better idea of where each team stands in Week 2, with the rust now out of the players’ systems.
So, with that, let’s dive into our Week 2 edition of the 2024 NFL power rankings.
Which NFL teams are vying for the top spot in this week’s rankings?
32. Carolina Panthers (32)
The team that opened the season as dead-last in our power rankings played like a team that wants to retain the No. 32 spot in our power rankings.
31. New York Giants (29)
The Giants were no-shows for Sam Darnold’s Minnesota Vikings, a team that isn’t to be confused with top NFL juggernauts. Daniel Jones threw two picks and took five sacks in a humiliating 28-6 loss.
You never expect a Sam Darnold-led team to humiliate you. But this is who the Giants are. They still think Danny Dimes is a capable starting QB and ignorantly believed the woeful offensive line would fix itself.
30. Denver Broncos (30)
Bo Nix’s NFL debut left a lot to be desired. And if it weren’t for two safeties yielded by the Seahawks, the score wouldn’t have been as close as 26-20.
Nix attempted 42 passes and barely completed more than half of those for only 138 yards, no touchdowns, and two picks. He was also their lead rusher with 35 yards, another clear indicator that the Broncos haven’t given their QB much to work with on offense.
29. Tennessee Titans (28)
Just an absolute letdown by Brian Callahan’s group in Windy City. They led 17-0 in the second quarter but self-destructed by allowing 24 unanswered points in a seven-point loss to the Chicago Bears.
The Bears got a special teams touchdown and a pick-six off Will Levis. Caleb Williams only threw for 93 yards and zero touchdowns and still won his NFL debut.
Good for Williams and the Bears, but the Titans really gift-wrapped this one.
28. Washington Commanders (26)
Jayden Daniels had 88 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground, but that was all to like in Washington’s 37-20 loss in Tampa Bay;
Daniels was responsible for 88 of Washington’s 138 rushing yards. Running back Austin Ekeler led the team with 52 receiving yards. The defense had one sack, zero takeaways, and allowed 392 yards of offense.
We know this team is still in rebuild mode, but we expected a much better effort on a revamped defense led by a so-called defensive guru in Dan Quinn.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (25)
The Raiders’ biggest concern heading into the regular season was quarterback. Sure enough, that was the pressing issue on Sunday.
Gardner Minshew had a forgettable outing in his Raiders debut and wasted a stellar effort by the defense in a 22-10 road loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Gotta think Antonio Pierce won’t hesitate to go to Aidan O’Connell if Minshew has another bad outing or two…right?
26. Arizona Cardinals (24)
An admirable effort by the underdog Cardinals in Buffalo, but defensive breakdowns and suspect fourth-down play-calling led to a 34-28 defeat.
A vintage Kyler Murray performance was a positive but quiet performance from Trey McBride, and Marvin Harrison Jr. — one catch for four yards — was disappointing. Maybe the breakout is coming this Week against a beaten-up Rams team?
25. New England Patriots (31)
The Pats pulled off the biggest upside of Week 1, using a ground-and-pound game and lockdown defense to squeak out a 16-10 victory over Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals.
Full marks to Jerod Mayo in his head coaching debut. You don’t want to read too much into Week 1, but those Pats sure embraced the underdog role. Perhaps they won’t be such pushovers after all?
24. Minnesota Vikings (27)
Yes, it was the Giants, but those were some performances from Sam Darnold and Aaron Jones in their Vikings debut together.
Darnold kept it simple and got the ball out to his playmakers and let them do the rest, while Brian Flores’ D made Daniel Jones look like, well, the guy who shouldn’t be a starting QB anymore.
Few things are sweeter than a blowout win on the road to kick off your season. The Vikings will be battle-tested this week with the San Francisco 49ers coming to town.
23. Indianapolis Colts (21)
Anthony Richardson was a one-man highlight reel in a losing effort at home to CJ Stroud’s Houston Texans. There is little reason to panic about a close loss to a top AFC heavyweight, though.
We WOULD panic, though, if the Colts somehow lose on the road to the Jordan Love-less Packers…with Malik Willis set to start for Green Bay.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars (17)
We are not finding a lot of positives in the Jaguars’ 20-17 road loss to the Dolphins. The revamped Jags’ D gave up 400 yards of offense and slept through the final 30 minutes. None of the Jaguars’ key offensive players really showed up, either.
Not to stress Jaguars fans out more, but their next four games are against teams who finished above .500 last year. So yeah, Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns is a total must-win.
21. Los Angeles Rams (15)
The Rams blew a late lead to the Detroit Lions and then lost in overtime without seeing the ball on offense. Making matters worse, superstar wideout Puka Nacua is headed to the IR with a knee injury.
The one saving grace: The Cardinals, 49ers, Bears, and Packers — potentially without Jordan Love — are next on the schedule. This team could still be above .500 by the time Nacua returns.
But yes, Week 2 against Arizona is already shaping up to be a must-win.
20. Seattle Seahawks (23)
Not sure how much you want to read into a one-score win at home against a rebuilding Denver team with a rookie QB…but style points aren’t a thing in the standings.
The Hawks overwhelmed Bo Nix in his NFL debut and snagged a W in one of the easiest games on their schedule. But yes, they’ll need to be better as the schedule — with Miami and Detroit leaking in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively.
19. Atlanta Falcons (14)
Kirk Cousins’ debut with the Falcons was flatter than the pancakes you order at Denny’s. He had just 16 completions for 155 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions in a sloppy 18-10 home loss to the Steelers.
Yes, Pittsburgh has one of the best defenses in football. But Cousins never looked comfortable or in sync with his teammates. It doesn’t get easier with a road contest against the Philadelphia Eagles and their prolific front seven next on the schedule.
18. New Orleans Saints (22)
Most of us expected the Saints to beat Carolina at home, but by 37 points? Woah, mama, that must feel good for Derek Carr.
Again, t’was one game against a bad opponent. But the early returns of the Klint Kubiak offense are promising. The Saints can really make a statement if they go into Dallas and beat the Cowboys in Jerry World.
17. Los Angeles Chargers (20)
“So that’s what competent coaching feels like.”
-Chargers fans, probably.
Jim Harbaugh made a statement in his first NFL game in 10 years. The Bolts ran the ball down the Raiders’ throats — 176 yards, to be exact — and needed little from Justin Herbert to cruise to a 22-10 victory.
We know Gardner Minshew isn’t a world-beater of a QB, but apologies aren’t necessary in the NFL. LA has a clear-cut path to 2-0, with the Panthers next on the schedule.
16. Chicago Bears (18)
Caleb Williams only had 93 passing yards and no touchdowns…but the Bears still erased a 17-point deficit on the Titans to pull out a tight seven-point win.
You can complain about the offense all you want, but getting non-offensive touchdowns is what good teams do. And the Bears had two of them.
But Williams HAS to be with the Bears visiting a legitimate Super Bowl contender in CJ Stroud’s Texans on Sunday night.
15. Cincinnati Bengals (7)
Is an eight-spot drop too harsh? Not when you lose to one of football’s worst teams at home.
Also, is it too soon to wonder if swapping out Joe Mixon for Zack Moss was a mistake? Do they miss Tyler Boyd more than we expected? Is Ja’Marr Chase’s contract situation a bigger distraction than expected?
We know the Bengals are notoriously slow starters with Joe Burrow, but they can’t afford that again this year. And things will get even tougher with a visit to Arrowhead Stadium on the slate this Sunday.
14. Cleveland Browns (9)
Deshaun Watson had, literally, one of the worst QB performances we’ve ever seen. And that lights-out defense never found its game against Dak Prescott and the visiting Cowboys.
But let’s remember it’s Week 1 against a tough opponent. Maybe Browns players were too star-struck by Tom Brady calling their game in the booth? Either way, let’s not freak out unless they lose to Jacksonville on Sunday.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (19)
The Bucs made easy work of the Commanders in Jayden Daniels’ debut. Baker Mayfield picked up where he left off a year ago with four touchdown passes in a 17-point victory.
But the schedule gets really tough over the next two months, beginning with Sunday’s road game against the Detroit Lions. We’ll see if the Bucs are legitimate when they face tougher competition in the coming weeks.
12. New York Jets (10)
So…we waited an entire year for Aaron Rodgers’ return just to watch Groundhog Hog? AKA, is he getting destroyed by the San Francisco 49ers?
The Jets scored a first-quarter TD, then napped the rest of the game. Rodgers looked rusty and out of sync all day long, and Kyle Shanahan’s Christian McCaffrey-less offense ripped apart the Jets’ stingy defense.
Not a fun way to start the year. But Jets fans needn’t panic yet…
11. Green Bay Packers (8)
Losing Jordan Love for multiple games is a tough pill to swallow, but it could be a lot worse. And we’re not going to hate too much on a one-score loss to an elite Philadelphia team on a horrible playing field in Brazil.
Not sure how the Pack will do without Malik Willis, but this is a contender if Love is behind center. Green Bay just has to somehow steal a game or two while Love is sidelined to save their season. Very doable with their upcoming schedule.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (16)
This jump may seem generous to some, but such is life when you beat a tough team on the road with a backup QB — and when many of the teams above you put up stinkers.
The Steelers mustered six Chris Boswell field goals and zero touchdowns without Russell Wilson. Good thing the TJ Watt-led defense came to play and smothered Kirk Cousins all came long.
And hey, the Steelers are alone atop the AFC North! Bonus hugs all around!
9. Baltimore Ravens (5)
If there’s one Week 1 loser who can’t overreact, it’s the Ravens. There’s never shame in losing to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Especially on the road…by a single possession.
That said, the Ravens are gonna have to commit to Derrick Henry more going forward. You can’t let Lamar Jackson take as many hits as he did.
8. Miami Dolphins (13)
It wasn’t pretty for the first half, but Miami’s explosive offense finally took over in the final 30 minutes — and kicker Jason Sanders played hero on the game’s final play to push the ‘Phins to a 1-0 start this NFL season.
Tua Tagovailoa and company get Josh Allen and the rival Buffalo Bills at home on Thursday Night Football. Having lost four straight games to their division rivals, Miami can get an early-season momentum boost if they can take down their Kryptonite.
7. Buffalo Bills (12)
Stefon Diggs, who?! Josh Allen showed that he doesn’t need an All-Pro superstar wide receiver to play like Superman. At least for one week.
The Bills just sneaked by the Cardinals for a close six-point victory. But that defense must step up with the high-powered Dolphins offense next on the slate — on a short week, no less.
6. Dallas Cowboys (11)
Hours after signing a $240 million extension, Dak Prescott led Dallas to an easy win over a fierce Cleveland team in Week 1.
We could go on and on about the Cowboys’ excellent performance, but everyone knows the deal here. They are regular-season darlings, and they’ll be judged by how they perform in the postseason.
5. Houston Texans (6)
CJ Stroud didn’t miss a beat and came to embrace his new weapons quickly. He threw two touchdowns to Stefon Diggs and got 159 rushing yards and a TD from new RB1 Joe Mixon.
Houston’s D did just enough to hold off Anthony Richardson and the explosive Colts’ offense. And to make things sweeter, all of their division rivals lost!
4. Philadelphia Eagles (4)
That’s why you signed Saquon Barkley.
Jalen Hurts was on and off all game long, and the Eagles’ defense wasn’t at its best in Sao Paolo. No matter because Barkley’s 109 rushing yards and three total TDs led Philly to a thrilling win in the first NFL game in Brazil.
Hurts will bounce back on his own, and Philly’s revamped defense will find its form. By all accounts, these guys are legitimate Super Bowl contenders — especially with Barkley there to bail out the passing game when needed.
3. Detroit Lions (3)
The Lions nearly gave it away to old friend Matt Stafford and his Rams, but Jared Goff and the 1-2 punch of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs came through in crunch time to help Detroit pull off a thrilling victory in overtime.
Detroit’s effort was far from pretty. They still beat a quality team. These are not your same old Lions.
2. San Francisco 49ers (2)
Death, taxes, and the 49ers remind Aaron Rodgers of who their daddy is. Nothing new to see.
Even more impressive is that San Fran did it without an injured Christian McCaffrey. In Week 1, the 49ers again cemented their status as the NFC’s team to beat. Nobody in the conference can match them strength-for-strength.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (1)
The defending back-to-back champs didn’t play their best against another AFC juggernaut like the Baltimore Ravens, but they still won by seven points. Championship teams still find ways to win when they bring their C-game, and Kansas City did just that.
Baltimore had few answers for Kansas City’s offense, namely the dynamic receiving duo of Rashee Rice and rookie Xavier Worthy. And to think that Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown has yet to debut with his new team…
