Buffalo Bills 2026 Team Rankings and Ratings

85.7PFM Team Score0-0 Record

PFM Verdict

Why PFM Ranks the Bills Here

Josh Allen gives Buffalo an elite weekly answer, and Joe Brady already knows how to build the offense around his arm and movement. The Bills are No. 7 because they have very few offensive limitations. Reaching No. 1 depends on the new defensive staff creating front pressure without leaving Christian Benford and the coverage exposed.

NFL Rank#7Current PFM ranking

AFC Rank#2Among AFC teams

QB Stability#2Josh Allen · No Questions Asked

Season OutlookPlayoff Contender

Head coachJoe Brady

Offensive coordinatorPete Carmichael Jr.

Defensive coordinatorJim Leonhard

Offense91.4No. 1

Defense81.3No. 14

Coaching Direction72.5No. 28

Regular-Season Baseline

PFM Trend

Baseline September 8, 2026

Current stateBaseline set

Buffalo starts the regular season with a 85.7 PFM Team Score and the No. 7 spot in PFM’s NFL rankings. Movement will appear after the first published weekly ratings update.

PFM Team Score85.7

Score movementStarts here

NFL RankNo. 7

Rank movementStarts here

See Latest NFL Ranking Changes

PFM Team DNA

Buffalo Bills Team DNA

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PFM category scores · 0–100 scale

QB Stability88.1No. 2 in NFLMajor Strength

Offense91.4No. 1 in NFLMajor Strength

Explosiveness90.6No. 1 in NFLMajor Strength

Roster Strength82.3No. 7 in NFLStrength

Franchise Direction77.8No. 11 in NFLConcern

Coaching Direction72.5No. 28 in NFLMajor Concern

Defense81.3No. 14 in NFLWatch

Identity

Offense Leads the Way

Buffalo gives Josh Allen space, motion and freedom to solve the defense after the snap. On the other side, the Bills want disguised pressure and aggressive corner play to end drives without constant blitzing.

Pressure Point

Joe Brady Has to Get Buffalo Over the Hump

Josh Allen can carry a Super Bowl offense. Joe Brady has to get more help around Allen, starting with a defense that needs to create pressure without exposing the corners. Buffalo cannot keep turning every bad defensive stretch into another must-score possession for its quarterback. That is why Coaching Direction sits at 72.5.

Week 1 matchup

AwayBUF0-0

HomeHOU0-0

Pick the winner.

PFM ROAD AHEAD

2026 Buffalo Bills Remaining Strength of Schedule

Buffalo owns one of the tougher remaining roads in the league because Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams form the hardest part of it. PFM has the schedule No. 6 with an opponent average of 81.4 and 7 games against current top-10 teams. The road is not difficult from start to finish, but the stretch around Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams leaves little room for an off week.

Difficulty Rank#6No. 1 is toughest

Remaining Opponent Avg.81.4Average across opponents

Next 3 Avg.84.7Upcoming opponents

Top-10 Matchups7Games vs. current top 10

Away games left9

Top-10 road opponents3

Week 1

at Houston Texans83.8 PFM · #11

Sep 13 · 1:00 pm

Away

Week 2

vs. Detroit Lions86.5 PFM · #5

Sep 17 · 8:15 pm

HomeTop 10

Week 3

vs. Los Angeles Chargers83.9 PFM · #10

Sep 27 · 1:00 pm

HomeTop 10

Toughest remaining opponent: Los Angeles Rams at 90.2 PFM.

See all 32 NFL strength of schedule rankings View Buffalo Bills’ full schedule breakdown

PFM ReporterReportedAugust 2, 2026

Gardner-Johnson Avoids Major Injury

C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a lower calf strain during Buffalo's August 1st practice after being helped off and carted to the locker room.

The diagnosis is better than the initial concern, but his availability still matters for a secondary that added him to bring range, aggression and turnover production. Buffalo will remain on the watch list until the team provides a return timeline and he resumes practice.

By Justin Fuhr

Sources: NFL news roundup: Falcons sign OL Matthew Bergeron to $96M extension; Broncos to explore adding Taysom Hill

Around the League

League Context

Closest Team DNA Match

Built Like Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore RavensMatch distance: 2.82 rating points

Shared profile: Defense and Roster Strength.

Buffalo uses coverage and the defensive front to disguise pressure by changing fronts; Baltimore gets multiple pressure looks from coverage and the defensive front. The connection in Defensive Rating and Roster Strength is support beyond the headline defender, from the rush to the coverage and the depth behind both. Offense is the main separator because Buffalo has a stronger answer through the offensive line after a defense removes the preferred call.

Where they separate: Offense. Bills hold the stronger current rating.

View Ravens dashboard Compare the teams

Division Pressure

AFC East

New England is Buffalo's closest AFC East threat after its 2025 breakthrough. Josh Allen still gives the Bills the division's strongest answer, but the new defensive front has to pressure Drake Maye without handing him easy coverage tells.

Buffalo Bills85.7