Bills, Jaguars, Rams and 49ers are within 0.9 points after Week 8. What each is built on, where the next tier starts, and who moved most.
Who is the best team in the NFL after Week 8 of 2026?
The Buffalo Bills are the best team in the NFL after Week 8 of 2026 at +7.0 net, scoring 28.1 points and allowing 21.1 a game against an average team, but the Jaguars (+6.4), Rams (+6.2) and 49ers (+6.1) are within 0.9 points of them.
Net rating is how many points better or worse than an average team a side is on a neutral field, adjusted for the opponents it has played. It is not the standings: it measures how a team plays, not what its record says. The Statz NFL power rankings rank all 32 teams this way, and at the time of writing the top of that list is a four-team group, not a one-team race.
The top ten by net rating
| Rank | Team | Net rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bills | +7.0 |
| 2 | Jaguars | +6.4 |
| 3 | Rams | +6.2 |
| 4 | 49ers | +6.1 |
| 5 | Patriots | +3.9 |
| 6 | Packers | +3.6 |
| 7 | Bears | +3.1 |
| 8 | Chiefs | +3.1 |
| 9 | Broncos | +3.0 |
| 10 | Bengals | +2.7 |
There is a 2.2-point gap between fourth (49ers, +6.1) and fifth (Patriots, +3.9), and the Bears and Chiefs are level at +3.1. See all 32 teams ranked by net rating for the rest of the table.
Where the gap between the top four and the rest opens up
A 0.9-point cluster at the top
From the Bills at +7.0 to the 49ers at +6.1 is 0.9 points, across four teams. That is a smaller spread than the one between fifth and tenth: the Patriots at +3.9 to the Bengals at +2.7 is 1.2 points across six teams.
The Patriots drop to +3.9
The biggest step in the top ten is from fourth to fifth. The 49ers at +6.1 to the Patriots at +3.9 is 2.2 points, more than twice the distance from first to fourth. The numbers split the top ten into a group of four and a group of six, and the first group is not close to the second.
What each of the top four is built on
| Best offences | Points scored a game | Best defences | Points allowed a game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | 28.1 | Vikings | 19.1 |
| 49ers | 27.0 | Jaguars | 19.7 |
| Jaguars | 26.2 | Buccaneers | 19.8 |
Bills: the best offence in the league
Buffalo's edge is the offence: 28.1 points a game against an average defence is the highest in the NFL. Their defence allows 21.1, which is good but not in the league's top three, so the Bills sit first on the strength of one side of the ball.
49ers and Jaguars: offence and defence
The 49ers have the second-best offence at 27.0 and the Jaguars the third at 26.2. The Jaguars are also second in defence, allowing 19.7, which makes them the only team in the top three of both lists. The best defence in the league belongs to the Vikings at 19.1 allowed, and they are not in the top ten shown above.
Rams: the NFC's best
The Rams are third overall at +6.2 and the best team in the NFC. You can switch between Overall, Conference and Division views on the power rankings page to see where each side sits against its own conference.
Best team in the AFC, the NFC and every division
| Division | Leader | Overall rank |
|---|---|---|
| AFC East | Bills | 1st |
| AFC North | Bengals | 10th |
| AFC South | Jaguars | 2nd |
| AFC West | Chiefs | 8th |
| NFC East | Cowboys | 17th |
| NFC North | Packers | 6th |
| NFC South | Buccaneers | 13th |
| NFC West | Rams | 3rd |
The AFC is led by the Bills, then the Jaguars. The NFC is led by the Rams, then the 49ers in fourth. The strongest division leaders are in the AFC South and NFC West, both top three overall, while the best team in the NFC East is only 17th and the NFC South leader is 13th. The Conference and Division views show every team's place inside its own group.
The biggest movers: Bears up 7, Seahawks down 12
| Team | Move | New rank |
|---|---|---|
| Bears | Up 7 | 7th (+3.1) |
| Seahawks | Down 12 | 16th |
The Bears rose seven places to seventh at +3.1, and the Seahawks fell twelve places to 16th. A single result usually moves a team a place or two in this week's NFL power rankings, so a twelve-place fall is unusual. The ratings do not explain why a team moved, only that it did.
The bottom of the table: Titans at -5.7
The Tennessee Titans are last of 32 at -5.7. The distance from the Bills at +7.0 to the Titans is 12.7 points of net rating, which is the full range of the league after Week 8.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best team in the NFL right now?
The Buffalo Bills are the best team in the NFL right now at +7.0 net after Week 8 of 2026, with 28.1 points scored and 21.1 allowed a game, narrowly ahead of the Jaguars at +6.4.
Are NFL power rankings the same as the standings?
NFL power rankings are not the standings: they rate how a team plays as the points it is better or worse than an average team, so after Week 8 of 2026 a division leader can sit 17th, as the Cowboys do.
Which NFL team has the best offence in 2026?
The Buffalo Bills have the best offence in the NFL in 2026 at 28.1 points a game against an average defence after Week 8, ahead of the 49ers at 27.0 and the Jaguars at 26.2.
Which NFL team has the best defence in 2026?
The Minnesota Vikings have the best defence in the NFL in 2026, allowing 19.1 points a game against an average offence after Week 8, ahead of the Jaguars at 19.7 and the Buccaneers at 19.8.
Want every team in order? Open the full power index, updated every week.