Despite missing out on the AFC Championship Game this past season, the Buffalo Bills remain one of the favorites to compete in the conference again in 2026.
Buffalo moved on from head coach Sean McDermott, who spent the past nine years leading the franchise, and promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the position. General manager Brandon Beane must fill a couple of holes on the roster, with their biggest hole being at wide receiver, but they have the talent to make a run.
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That’s why Pro Football Sports Network’s Jacob Infante has the Bills fifth overall in his way-too-early 2026 NFL Power Rankings.
”Joe Brady is the new head coach of the Buffalo Bills, as the team parted ways with longtime coach Sean McDermott and promoted their OC to the position. Brady will immediately be expected to win and get the Bills over the hump they’ve come close to so many times and have fallen short of each time: a Super Bowl victory,” Infante wrote.
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“As long as the Bills have a healthy Josh Allen, they’ll be fine in the regular season. They have a dynamic offense and a defense that holds its own against top teams around the NFL. Buffalo feels like it’s a star weapon and an impact edge rusher away from a perfect roster. It’s unlikely they find both, but if they get one this offseason, look out.”
The presence of Josh Allen gives them a chance, and as Infante states, the Bills can be dangerous if they figure out a couple of missing pieces.
Bills are the No. 2 team in the AFC, according to early rankings
New Bills head coach Joe Brady talks about some of his vision as coach at the Bills field house in Orchard Park. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
At No. 5, the Bills are the second-highest ranked AFC team, according to Infante. The only team in the conference ahead of them is the Denver Broncos, who he has third overall.
Denver, of course, is the team that eliminated Buffalo in the playoffs, but a broken ankle suffered by Bo Nix hurt their chances to beat the New England Patriots in the following round. Speaking of New England, Infante isn’t high on them at all, ranking them 15th despite being the runner-up in the Super Bowl.
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