Last week's ranking in parentheses.
1. Rams 3-0 (1): Cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters went down in their win over the Chargers. That creates some short-term concern, but Sean McVay can respond by simply scoring more.
2. Chiefs 3-0 (3): Patrick Mahomes has been lights out, so much so that nine players have a touchdown reception. There are teams that will go the entire season without nine players doing that.
3. Saints 2-1 (12): Wide receiver Michael Thomas is the first player in NFL history to record at least 10 catches in each of the first three games of a season.
4. Eagles 2-1 (6): Rookie tight end Dallas Goedert got going against the Colts, so as the Eagles await the return of WR Alshon Jeffery, they have a new weapon to pair with TE Zach Ertz.
5. Dolphins 3-0 (14): They are 2-15 in their last 17 trips to New England, but the Dolphins have a chance to make a major statement Sunday.
6. Jaguars 2-1 (2): The best teams learn how to handle prosperity as well as adversity. The Jaguars couldn't deal with the former, following a victory over the Patriots with a loss to the Titans.
7. Steelers 1-1-1 (15): Pittsburgh might be kicking itself a little over the new contract given to kicker Chris Boswell last month. He has missed three field-goal tries and two extra points.
8. Buccaneers 2-1 (10): Jason Pierre-Paul has three sacks, which is more than any Bucs defensive end totaled all of last season.
9. Falcons 1-2 (7): Dan Quinn has to juggle injuries with a defense that has lost three starters to injured reserve while trying to jump-start a pass rush stuck in the slow lane.
10. Panthers 2-1 (11): The open date comes early, but with some injuries, particularly to the offensive line, a little rest could be a springboard to more success after a good win over the Bengals.
11. Vikings 1-1-1 (4): On a wild weekend in the NFL, the Vikings getting shellacked at home by the 17-point underdog Bills was the biggest stunner.
12. Patriots 1-2 (5): Is this the beginning of the end for the greatest dynasty of the Super Bowl era? They have lost back-to-back games by 10 or more points for the first time since 2002.
13. Titans 2-1 (20): They are full of confidence after beating the Jaguars. Safety Kevin Byard said, "We are big dogs right now. We might be an underdog mentality to the media, but we have a big-dog mentality here."
14. Ravens 2-1 (18): Four of their next five games are on the road, starting with Sunday night in Pittsburgh. It's a rough stretch that could define the season.
15. Bears 2-1 (17): For all the hand-wringing being done over Mitch Trubisky and the downfield passing game, the defense is legit and they're alone atop the NFC North.
16. Packers 1-1-1 (8): The loss of defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson to a season-ending ankle injury is problematic, but the Packers will go as Aaron Rodgers goes.
17. Bengals 2-1 (9): While 2017 first-round pick John Ross is quickly turning into a bust, Tyler Boyd is emerging as a dynamic wide receiver averaging 16.6 yards per catch.
18. Chargers 1-2 (13): Nice to see WR Mike Williams, the first-round pick last year, emerging as a threat for Philip Rivers. He has three touchdowns and is making big plays downfield.
19. Broncos 2-1 (16): They led the NFL in pass defense in 2015 and 2016 and ranked fourth last year. It's a different story in 2018 as opponents have a 102.2 passer rating against the Broncos.
20. Redskins 2-1 (26): Adrian Peterson turned back the clock with 120 yards and two touchdowns against Packers, but he's dealing with a sprained ankle.
21. Browns 1-1-1 (24): The hype train for Baker Mayfield is just getting started in Cleveland, but the defense has been impressive.
22. Lions 1-2 (29): Rookie running back Kerryon Johnson is earning the trust of coaches to add a long-missing element to the offense.
23. Cowboys 1-2 (21): Big plays remain scarce for the Cowboys offense, and struggles on the line are likely a major part of that shortcoming.
24. Giants 1-2 (28): Eli Manning turned in a vintage performance in leading Big Blue to its first victory for coach Pat Shurmur in Houston.
25. Bills 1-2 (32): Sean McDermott's defense needs more big performances, like Sunday's in Minnesota, to help a fledgling offense.
26. Jets 1-2 (19): They have had extra time to stew over their letdown in Cleveland and now the Jets need to protect rookie QB Sam Darnold against the rugged Jaguars front seven.
27. Colts 1-2 (23): Defensive end Margus Hunt is playing the best football of his career. He leads the NFL with eight tackles for a loss and has three sacks.
28. Seahawks 1-2 (25): Pete Carroll says "everything is possible" regarding All-Pro safety Earl Thomas, and this figures to loom over the team until he gets paid or traded.
29. 49ers 1-2 (22): Kyle Shanahan's rebuilding project has been slowed with Jimmy Garoppolo out for the season with a torn ACL.
30. Texans 0-3 (27): Bill O'Brien keeps blaming himself, but the Texans have a whole host of veteran players who are underperforming in a dreadful start.
31. Cardinals 0-3 (30): Josh Rosen's opportunity has arrived.
32. Raiders 0-3 (31): Jon Gruden's team has developed a bad habit of coughing away leads in the second half.
