Power Rankings Consensus Puts Bucs As Clear Division Leader
March 20th, 2026
So the folks who run the Packers news/analysis page for Sports Illustrated studied seven NFL power rankings published after the first wave of free agency, including from the smart guys at Sharp Football Analysis.
And whaddya know, the Bucs were the clear leaders in the dreadful NFC South.
The power rankings came from the PFF Tribe, NFL.com, CBS, The Score, FOX Sports, FanDuel and Sharp Football. The Packers’ blog compilation put the Bucs at a consensus ranking of 19th in the NFL between the Bengals at No. 18 and the Colts at No. 20.
Yes, that’s a very sad ranking for the Bucs. But their division rival Panthers, Saints and Falcons didn’t make the top-20 cut. And it really wasn’t close.
For example, the Bucs had a No. 17 ranking from Sharp Football while the Panthers, Falcons and Saints ranked Nos. 24, 25 and 26, respectively. The PFF Tribe had similiar opinions. FOX Sports was the only outlet very down on Tampa Bay.
There is a divide on the current state of the Bucs at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters. One Joe definitely agrees with the consensus numbers above while the other Joe is very down on the Bucs. Joe’s team of interns are conflicted, as well.
Regardless, national expectations will be on Tampa Bay to win the NFC South. And that’s a great thing. The Bucs have too much talent to have low expectations. The pressure should be on.
Thoughts on the Bucs could shift after the draft, but that’s unlikely. The Falcons have no first-round pick, and legal issues and quarterback questions. The Panthers pick after Tampa Bay and will be bank on rookies to improve their 27th-ranked offense that lost its top running back and center. The Slimy Saints are rebuilding.