Nothing ignites a good NFL discussion quite like quarterbacks. They're the most important ingredient in a championship recipe, after all. All signal-callers are at least partially a product of their situations, but that also means their current standing can be a good barometer for a team's Super Bowl hopes.
With that in mind, this is how we'd sort today's starting quarterbacks right now (with some short-term projection baked in). These rankings change as the season unfolds, as they're based more on current standing than the bigger picture, built to tell the story of each quarterback's respective rise and fall.
Without further ado, the Week 16 pecking order:
2024 NFL QB Power Rankings
| 1 | 
Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills QB
|
| It's not only that Allen is tied for the lead in total touchdowns among quarterbacks (37), but the fact he's elevated the Bills in so many big spots. His low turnover marks are also the best of his career. | |
| 2 | 
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens QB
|
| Can he and Josh Allen be co-MVPs? Jackson's Ravens still have big-game bars to clear, but the reigning award winner is flicking it so efficiently, leading the NFL with 8.9 yards per throw. (+1) | |
| 3 | 
Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals QB
|
| Speaking of MVP candidates, the Bengals may be unsteady as a whole, but Burrow's been an absolute baller through the air. His 36 passing scores are the best mark in franchise history. (-1) | |
| 4 | 
Jared Goff
Detroit Lions QB
|
| Teammates are dropping like flies ahead of the playoffs, but Goff has persevered, keeping the Lions in shootouts even when they fall behind. He's taken full advantage of the talent around him. | |
| 5 | 
Jordan Love
Green Bay Packers QB
|
| The Packers lean heavily on the bruising Josh Jacobs, but they can afford to do so because Love has been so efficient when airing it out. He's also got maybe the most gifted arm in the North. (+1) | |
| 6 | 
Jalen Hurts
Philadelphia Eagles QB
|
| Need him to run it? He'll tough through contact to make it work. Need him to throw it? He'll feed his elite wideouts. Hurts' game looks different by the week, but he has a real knack for victory. (+2) | |
| 7 | 
Jayden Daniels
Washington Commanders QB
|
| Daniels' most impressive attribute might be his slippery mobility, but his accuracy shouldn't be undersold; he ranks fourth in completion rate (70.5%) as he preps for a rookie playoff run. (+4) | |
| 8 | 
Sam Darnold
Minnesota Vikings QB
|
| He's lapsed into some erratic stretches, but on the whole, Darnold's looked like the first-round prize he once was thanks to Kevin O'Connell's uplifting system and the all-star talent at his disposal. (+1) | |
| 9 | 
Baker Mayfield
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
|
| This guy really was meant for Tampa Bay, apparently. He digs some of his own holes with a rip-roaring approach, but he's now up to 60 touchdown throws in two years as a Buccaneer. (+4) | |
| 10 | 
Justin Herbert
Los Angeles Chargers QB
|
| His ball security has been impressive, as he's thrown just two picks all year. Chargers fans might be eager for the 2025 offseason, though, when Herbert might get added downfield weaponry. (-5) | |
| 11 | 
Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs QB
|
| An ankle sprain has his Week 16 status unclear, and it might also affect his comfort as a crunch-time scrambler. But he's pushed through pain before. Carson Wentz is the capable backup. (-1) | |
| 12 | 
Brock Purdy
San Francisco 49ers QB
|
| His poise has generally transcended the fractured nature of San Francisco's lineup this year, but he's also had a few clunkers in must-win situations, suggesting he is better as a frontrunner. (-5) | |
| 13 | 
Russell Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers QB
|
| George Pickens' recent absence left Wilson without a trusty downfield partner, exposing his dependence on the play-action deep shots. He's still been very composed for a tough team. (-1) | |
| 14 | 
Matthew Stafford
Los Angeles Rams QB
|
| The former Super Bowl champion is one of the toughest to rank; he's got the arm and wherewithal to make another run, but Sean McVay's Rams offense has stopped and started too often to trust. | |
| 15 | 
C.J. Stroud
Houston Texans QB
|
| His iffy mechanics/production inside the Texans' beaten-up lineup have been offset a bit by the ineptitude around the AFC South. Yet he's strung together clean outings in back-to-back wins. (+3) | |
| 16 | 
Bo Nix
Denver Broncos QB
|
| Rookie decision-making flared up in his recent three-pick outing, but Nix's resilience has been an asset, much like his natural play-extending mobility. He's 9-5 and likely playoff bound, after all. (-1) | |
| 17 | 
Geno Smith
Seattle Seahawks QB
|
| The failings of the Seattle front finally got to the gunslinger in Week 15, as he was forced out due to a knee issue. He's angling to return against the Vikings, but if he can't, Sam Howell will get the call. | |
| 18 | 
Kyler Murray
Arizona Cardinals QB
|
| Briefly forced out of action against the Patriots due to injury, the jittery dual threat could still sneak into the playoffs. His trouble is that sometimes Arizona fares best when he's in the background. (+1) | |
| 19 | 
Tua Tagovailoa
Miami Dolphins QB
|
| Tagovailoa will always clock in as one of the NFL's best pinpoint throwers, but his feel for off-script, do-or-die moments remains incredibly iffy, as evidenced by a season-killing turnover spree. (-3) | |
| 20 | 
Aaron Rodgers
New York Jets QB
|
| No one will really notice now that the Jets are a lost cause, already interviewing candidates to lead a 2025 overhaul, but Rodgers has finally found a groove as a touch passer in recent outings. (+6) | |
| 21 | 
Drake Maye
New England Patriots QB
|
| The Patriots may or may not have the requisite leadership or skill-weapon personnel to make noise in the near future, but Maye has stood tall in the midst of the chaos, flashing his athleticism. (+1) | |
| 22 | 
Caleb Williams
Chicago Bears QB
|
| The No. 1 pick warrants some respect for running all over the place, trying desperately to create something out of nothing for a broken team. He could also stand to get the ball out quicker. (+2) | |
| 23 | 
Bryce Young
Carolina Panthers QB
|
| His last month or so has probably rerouted his future in Carolina, showcasing enough late-game punch to earn him another, proper audition. Hopefully his ceiling isn't just serviceable. (-3) | |
| 24 | 
Michael Penix Jr.
Atlanta Falcons QB
|
| Almost eight months after stunning the world by drafting him, the Falcons are turning to the first-rounder after the aging, ailing Kirk Cousins' typically steady hand became borderline unplayable. | |
| 25 | 
Cooper Rush
Dallas Cowboys QB
|
| Written off as an underwhelming fill-in for the injured Dak Prescott, the longtime No. 2 has settled in while feeding CeeDee Lamb, at least keeping Dallas competitive down the stretch. (+3) | |
| 26 | 
Anthony Richardson
Indianapolis Colts QB
|
| We can blame the Colts for failing to provide him a reliable structure, and Richardson is a marvel on the move, but at the end of the day, his consistently shoddy accuracy is a major concern. (-1) | |
| 27 | 
Spencer Rattler
New Orleans Saints QB
|
| Veteran starter Derek Carr is likely out for the rest of 2024, and perhaps done with the Saints altogether, leaving the erratic but spirited rookie Rattler to audition for a 2025 opportunity. (+2) | |
| 28 | 
Mason Rudolph
Tennessee Titans QB
|
| Set to return to the lineup after Will Levis' benching, Rudolph isn't necessarily as reckless with the ball in his hands. He's struggled to retain an extended starting gig when called upon, though. | |
| 29 | 
Aidan O'Connell
Las Vegas Raiders QB
|
| Battling through a bone bruise in his knee, the second-year signal-caller is poised to reclaim the top job from fill-in Desmond Ridder. As such, Vegas' endless quarterback carousel keeps spinning. | |
| 30 | 
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Cleveland Browns QB
|
| The Browns got a momentary boost with Jameis Winston replacing Deshaun Watson, but Winston's greedy aerial approach has finally prompted a switch. "DTR" went 1-2 as a starter in 2023. | |
| 31 | 
Mac Jones
Jacksonville Jaguars QB
|
| The former Patriots first-rounder has grown in comfortability as he's continued his emergency stint for Trevor Lawrence, but he's now up to seven interceptions in his last five games. | |
| 32 | 
Tim Boyle
New York Giants QB
|
| Yep, this is what's going on in New York: With Daniel Jones long gone, Drew Lock hurt and/or reckless, and Tommy DeVito also banged up, the G-Men are down to last resorts under center. | |
