Week 16 NFL QB Power Rankings: Shedeur Sanders tumbles; Josh Allen into top three

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Quarterbacks are the most important position in football. The league's best-paid contracts reinforce home this point: these guys are the most critical component in every franchise's chase for Super Bowl glory. However, the vast majority of them are often a reflection of their offensive ecosystems, but a select few transcend circumstance.

Which teams are best equipped to make a run down the stretch the last three weeks of the season thanks to who is under center? Which ones are the sport's most gifted or talented quarterbacks? Who could use a change of scenery? Let's take stock of all 32 starters here and now as a snapshot of the current moment in time.

These rankings are fluid: they're designed to tell the story of each starting quarterback's respective rise and/or fall. In a vacuum, Patrick Mahomes would remain No. 1 and so forth. However, he will not be found in this week's rankings since he is out for the season with a torn ACL. So where do the big names stack up entering the final three weeks of the season starting in Week 16?

Enjoy our newest edition of the 2025 Quarterback Power Rankings:

NFL QB Power Rankings

1	Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams QB
Matthew Stafford is your NFL MVP favorite at -300, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. He leads the NFL in passing touchdowns (37) and passer rating (112.2). Stafford is also only the third different quarterback all time with 35 or more passing touchdowns (37) and five or fewer interceptions (5) through the first 14 games of a season in NFL history. Aaron Rodgers in two of his four NFL MVP seasons (2014 and 2020) and Patrick Mahomes (2020) are the only other passers in the rarefied air Stafford is in at the moment in 2025. (No change)
2	Drake Maye New England Patriots QB
Drake Maye had his first game of the season with under 200 yards (155 yards passing, one interception and two rushing touchdowns) in a 35-31 loss against the Buffalo Bills in a game his New England Patriots led 21-0. However, his overall body of work this season keeps him at No. 2 this week. Maye leads the league in completion percentage (70.9%) and is on pace to be the youngest player to lead the NFL in that statistic since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. He also leads the league in expected points added (EPA) per dropback (0.23) while ranking second in yards per pass attempt (8.7) and third in passer rating (110.4). (No change)
3	Josh Allen Buffalo Bills QB
Josh Allen played efficient, high-level football (193 yards passing and three passing touchdowns while completing 19 of his 28 passes) in helping power the Buffalo Bills back from a 21-0 hole in New England to topple the AFC East-leading Patriots 35-31. That tied the largest comeback win on the road in Bills franchise history. He's heating up, coming off back-to-back games with at least three passing touchdowns and no interceptions for the first time in his career. Allen ranks fourth in the NFL in passer rating (104.3) and third in the league in expected points added (EPA) per dropback (0.21) this season. (+1)
4	Jordan Love Green Bay Packers QB
The Green Bay Packers collapsed all around Jordan Love in the team's 34-26 road defeat against the AFC-leading Denver Broncos. Right tackle Zach Tom (knee), wide receiver Christian Watson (chest) and edge rusher Micah Parsons (torn ACL) all went down with injuries on Sunday, but Green Bay still had a chance to force overtime despite Love being pressured on 58.7% of his dropbacks, the third-highest rate in a game in which a QB has thrown at least 30 passes this season. Love ranks fourth in the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio (23-6), sixth in passer rating (101.9) and second in expected points added (EPA) per dropback (0.22) this season ahead of a massive NFC North rematch with the Chicago Bears this week. (-1)
5	Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys QB
Dak Prescott leads the NFL in passing yards (3,931) and is third in passing touchdowns (26) while piloting the NFL's No. 4 scoring offense (29.1 points per game). Prescott threw for 294 yards passing while completing 23 of his 38 throws in a 34-26 upset loss against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15. He was pressured on 55% of his dropbacks, the fourth-highest rate in a game in which a QB has thrown at least 30 passes this season. Prescott's offensive tackles didn't give him much of a chance in Week 15, routinely getting beat by spin moves, but the Dallas QB is having another strong individual season despite his tackles and the defense crumbling around him. (No change)
6	Jared Goff Detroit Lions QB
While Jared Goff's offensive line and defense continue to suffer injuries seemingly weekly, he remains consistent with 29 passing touchdowns (the second-most in the NFL) a 110.4 passer rating (the second-best in the NFL) and the fourth-best expected points added (EPA) per dropback (0.20) in the league. He is certainly dependent on the supporting cast and structure of his offense, but he's helping keep the Lions in the playoff picture. (No change)
7	Sam Darnold Seattle Seahawks QB
Sam Darnold struggled against the Indianapolis Colts defense in a narrow 18-16 victory. His co-league-leading 16 turnovers are holding him back from being truly considered as a top five QB, but both his expected points added (EPA) per dropback (0.14, eighth-best in the NFL) and passer rating (102.0, fifth-best in the NFL) have him locked into the top 10. (No change)
8	Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers QB
Justin Herbert is a miracle worker. With both starting offensive tackles in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt sidelined, Herbert is being pressured on 42.4% of his dropbacks, the second-highest rate in football ahead of only former New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (45.1%). However, Herbert's average time to throw of 3.06 seconds ranks just outside the top 10 as the 11th-longest time to throw this season. He is overcoming a limited offensive line and offensive coordinator Greg Roman's simplistic passing concepts and a surgically repaired left hand to help power the Chargers to the AFC's top wild card spot with a 10-4 record. That's strong work. (+3)
9	C.J. Stroud Houston Texans QB
C.J. Stroud has playing solid football since returning from his concussion. He's thrown for four touchdowns and just one interception while averaging 246.3 passing yards per game in three straight wins despite injuries at running back and no consistent No. 2 pass catcher beyond No. 1 option Nico Collins. (+4)
10	Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens QB
The two-time NFL MVP played efficient football against the collapsing Cincinnati Bengals, completing 8 of his 12 throws for 150 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while scrambling for 26 on the ground on just two carries in a 24-0 win. Despite a tough year on both sides of the ball for the Ravens, Jackson ranks seventh in the league in passer rating (101.4) while keeping Baltimore just a game back of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North crown. (+4)
11	Caleb Williams Chicago Bears QB
Caleb Williams took care of business against the lifeless Cleveland Browns, completing 17 of his 28 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-3 victory. The Chicago Bears are 10-4 and sit atop the NFC North once again heading into their second game of the season against the rival Green Bay Packers. A strong performance against them could all but lock up a division title for Chicago for the first time since 2018. (-1)
12	Aaron Rodgers Pittsburgh Steelers QB
Aaron Rodgers still has the juice at 42 years old. The four-time NFL MVP completed a single-game career-high 85% of his passes for games in which he's thrown at least 25 passes (23 of 27) for 224 yards and two touchdowns in an easy 28-15 "Monday Night Football" victory over the Miami Dolphins, a team that had won four in a row entering Week 15. He's starting to find his groove the last two weeks, completing 75% of his passes for 508 yards and three touchdowns. (No change)
13	Joe Burrow Cincinnati Bengals QB
The Cincinnati Bengals are broken sitting at 4-10 and officially eliminated from playoff contention. Burrow threw for 225 yards and two interceptions on 25 of 39 passing in his first shutout since he was in college back in 2018 against No. 1 Alabama. Times are rough in Southwest Ohio. (-5)
14	Brock Purdy San Francisco 49ers QB
Brock Purdy carved up the Tennessee Titans, completing 23 of his 30 passes for 295 yards and three passing touchdowns on Sunday. He is starting to get comfortable after being clearly hampered by his turf toe injury. (+2)
15	Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars QB
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence played so well (330 passing yards and five passing touchdowns on 20 of 32 passing) in a 48-20 victory over the New York Jets that their defensive coordinator Steve Wilks got fired. He also led the Jaguars with 51 yards rushing on five carries, including a 15-yard rushing touchdown. Lawrence's Week 15 performance made him just the fourth quarterback in NFL history with at least six total touchdowns and at least 50 yards rushing in a game, putting him in a club with Josh Allen, Mitch Trubisky and Michael Vick. (+2)
16	Baker Mayfield Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
Baker Mayfield got back on track in Thursday night's fourth-quarter collapse against the Falcons. He tossed two touchdowns for the first time since a Week 10 loss to the Patriots. Luckily for the Bucs, the Panthers also lost so the NFC South crown will come down to two games between the Bucs and Panthers in the final three weeks.  (-1)
17	Jalen Hurts Philadelphia Eagles QB
Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles did what they were supposed to do against the 2-12 Las Vegas Raiders, beating a rudderless bunch 31-0. Hurts completed 12 of his 15 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns while adding 39 yards on seven carries on the ground. His Week 15 outing was his first game with at least three passing touchdowns since Week 8 against the New York Giants. Prior to Week 15, Hurts had thrown just four passing touchdowns in the previous five games. (+1)
18	Bo Nix Denver Broncos QB
Bo Nix had one of the best games of his career in Denver's 34-26 win against the depleted Green Bay Packers, who lost All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to a torn ACL in the third quarter. Nix threw for 303 yards and four touchdowns on 23 of 34 passing. Nix is managing the Broncos toward the AFC's top overall seed, which comes with a first-round bye. (+3)
19	Tyler Shough New Orleans Saints QB
Tyler Shough helped powered the New Orleans Saints to a 20-17 upset victory over the then-NFC South-leading Carolina Panthers in Week 15 by leading his squad through the air and on the ground. Shough threw for 272 yards and a touchdowns while completing 24 of his 32 passes while also pacing New Orleans in rushing with 32 yards on eight carries. Shough is playing his way into being the Saints' Week 1 starter in 2026. (+1)
20	Jaxson Dart New York Giants QB
Jaxson Dart performed admirably after briefly departing to be evaluated for a concussion. He threw for 246 yards, two passing touchdowns and an interception on 20 of 36 passing while also adding 63 yards rushing on nine carries. His seven rushing touchdowns are tied for the most in a season by a Giants QB as injuries have forced him to take matters into his own hands a lot as a rookie. (+3)
21	Bryce Young Carolina Panthers QB
Bryce Young totaled his 10th game this season with under 200 yards passing (163 yards) and a touchdown on 15 of 24 passing in a surprising upset defeat against the New Orleans Saints when a win could have given Carolina a key leg up on the sagging Buccaneers. Now, the Panthers will need him to elevate his level of play with two games against Tampa Bay in the final three weeks of the season. (-2)
22	Kirk Cousins Atlanta Falcons QB
Kirk Cousins just produced his best performance of his 2025 season with 373 yards passing and three touchdowns in a Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's his first such games with over 350 yards, at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions since 2023 with the Minnesota Vikings -- before he tore his Achilles. Perhaps Cousins is starting to finally free himself from the effects of that injury. (+7)
23	Jacoby Brissett Arizona Cardinals QB
Jacoby Brissett's overall stats this season are solid, but they're not impactful with a significant amount of his production occurring with the game out of reach. The Cardinals have lost eight of his nine starts with the only victory coming against the Dallas Cowboys. Losing to Brissett caused Dallas to trade for New York Jets All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and Cincinnati Bengals veteran linebacker Logan Wilson. (+3)
24	Cam Ward Tennessee Titans QB
Cam Ward has consecutive games with two passing touchdowns, and they're his only multi-touchdown pass games of the season. He's starting to play his best ball down the stretch, and it would be great if the Titans could upgrade his offensive line and receiving core in order to better evaluate his talent in a more stable football ecosystem. (+4)
25	Marcus Mariota Washington Commanders QB
Marcus Mariota did just enough (211 yards and a touchdown on 10 of 19 passing) to get the Washington Commanders over the finish line in a 29-21 road win at the New York Giants to snap an eight-game losing streak. (+2)
26	J.J. McCarthy Minnesota Vikings QB
McCarthy has found some success, throwing six passing touchdowns to just one interception against two of the NFL's worst defenses in the Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys the last two weeks. However, he still has a long way to go as he ranks dead last in the NFL in completion percentage (56.8%), touchdown-to-interception ratio (11-11) and passer rating (72.1) this season among 32 qualified quarterbacks.  (+6)
27	Philip Rivers Indianapolis Colts QB
Philip Rivers keeping the Indianapolis Colts close in an 18-16 loss at the Seattle Seahawks in his first start in 1,800 days is miraculous. However, he still didn't play all that well, throwing for 120 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 18 of 27 passing. He completed just two of eight throwing when throwing for 10 or more air yards, and his sole interception came on such a throw. Rivers completed just one of his five passes for 2 yards when pressured, and he went 9-for-17 for 84 yards on throws behind the line of scrimmage. Rivers is clearly limited given his physique at the age of 44. (+4)
28	Shedeur Sanders Cleveland Browns QB
It couldn't get much more ugly for Shedeur Sanders than it did in Week 15 when he completed barely over 50% of his passes (18 for 35) for 177 yards and three interceptions in a 31-3 defeat at the Chicago Bears. (-6)
29	Gardner Minshew Kansas City Chiefs QB
Yes, it's hard coming in cold on a game's final drive like Gardner Minshew did for Patrick Mahomes after the latter tore his ACL. However, the Chiefs were almost in field goal range for kicker Harrison Butker in a 16-13 game with the franchise's playoff hopes on the line. The one thing he couldn't do was throw an interception, and that's exactly what he did. Chargers All-Pro safety Derwin James made a great play on the ball, but a veteran like Minshew should know better than to put the ball up for grabs in that spot. (N/A)
30	Brady Cook New York Jets QB
Brady Cook became the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start for the New York Jets since 1975, and they lost 48-20 in Week 15. He's thrown for 339 passing yards, one passing touchdown and five interceptions in two games, including the one start in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. (N/A)
31	Kenny Pickett Las Vegas Raiders QB
Kenny Pickett completed 15 of his 25 passes for 64 yards in a 31-0 defeat against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. That's the fewest passing yards in a game on 25 or more passing attempts by a Raiders quarterback since Cotton Davidson (57) in 1963. Enough said. (-6)
32	Quinn Ewers Miami Dolphins QB
Quinn Ewers makes his debut in the weekly QB power rankings with the rookie seventh-round pick slated to replace Tua Tagovailoa in the starting lineup. Entering his first career start, Ewers has completed five of his eight throws for 53 yards passing. The good news is his he'll making his first start against the NFL's worst defense, the Cincinnati Bengals. (N/A)