Without a strong starting quarterback, no team is going to sustain any sort of success in today's NFL. There isn't a secret formula to landing an elite quarterback, either. Teams simply have to do the proper homework in finding the correct player in the NFL Draft.
Some teams did this perfectly and are now primed to be successful for the next decade. Others have young quarterbacks whose arrow is pointing up, and others just continue to circle the drain and have no solution in sight, unfortunately.
There are a ton of different types of franchise passers in the league. The pure pocket passer still exists in this league, but we're now beginning to see more dual-threat passers who are honestly more playmakers at this point. Let's power-rank all 32 projected starting quarterbacks in the NFL for the 2026 season. We'll use 2025 performance to sort out these rankings, but it's also worth considering the total skillset of the quarterback as well. We'll try to find a good balance here in these power rankings.
NFL QB Rankings: Power-ranking the projected starting passers for the 2026 season
32. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
It's hard to be optimistic about the Cleveland Browns. While the defense is rather solid and perhaps even a playoff-caliber unit, the quarterback room might be the worst in the NFL. Deshaun Watson is likely primed to start for the Browns. He hasn't been efficient in years and has honestly been unplayable when he's been able to get on the field for Cleveland.
31. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett's passing totals from 2025 were absolutely inflated due to the Arizona Cardinals getting beaten so badly. Brissett is a solid backup that most teams would love to have in the quarterback room, but he's really nothing more than that and is No. 31 in our power rankings.
30. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins signed a free agency deal with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason and is likely starting for the team for some portion of the 2026 NFL Season. Fernando Mendoza is obviously the team's long-term bet, but Cousins surely would not have signed with the Raiders unless he was guaranteed to start for the team.
And as long as Cousins doesn't look washed, to be frank, the Raiders could fee comfortable starting him as long as possible. The Mendoza era surely isn't one the team is wanting to rush, either, and, perhaps fittingly enough, Mendoza and Cousins are similar quarterbacks.
Cousins has been an efficient pocket passer for years and does have some rock-solid regular season statistics, but he has never been a quarterback who has consistently elevated a team, and at this point in his career, he's nothing more than a top-tier backup-caliber player. He'll be able to hold the fort down for one season if needed, but nothing more is likely expected.
29. Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
After some high-end flashes backing up Jordan Love in Green Bay, Malik Willis landed a free agency deal with the Miami Dolphins. It's an odd pairing, as the Dolphins are clearly rebuilding, but Willis was still able to land a multi-year deal in the realm of past deals we've seen for players like Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones, and Sam Darnold.
You almost have to wonder if the Dolphins are hoping that Willis can be the next cast-off quarterback who puts it all together, but given how bad this roster is, Miami is likely looking at the 2027 NFL Draft to bring in a potential long-term option at the position.
Willis isn't exactly set up for success on Miami, either, and doesn't really have a notable path to success, and he's got limited action as a starter, too.
28. Geno Smith, New York Jets
Geno Smith was flat-out atrocious for the Raiders in the 2025 season, and the Raiders somehow found a way to trade Smith to the New York Jets. The Jets bring Smith back after drafting him over a decade ago, and it's clear that this is nothing more than a one-year Band-Aid.
At best, Smith could flash it back to his years with the Seattle Seahawks. He was solidly efficient in 2022 and 2023. However, he's been a backup for years in the NFL for a reason and is a low-end starter at best.
Sure, he's got a big enough arm to make throws all over the field, but no one brings in Smith to try and win a ton of games at this point. With a solid offensive line and notable weapons, though, Smith could see a statistical improvement with the Jets in 2026 compared to his forgettable season with the Raiders last year.
27. Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
Tua Tagovailoa has been a prolific passer in the NFL, but a series of injuries has left him in a posiiton where he may have to 'win' a starting quarterback competition this offseason with the Atlanta Falcons. The bright side here is that the Falcons play in a dome and have some playmakers who could make life easier for Tagovailoa, and it's not like he hasn't been efficient before.
While the best football might be behind him, Tagovailoa is still rather young and would be protected by a great offensive line and would have some awesome playmakers at his disposal, but like others ranked this low, Tagovailoa isn't a quarterback who is going to elevate much, so the ceiling with this potental set up is rather low.
Tagovailoa could rise in our quarterback power rankings if he wins the job, stays on the field, and keeps the ball out of harm's way.
26. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans might be building something special. While Ward's first season was filled with a ton of forgettable moments and a lot of losing, he did begin to put things together down the stretch and absolutely made franchise quarterback throws time and time again.
The Titans also helped out Ward this offseason. Improving the defense should give the offense more opportunities, especially with shorter fields, and the Titans also used their first-round pick on Carnell Tate, an insanely athletic wide receiver from Ohio State, who has some George Pickens to his game.
The Titans are going to give Ward the entire 2026 season to prove himself, and perhaps most importantly, he's now got Brian Daboll on his side, a proven quarterback developer and someone who has been an outstanding offensive coordinator.
Ward is going to rise in these rankings when 2026 starts and as the season progresses. He has the goods.
25. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough was another 2025 NFL Draft rookie quarterback who played well down the stretch. Shough is a bit of a dual-threat passer as well. The New Orleans Saints actually went 4-1 over the last five games of the season and were only two wins off the NFC South winner, the Carolina Panthers.
Given that the Saints added help at running back, wide receiver, tight end, and offensive line this offseason, 2026 is primed to be the 'Shough Show.' Shough has a lot desirable tools you want in a franchise quarterback, and while I am high on Shough, we can only rank him so high.
He's still an unproven player until he either hits his stride or regresses. The ceiling might not be anything special, but Shough and the Saints are feeling good about where they are and could break out big-time in 2026.
24. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Another 2025 rookie quarterback who 100 percent has the goods, Jaxson Dart was the best of this trio and might also be in the most ideal situation. The New York Giants starting quarterback definitely needs to learn how to protect himself better, as he put his body in harm's way too much in 2025.
And most of that was surely due to him being a rookie and just not yet fully learning how to avoid taking unnecessary hits. That should change a bit as Dart enters a huge year two. With the Giants having hired John Harbaugh as head coach, the coaching should finally be stable.
The Giants also do have enough talent on offense to see the development of a young quarterback. Dart's ability as a runner is better than Ward and Shough, so that could play to his advantage in 2026. He did make a lot of off-schedule plays, which is a huge indicator of something special brewing.
New York is optimistic about their quarterback, and the moves they made this offseason prove it.
23. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young played the best football of his career in 2025 but was largely still average. The Panthers did win the NFC South, but they won it with an 8-9 record. That cannot continue to be the standard in 2026. Carolina will not only need Young to again elevate his game, but he'll have to help lead this team to double-digit wins, perhaps, to fully convince the NFL world and his front office that he is worth investing in.
Abnormally small at the position, Young's size is something that he'll have to continue to show does not impact his game. Given the clear statistical jump he made in 2025, though, another leap has to be on the table.
22. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
At this point in our quarterback rankings, we are slowly beginning to approach some seriously talented quarterbacks, and Kyler Murray might be the most interesting name on this list. Murray enjoyed a somewhat successful tenure with the Arizona Cardinals, but nothing really came of note.
Murray has always been a productive quarterback, and if nothing else, he's a high-floor player. He'll throw about twice as many touchdowns as interceptions and will always be a threat with his legs. However, to give Murray the benefit of the doubt, the Cardinals didn't exactly have great rosters around him.
Now with the Minnesota Vikings, Murray could be in the most stable situation of his NFL career. He's suddenly being protected by a top-tier offensive line, and now gets to throw the ball to a future Hall of Fame wide receiver in Justin Jefferson.
Murray does have to prove himself again, and even being an average player could be enough for the Vikings to make the playoffs, as the team quietly won nine games in 2025. This could be a great situation for Murray to finally hit his full potential, however that may look.
21. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers currently has not officially signed anything to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers, it does seem likely that he'll give it one more year. While Rodgers touchdown-interception ratio was efficient in 2025, the quarterback and offense were both rather mediocre. It was a true 'dink and dunk' operation. There wasn't anything special about the unit, as the Steelers just did not excel in doing anything on that side of the ball.
Rodgers returning does cap the Steelers ceiling, and if he returns in 2026, he'll be entering his age-43 season. It's clear that Rodgers is a declining player, and at this point, he might barely be a top-20 quarterback.
20. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts were on fire to begin the 2026 season, having started 7-1. Everything was working for the Colts, but of note, Jones was playing the best football of his career, and he was being helped out by an elite offensive line and an elite run game.
The Colts proceeded to collapse down the stretch, finishing with eight wins. Jones also tore his Achilles, so it's yet another major injury for the former Giants quarterback. However, we cannot discount just how efficient Jones was in the first half of that season. With that being said, we also cannot discount the slow regression he underwent before suffering that injury.
Jones can't be ranked inside the top-10 or anything, as he didn't finish the year and wasn't playing great football during that final stretch. We still have to give him a high enough ranking to acknowledge how efficient he was. Jones is 20th in our power rankings, with room to improve.
19. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels just was not able to stay on the field for the Washington Commanders in 2025. It was absolutely a season to forget for the player and the franchise. With 2025 behind them and a massively improved roster, it's really now up to Daniels to stay on the field.
Availability is the best ability, so Daniels not being able to do this does greatly hurt his position in our power rankings. If Daniels can throw it back to his insane rookie season, he'll absolutely get himself inside the top-10 again.
He's got a high ceiling and a ton of potential as a dual-threat passer, so it does feel likely that he'll have a great season if he can put the injury bug behind him. Daniels cracks the top-20 in our quarterback rankings.
18. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield found some unexpected success with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when initially signing back in 2023. He's honestly turned his career around, playing the best football of his career in 2024. Mayfield and the Bucs regressed hard in 2025, but much of that was due to mounting injuries and some bad coaching.
We've seen Mayfield turn into one of the more prolific passers in the NFL, and the Bucs were winning the NFC South rather easily. You want to give this franchise the benefit of the doubt and say that 2025 was an outlier, but I guess you never know. The thing with Mayfield is that he does have a rather limited ceiling. He's never really been though of as a quarterback that's going to carry a team deep into the playoffs, but he's not a slouch, either.
He's somewhere in the middle, and that's where he lands in our power rankings. At best, Mayfield could flirt with top-10 status, but that's assuming he turns it back to the production he had in 2024.
17. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts is an average quarterback. He's a below-average passer and an above-average runner. For years, the Philadelphia Eagles have been stacking wins, but this team just cannot find much stability. Hurts is a reason for that. His limits as a passer really prevent the Eagles from fielding a dynamic enough offense to sustain consistency.
And this is the truth despite Hurts constantly being surrounded by elite players. Something has to giv either way this coming season. If it's another shaky season on offense, and Hurts is again not really playing notable football, we might have to begin having some tough conversations, but some of us are already there. Hurts is an average quarterback on a loaded team.
16. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears did have a great season in 2025, and there is reason to believe that 2026 could bring an even more successful season. The issue with the Bears last year, though, was the defense was rather shaky outside of the turnovers, and Williams' completion percentage dipped below 60 percent.
He just wasn't an accurate quarterback, and this is the biggest thing he'll need to focus on for 2026. If that completion percentage can get closer to 63, 64 percent, the Bears are going to be unstoppable. Williams clearly has the clutch gene, and he largely protects the football.
Not only that, but he didn't get sacked nearly as much, so that was another major improvement from his game. There's clearly a high ceiling with this player, but you can tell that the puzzle, while close to being put together, isn't quite there yet. Williams comes in at No. 16 in our quarterback rankings.
15. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy is a good quarterback, but nothing more. He's got some athletic limitations - Purdy doesn't have the biggest arm and isn't overwhelming on the field. However, he's typically very accurate and has been productive his entire career.
He's also already started in a Super Bowl. Clearly on teams that are sometimes loaded with talent, Purdy might not ever be an elite quarterback, but the San Francisco 49ers have won quite a bit with Purdy under center.
If this group can stay healthy, they'll absolutely make a deep playoff run, and Purdy does bring a ton of postseason experience to the table. Overall, there are teams that would love to have Purdy as their starting quarterback, but others that would pass and would stick with their current option. He's a fine player.
14. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
CJ Stroud's first three seasons in the NFL have been both successful and a bit frustrating. The Houston Texans have made the playoffs three years in a row, and they've advanced into the Divisional Round in each season. However, they've also lost in the second round in all three seasons.
This is now turning into a trend and making us think if this current era of Texans football will be good enough to get over the hump. With one of the best rosters in the league and perhaps the best defense, the one thing that could help this team get over the hump is Stroud himself.
He's been rather average the past two seasons after a historically good rookie season, and if he hopes to earn a long-term deal from the front office, the 2026 season has to look a lot like 2023. Stroud just has not been an efficient passer since the start of 2024.
The Ohio State product is still a good quarterback, but he has much more 'average' football play than above-average.
13. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Sam Darnold has been a winner of 28 regular season games over the past two seasons. While his production from 2024 into 2025 did take a hit, he was still plenty good enough to lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl title.
Clearly not an elite quarterback, and not a quarterback that anyone would mistake as elite, Darnold's stance in our power rankings is an interesting one. He's not close to being in that elite tier with the best passers in the league, but he's clearly better than the 'average' players at the position.
Being ranked 13th feels rather fair, as it's a solid ranking based on the notable quarterbacks who are better than him, but it also separates him from the more average players at the position.
12. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers have kind of peaked these past few seasons. Entrenching themselves in a Wild Card status, the Packers current set up just does not appear to be strong enough to make notable progress in a loaded NFC.
Still, though, Love has been one of the more fun quarterbacks in the NFL. He's got it all - size, athletic ability, and both arm talent and arm strength. Love is one of the more complete players at the position, but he's also never really burst onto the scene. He's actually won exactly nine regular season games in his three years as the Packers starter.
Love isn't in that great tier yet, and he may never be. With Love and the Packers, it has always felt like something is missing from this operation, but it's truly hard to tell what exactly is missing. Love is just outside the top-10 in our quarterback power rankings.
11. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert has been a very efficient quarterback during his NFL career, but he has crashed and burned in the playoffs, and just does not appear to have that extra gear. Herbert isn't a bad quarterback, obviously, but he doesn't have that 'it' factor. The Chargers have hit a ceiling these past two seasons, getting blown out in the Wild Card Round.
Until we can see more substance from the Chargers in the playoffs, especially from Herbert, he'll continue to occupy a good-not-great spot in our power rankings. Sure, there is a ton to like with the player, as he's got all the tools and is overwhelmingly big.
But, kind of like Love on the Packers, this set up in Los Angeles just has not gotten off the ground, and it's not clear if that will ever happen.
10. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence finished the 2025 season as an MVP candidate, as he was truly playing elite football down the stretch. In year one of the Liam Coen era, the Jaguars made a ton of positive strides, and most importantly, this team finally seems to have some solution to work with here in the future.
The pre-Coen Jaguars were just a giant mess, as Lawrence never really hit his potential. He's always had all the tools, but sometimes, bad teams stay bad until a certain coach saves the day. Now, suddenly, the Jags are not only fresh off an AFC South title, but Lawrence is a top-10 quarterback in the league at this point.
He's a rare player and someone who should continue getting better now that Coen is in place. Lawrence elevating in our rankings is 100 percent on the table for 2026. There is room to grow, and the ceiling with this team is quite high all of a sudden.
9. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix is a special quarterback, and we saw that first-hand in the AFC Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills. His absence from the AFC Championship Game also showed us just how good he's been and how important he is for this operation. A winner of 24 regular season games in his first two seasons, Nix is not only someone who has come through in the clutch, but the Broncos suddenly turning into one of the winninges teams in the NFL isn't a coincidence.
Nix has off-schedule ability and has already proven the ability to be a high-volume passer. With Jaylen Waddle added to the mix this offseason, this Broncos offense is primed to truly break out, and if Nix had not gotten hurt last playoffs, it would have been very easy to see Denver in the Super Bowl, perhaps even winning it all.
8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
People are too hard on Dak Prescott. He’s a winner, has won for a long time, and is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL from the pocket. Prescott cracks the top-10 in our updated quarterback rankings.
The Dallas Cowboys had the worst defense in the NFL last year, so another highly efficient year from Prescott was essentially wasted. Even if the defense is average in 2026, the Cowboys should be able to win the NFC East and cross the 10-win mark.
Prescott is a wizard at the line of scrimmage and has been a prolific passer in this league for quite some time. His ceiling is quite high, and he’s sustained this high level of play for a decade now. Sure, Prescott isn’t perfect, is already on the wrong side of 30, and isn’t that dynamic with his legs, but he does the most important things a quarterback should do extremely well.
7. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
A quarterback in a similar spot to Prescott, Jared Goff is another highly efficient pocket passer. Goff, frankly, is one of the best in the NFL. He’s thrown over 100 touchdown passes the past three seasons and has thrown no fewer than 29 touchdowns through the air in the past four seasons.
He’s now thrown over 4,000 yards four years in a row, and he’s also right on the cusp of hitting the 40,000-yard mark for his career as well. Goff’s passer rating has been above 100 in 2024 and 2025, and he’s won 90 of his 151 starts.
There isn’t much to dislike about Goff. Sure, the overall playoff success might not be there, but he’s one of the very best at his job in the NFL, and the stats and data back it up.
6. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens had a down year in 2025, but in my view, that down year was much more of an outlier than anything. Better injury luck would fix a lot, and Jackson has been the most dynamic player in the NFL for years now.
A two-time MVP and someone who should have won a third, Jackson is a future Hall of Famer and has really taken steps as a passer in recent years. There isn’t a major flaw in his game, but I suppose that injury concern is always with a quarterback who uses his legs as much as Jackson does.
With a new head coach in town, the new-look Ravens could stabilize a bit, and if Jackson is able to stay healthy and on the field, he’ll return to his normal, elite ways. For the sake of what we saw in 2025, though, a slight dip in the rankings is fair.
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow was another AFC North quarterback who got hurt in 2025. The Cincinnati Bengals have also been one of the more disappointing teams in the NFL, as they’ve missed the playoffs three years in a row now, and the front office just does not really inspire a ton of confidence.
This offseason, however, has been a bit different. The front office has totally remade the defense, and it’s honestly a very talented unit on paper now. Burrow does need to put the injury concerns behind him in 2026, but as we’ve seen, that’s much easier said than done.
When healthy and on the field, Burrow is a high-volume, prolific, accurate passer with an intense, notable ability to perform in the clutch. The Bengals have also advanced into the title game round, at least, in the two seasons they’ve been in the playoffs in the Burrow era.
4. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes has had some down years statistically in recent years, but he’s also had to do way more heavy-lifting than necessary. What we saw with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 was a not-good-enough roster, as the already razor-thin margins disappeared
The team won all of their one-score games in 2024, but that type of winning just can’t sustain itself with the overall lack of high-end talent this team has. Mahomes also tore his ACL near the end of the season, and there isn’t a guarantee that he’ll be 100 percent ready to roll for Week 1 of the 2026 season.
There is also reason to believe that Mahomes may not be all that comfortable leaving the pocket. A major knee injury might force him to not use his legs as much. Still, though, this is Mahomes we’re talking about here.
A future Hall of Fame quarterback and one of the greatest of all-time, Mahomes is set to turn 31 years old later this year. The first half of his career is over, and we could fairly assume that the 2026 campaign marks the start of the ‘back nine’ of his career.
A ton of good football could still be on the way.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is still an alien, and the Buffalo Bills have accomplished everything you could ask for outside of a Super Bowl title. Allen and the Bills have won a ton of division titles, and Allen won the MVP in 2024.
He’s racked up a ton of touchdowns and continues to be a dynamic playmaker. Allen’s running ability and physical nature really make him virtually impossible to stop at times. His overwhelming style of play has still sustained itself as Allen creeps closer to 30 years old.
Allen has been a top-5 quarterback for years now, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down, either.
2. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye finished just behind Matthew Stafford in the 2025 NFL MVP voting this past season, and while New England did have an easier schedule, a ton of credit has to go to Maye for the season he had. Maye was flat-out excellent, and it’s not like he wasn’t capable of this.
He’s got all the tools you want in a franchise quarterback, and while the schedule does get harder in 2026, there is also a distinct possibility that Maye continues to be excellent. He now has two years of football under his belt, and added the motivation of potentially signing a mega-extension next offseason.
Sure, the Patriots got blown out in the Super Bowl and did get ‘exposed’ a bit, but Maye had a whopping 13 games in the regular season with a passer rating of at least 100, and three of those non-100 passer rating games were still in the 80s. He finished with 31 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards in a highly prolific season.
This lands him No. 2 in our power rankings.
1. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
The MVP of the league in 2025 and unquestionably the best quarterback in the NFL right now, Matthew Stafford, takes the top spot in our quarterback power rankings as the 2026 offseason rolls on.
Flirting with 50 touchdown passes in 2025, Stafford played the best football of his career, and the Los Angeles Rams did feel like a shoo-in for the Super Bowl. Some regressing defense spoiled those chances in the playoffs, but it obviously was not because of Stafford.
Sure, he’s old at this point, but given how well he played in 2025, there is every reason to believe that he’s got another efficient year ready to roll in 2026.
The Rams did draft Ty Simpson back in April, so Los Angeles is clearly bracing for a regression or departure, but the team figures to ride this out as long as Stafford is efficient enough.
In 2025, Stafford led the league in passing yards and touchdowns.