No one ever truly seems to agree on who the best quarterbacks in the NFL are. There are a ton of competent passers, but there aren't many truly elite, difference-making passers in the league right now.
And we're beginning to see teams only being able to get far in the playoffs with top-notch quarterback. There isn't a secret formula to bypass this, either. Teams that don't boast one of the better quarterbacks in the league do need to consider making bold moves until they find one.
But it's obviously easier said than done. Let's power rank the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL for the 2026 season.
2026 NFL Power Rankings: Ranking the best quarterbacks as the offseason rolls on
10. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ending the year as an MVP candidate, Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars really began to heat up as the season progressed. Sure, they lost in the Wild Card Round against the Buffalo Bills, but Lawrence was playing at an extremely high level. You'd ideally like to see Lawrence sustain this for a majority of the season, so his ceiling is capped for now.
9. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
It's time people put down their biases with Bo Nix. Yes, the Denver Broncos offensive line and defense are elite, but we've seen Nix carry this team on his back time and time again, and this rung especially true against the Bills in the Divisional Round. Nix has also dealt with some below-average play from his playmakers each year of his career - it's why the team went out and added Jaylen Waddle in a trade.
A legitimate dual-threat quarterback, Nix is among the best in the league.
8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
One of the best passers from the pocket, Dak Prescott is continually an efficient player, but he did have to deal with some league-worst defensive play from hsi teammates in 2025. As long as the Dallas Cowboys defense is average, they'll be fine. Prescott has proven to be a high-volume, prolific passer. He's also got a long track record of being on winning teams, so let's not overthink this here.
7. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff continues to fly under the radar. He's thrown no fewer than 29 touchdown passes in four-straight seasons, and has a whopping 101 touchdown passes the past three seasons. With a 90-60-1 career record, and only being set to enter his age-32 season, Goff is likely going to end his career very high atop some all-time quarterback categories. He's been very, very good for a while now.
6. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
I get that last year was tough for Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, but Jackson was also playing at an MVP level in 2024 and did win the award in 2023. A future Hall of Famer, Jackson is already the best dual-threat quarterback of all-time, and it's not a stretch to think that he could eventually hit 10,000 rushing yards, but we've really seen his passing explode in recent years. Jackson is still elite.
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Perhaps one of the best pocket passers of this generation, Joe Burrow has unfortunately had to deal with dysfunctional Cincinnati Bengals teams, as they've missed the playoffs three years in a row now. The front office did invest big-time on the defensive side of the ball, so that streak could easily end in 2026.
When Burrow is healthy and on the field, there aren't many better players, period, in the league. He's a magician from the pocket and has a track record of high-end production to back it up.
4. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes has had some down seasons, statistically speaking, over the past few seasons, and he was having to do quite a lot of heavy-lifting for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025. Coming back from a torn ACL, likely in the early stages of 2026, Mahomes is still Mahomes, but the early-career production has kind of disappeared, so I'm not sure it's accurate to give him that top spot now.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Once again playing out of his mind, Josh Allen continues to stack elite years at the position, and he did win his first MVP in 2024. The issue for the Buffalo Bills, obviously, has been not being able to get over the hump in the playoffs. Allen's production and performance in big moments can't be denied, though, and his physical presence has always made him an elite threat with his legs.
2. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Finishing in second place in the MVP race in 2025 to our top-ranked quarterback, Drake Maye and the New England Patriots had an incredibly easy schedule, we can't deny talent when we see it. Maye has all the physical tools to be a top quarterback in this league for a decade, and we got a glimpse of that in 2025.
Maye's production was out of this world, and while the Pats' schedule does get harder in 2026, it's hard to envision Maye isn't again among the best in the league.
1. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
The winner of the MVP in 2025, Matthew Stafford continues to build a case to be a Hall of Famer, but another Super Bowl win was just out of reach for the Los Angeles Rams last year. Given Stafford's age, it's worth wondering if he could replicate his 2025 season in 2026, but there really wasn't much of a question here - Stafford flirted with 50 touchdown passes and was playing the best football of his career.