6. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Once again, Joe Burrow was dealing with a notable injury. When Burrow can get on the field, he's among the best in the NFL, but it feels like we're having this talk most every single season. Is Burrow injury prone, or is it just bad luck?
Not only that, but the Cincinnati Bengals had a horrendous defense this year, so that was a huge factor. There is a lot of unknown with Cincy at the moment, but Burrow's talent is undeniable, even if he doesn't play a full season.
5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes had to carry the load big-time for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025, as the offense was barren of competent weapons. Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL, and we'll be a bit frisky here and predict that he'll start Week 1 for the Chiefs. While it could very well be Justin Fields, Mahomes is surely going to push to be out there.
His passing production has dipped in recent years, but the magic is still present.
4. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
People are overthinking Bo Nix. Not only did he emerge as the most clutch quarterback in the league in 2025, but the Denver Broncos absolutely would have made the playoffs had Nix not gotten hurt in the Divisional Round. Given that this is a rather uncontroversial statement, that does say a lot about how good Nix is, doesn't it...?
3. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
In the second half of the season, Trevor Lawrence was playing like an MVP candidate and was a finalist for the award. It finally does seem like there is stability with the franchise, and Lawrence has always been a player who has all the tools to be among the best in the NFL.
If Lawrence's back-half of the 2025 season tells us anything about 2026, the Jags will see their starting quarterback potentially winning a major award or two.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills again fell flat on their faces in the playoffs, but once again, Allen was among the best in the NFL. At some point, the Bills have to get over the hump, right? Well, this might simply be an era of Bills football where it just does not happen.
Buffalo is one of the most stable teams in the NFL. We all can expect Allen to play his tail off and for the Bills to win a ton of games. There isn't much else to say here.
1. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Sure, Drake Maye didn't play well in the playoffs, but he was consistently the best quarterback in the AFC all year. He finished second in the MVP voting, and while the New England Patriots did benefit from an easy schedule, that shouldn't diminish what Maye was able to do. A slight regression could be coming, but the Pats and Maye established themselves nicely.