The AFC could be shaping up to be a legendary conference in the 2025 NFL Season, and that is largely due to the elite quarterback play. This conference is just oozing with young quarterback talent approaching 2025.
However, a bit of a regression from a few teams did pave the way for lesser-though-of squads to make a mark, so this conference may have as many as 10 teams who have an arguement to make the playoffs.
Only time will tell how this conference shakes out, but it should be a good one in 2025. Let's power rank the projected starting quarterbacks.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking starting quarterbacks in the AFC for 2025
16. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward is a rookie and has not taken a snap in the NFL - he'll be ranked 16th until further notice.
15. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson is hysterically bad, and unfortunately for Indianapolis Colts fans, Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard are the other options. It could be a rough year for this team.
14. Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
I guess it'll be Mason Rudolph and Will Howard competing for the starting job in Pittsburgh? If so, the Steelers may finish with a losing record for the first time in a million years. That may be what this franchise needs, though.
13. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
Joe Flacco might be in line to start for the Cleveland Browns in the 2025 NFL Season, but I guess Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel could win the starting job.
12. Justin Fields, New York Jets
Justin Fields is a bad quarterback and is on his third team in as many years - good quarterbacks are able to stick with a team, because, you know, they are good quarterbacks.
The Jets aren't going to win much of anything with Fields under center in 2025.
11. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
Geno Smith could not cut through the weaker NFC during his short stint as the Seattle Seahawks starting QB during the 2022-2024 seasons. What makes us think he'll be able to do it in the much more talented AFC?
10. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye is going to shock a lot of people in the 2025 NFL Season, and this ranking does reflect that a bit...
9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Coming in at ninth in our power rankings is Trevor Lawrence, the QB of the dysfunctional Jacksonville Jaguars. At some point, though, Lawrence has to prove himself, right?
Or will he ever?
8. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
If Tua Tagovailoa could simply stay on the field for a full season, the Miami Dolphins might be talked about a lot more affectionately than they are right now. They feel like a frail franchise, and it's because of their quarterback.
7. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans regressed a bit in the 2024 NFL Season, so we'll see if their rebooted offensive line ends up being the repairs that they needed.
6. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix was responsible for 35 total touchdowns during his rookie season and threw 29 touchdowns against just eight interceptions after the team's 0-2 start. The Denver Broncos have a franchise QB.
5. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert is a very good quarterback, but he shrinks in the playoffs, as the Chargers just don't have much to speak of in the Herbert era besides his shiny statistics in the regular season.
4. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes has not been super efficient over the last two seasons, but the last time he did not play in the Super Bowl was all the way back in the 2021 NFL Season, when they were upset in the AFC Championship Game by Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen has helped the Buffalo Bills become a mainstay atop the AFC for a half-decade now, but they haven't gotten over the hump and again lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. Will Allen and the Bills ever make a Super Bowl run?
2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
If it wasn't for one of the worst defenses in the NFL, Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals may have made a deep playoff run. Burrow had the best season of his career, but ended the year on his couch. He's still elite and no. 2 in our power rankings.
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson should have won his third MVP in the 2024 NFL Season, but the award somehow went to Josh Allen. Jackson is the best quarterback in the NFL right now and unlocked a new dimension as a passer in 2024.