Ranking the quarterbacks in the AFC West has to be somewhat of a fool's errand, because no matter what order you put these guys in, you're going to be wrong according to multiple fan bases.
This is undoubtedly the most polarizing quarterback division in football right now, and it's potentially going to get even more convoluted if Fernando Mendoza ends up being a hit for the Raiders.
If you make a list of the best QBs in the AFC West based purely on accomplishment, then Patrick Mahomes can't be topped. If you base it on the quarterback leading his team to the most success over the past two seasons, it's going to be Bo Nix of the Broncos. If you base it on regular season success, Justin Herbert would be on top of the list.
And 'round and 'round we go. We're going to do our best to sort this out in a fair way in these brand-new NFL Power Rankings, looking at the quarterbacks in the very fun division that is the AFC West. How do you sort these players out with every factor considered?
NFL Power Rankings: AFC West starting QBs ranked worst to best for 2026
4. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
The last spot on the list is the easiest one to determine, because Kirk Cousins is clearly the worst quarterback in the division right now. Whether you want to base that on talent or projection for the upcoming season is up to you. But the Raiders have Cousins as a bridge quarterback to Fernando Mendoza, and that's fine.
We saw Cousins play some decent football down the stretch last year for the Falcons, and he's obviously got plenty of experience in the system Klint Kubiak is going to run. But Cousins's athletic and physical limitations are catching up to him a bit, and he's got 21 interceptions in his last 24 games as well as 16 total fumbles.
He cut down on the mistakes significantly last year with the Falcons, but the last time he was the starter going into a season, it didn't turn out great.
Now, he's in an interesting situation with the Raiders where he's got an elite weapon at tight end and a future star at running back, but no wide receiver help to speak of. This could be the final year as a starter in the NFL for the artist formerly known as Kirko Chainz.
3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
This is where the conversation really starts to get ugly. If this list were being based purely on physical talent, Justin Herbert would be #1, maybe even comfortably.
But it's not. Justin Herbert has earned a ton of respect for the way he's played since coming into the league back in 2020 out of Oregon, averaging over 4,400 yards per 17 games played along with at least 23 touchdown passes in three of the last four seasons.
Herbert is one of the best at getting out of the pocket and making plays in the NFL, and he's capable of making some unbelievable throws on the move that almost nobody else in the league can make. But as solid as Herbert has been in the regular season, he's been equally bad in the playoffs. The Chargers have been a quick playoff exit in each of Herbert's three appearances despite having one of the best defenses in the NFL, especially over the last two seasons.
Herbert threw four interceptions in the Chargers' playoff loss against the Texans two seasons ago, and last year couldn't even get into the end zone against New England.
At some point, the pressure has to come back to Herbert despite his supporting cast not coming through for him. He's got all the talent in the world, and the stats to back it up, but does he have what it takes to win in January?
2. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Depending on who you ask, Bo Nix might still be considered one of the worst quarterbacks in football.
The NFL Draft community was not high on Nix coming out of Oregon, and they were even more skeptical when Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos took him 12th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. And despite Nix's flaws, the Broncos have won 24 games over the past two seasons, and Nix became the second Broncos quarterback (besides Tim Tebow) drafted by the team to win a playoff game last year.
Nix helped lead the Broncos to the playoffs as a rookie, and he willed them to victory over the Bills in the playoffs last season, which he unfortunately didn't to celebrate. A fractured ankle took Nix out of the playoffs, and the Broncos essentially along with him.
Where this debate becomes heated is Nix's regular season success. He hasn't exactly found a rhythm as a consistent player week to week, which causes his play in clutch moments to be diminished. The Broncos flirted with disaster on many occasions last year because of offensive inefficiency, but Nix was right there to lead his team in the end.
He needs to be a more efficient passer going forward, but he's also the youngest and least-experienced player on this list. Nix joined a list with only two other QBs -- Justin Herbert and Peyton Manning -- who have at least 3,500 passing yards and 25 passing TDs in each of their first two seasons. He's already orchestrated 11 game-winning drives for the Broncos.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Even if Patrick Mahomes has had a bit of a dropoff in statistical production and efficiency over the past two seasons, and even though he's coming off of a major knee injury, he's still the most threatening quarterback in the AFC West.
Mahomes on one good leg is still probably better than most quarterbacks in the NFL.
All kidding aside, there's really no hyperbole that will suffice when it comes to what Mahomes has done so far in his NFL career. His reputation is what it is for a reason. He's proven he can get it done in the biggest moments time and time again.
Over the past three seasons, it feels like Mahomes has regressed to a different mean in the regular season. The Chiefs' offense hasn't been nearly as good (or dynamic), but Mahomes is still the same guy in situational football. It takes all four quarters of your defense's best effort to beat this guy.
Even after a down year, and even as he continues his recovery process from the knee injury, Mahomes is still the standard in the NFL at the quarterback position.
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