The NFL quarterback hierarchy after Week 15 action has a new face, and it's none other than Philip Rivers, who came out of retirement and played some decent football for the Indianapolis Colts this past week.
This has been one of the most unique NFL seasons in recent memory, and it's really anyone's season at this point. There are just three regular season weeks left, so we will begin to see more playoff-clinching scenarios develop.
Division titles will also be clinched as well, and most of these teams are now going to win or lose based on the quarterback play they get in the coming weeks. This is the NFL, and the quarterbacks are center stage for a reason. Let's get into our quarterback power rankings after Week 15. For our rankings, as we have done, we look at the total body of work but also analyze based on the most recent performances.
NFL QB Rankings, Week 16: Philip Rivers makes his debut in the 2025 season
32. Brady Cook, New York Jets
Any time an NFL team has to start Brady Cook in a game, bad things are going to happen. The New York Jets got blown out by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15, and there isn’t really anything for the Jets to hang their hats on this year. They did trade Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the deadline for a ton of draft picks, and it’s obvious that their future QB is not on the roster.
Cook tossed three interceptions to the Jaguars’ defense and was honestly in a lose-lose scenario, no matter how you slice it.
31. Kenny Pickett, Las Vegas Raiders
Kenny Pickett and the Las Vegas Raiders got shutout by the Philadelphia Eagles in a game that they were always going to lose. Geno Smith was obviously hurt and did not suit up in this one, and I am not sure it is an exaggeration to suggest that the Raiders have been one of the worst teams, period, over the last decade or so. This team is flat-out horrendous and just needs another reset in the worst way.
Pickett is no. 31 in our QB rankings.
30. Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
It is a very real possibility that Shedeur Sanders simply isn’t a good enough starting QB in this league, but he could be a competent backup for the Cleveland Browns. Sanders has, unsurprisingly, looked rough in his first few starts in the NFL, and there is a reason why he was a late-round pick.
No, he is no being sabotaged by the Browns, so the weird conspiracy theories that have made their way around the NFL world with Sanders and Cleveland are just that. The Browns do have two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft and could use their own first-rounder to perhaps land their QB of the future.
Them potentially packaging both picks and trading up could be an option as well. Sanders might be able to hang around as the team’s backup, which is perfectly fine, as he probably can develop into a solid backup in this league, and it’s clear that many teams would love to have a high-end QB2 on their roster.
29. Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts
Philip Rivers makes his debut in our QB power rankings late in the 2025 NFL Season.
Wait, did I just type that out?? I did, and this is real. Rivers came out of retirement this past week and suited up for the Indianapolis Colts, putting forth a solid performance all things considered, and the Colts did have a chance to beat the Seahawks in Week 15.
Rivers clearly still knows how to play this game, and what we saw from the veteran QB is how the position is really played. Philip Rivers was never someone who made a lot happen outside of the pocket - he was a legitimate pocket passer with elite processing ability and a strong understanding of opposing defenses.
That is precisely why he was able to get up off the couch and go play in a game like this.
28. JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Don’t look now, but JJ McCarthy has stacked a couple of strong performances together here in the past couple of weeks. The Minnesota Vikings have now won two games in a row, and McCarthy might be beginning to turn a small corner here.
The Vikings have three games left, so the second-year QB but de-facto rookie doesn’t have a ton of time left to put good football on tape, but the arrow is pointing up, even if it’s just a little bit. The Vikings have really regressed this year after a breakout season with Sam Darnold in 2024.
The front office drafted McCarthy with the idea that he was going to takeover as their long-term starter, but a missed rookie season and struggles to begin 2025 have made things very difficult for the Vikings.
If nothing else, these past two starts have been great and could be a sign of things to come. The second-year passer from Michigan simply has to stay healthy now, and perhaps with a full offseason as the unquestioned starter, he could break out a bit in year three.
27. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
For the first time in his NFL career, Cam Ward had a passer rating of at least 100, and he took zero sacks. This was an encouraging start for Ward, who has otherwise had a pretty brutal season. He has shown flashes of being great, but the Tennessee Titans are simply so bad around him that it’s been hard for Ward to get much of anything going.
The Titans should be aggressive next offseason in adding talent around Ward to at least get a little bit better of a reading on his true ceiling. We are probably looking at the 2027 NFL Season as when he could truly put it all together, but overall, Ward has done what he can do given the situation.
He’s now no. 27 in our updated QB rankings. Is the arrow pointing up for Ward?
26. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins has been solid for the Atlanta Falcons this year, but the Falcons did not want to have to start Cousins. Michael Penix Jr is obviously out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, so his injury-prone factor has unfortunately revealed itself.
Cousins was signed back in 2024 and did begin his Falcons’ career on a high note, but he regressed enough for the team to pull the plug on the experiment and go to Penix, who has not been all that special thus far, and this injury kind of stalls his development.
Kirk Cousins, though, knows how to play the position and is obviously someone who is going to win from the pocket. He’s likely not the QB he was just two or three years ago, but he’s still probably one of the 32 best passers in the NFL and could perhaps string together a few more strong performances for the Falcons, who are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
25. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough has completed just under 67% of his passes as a rookie, which is a stellar mark and a sign of what could be to come for the QB. The New Orleans Saints beat the Carolina Panthers in Week 15.
Shough has shown a lot thus far and is absolutely going to get the offseason as the Saints’ QB. There is no guarantee that he breaks out more in 2026, but the early returns have been great, and it is hard to not be excited if you’re a Saints fan.
All in all, the first year of the Kellen Moore era has been mildly successful. New Orleans still has a bad roster and a ton of work to do to fix the talent holes, but the foundation may have been set with Shough and Moore.
Shough is no. 5 in our QB power rankings. He’s obviously not been great or anything, but he’s been about as good as you can possibly ask from a rookie QB being thrown into this situation.
24. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
Marcus Mariota has played much of the season for the Washington Commanders, as Jayden Daniels has been in and out of the lineup with injuries. At this point in his career, Mariota is simply a high-quality backup, and that is the type of play that Washington has gotten from their backup QB.
That isn’t the story, though - Mariota is what he is and could play for another five years as a desired backup in this league. He didn’t end up working out as the franchise QB with the Tennessee Titans years ago, but that happens.
Mariota is no. 24 in our QB rankings and is really just doing what he can at this point. He’s played in the NFL for a while and has seen a lot, so there really isn’t much that an NFL defense can throw at him that he has not already seen
23. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow had a disastrous two-interception performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15, and that basically ended the Cincinnati Bengals’ season. It’s been another injury-riddled year for Burrow, but he was able to return from his turf toe injury.
Things just have not gone well for Burrow and the Bengals, as they are tracking to miss the playoffs for the third year in a row, and some have wondered if Burrow is going to force his way out of Cincy.
He’s not played enough this year to get much going, as four interceptions over his past two games kind of proves that. When healthy and when things are not falling apart around him, Joe Burrow is quite good and a quarterback that about 27 other NFL franchises would swap for who they have now.
He’s no. 23 in our power rankings, as he hasn’t done much in his limited action this year.
22. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins will have played on Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and with the Dolphins not performing well in the cold, this could be the most obvious loss of the team’s season thus far.
Miami is now 6-7 on the season and still alive in the NFL playoff picture, which is crazy to think about. They’ve now won four games in a row, but it hasn’t really been due to Tagovailoa, who has just not had a great season this year.
One huge thing to note about the Dolphins’ QB, though, is that he has never actually finished a season in his NFL career with a losing record. He is quite literally a winner, but the main knock on him has been his ceiling and actually not being able to come through later on in the season, like right now.
I would expect this to be a low-scoring affair, and Tagovailoa is good enough to make some key throws, but I am not sure he lights it up at all. Tua Tagovailoa is just outside the top-20 in our QB rankings.
21. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Jaxson Dart simply has to learn to take care of himself better, as he has been evaluated for a concussion so many times this year, and he’s not even played a full season thus far. It’s not been a great year for the New York Giants, but Dart has shown a lot and is probably someone the team is going to build around in 2026 and beyond.
He has already become a massive threat with his legs, but he’s also made some very key throws as well. Dart was a first-round pick by the New York Giants, a team that traded back up into the first round to take him.
There seems to be something there with Dart, but a huge factor here will be if the Giants can bring in the right coaching staff, and if they can coach Dart to simply play smarter football and not put himself at risk of taking unnecessary hits like he has for most of his rookie season.
20. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers is slated to start for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football in Week 15. The Steelers have been a bit of a disappointment this year, but Rodgers has been just fine and is far from the issue.
Frankly, Pittsburgh should have never signed Rodgers, as they have needed to undergo a full and complete rebuild for years now, and signing an aging, veteran QB was not the move. Rodgers clearly still has some gas left in the tank, but he’s not quite good enough to makeup for the Steelers’ flaws.
I would expect Pittsburgh is able to take care of business in Week 15 against the Miami Dolphins, but I guess you just never know. Aaron Rodgers has been fine this year, but he’s not who he used to be, and that is putting it lightly.
19. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes obviously tore his ACL in the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs’ season is over, as they have been mathematically eliminated from the NFL playoffs for the first time in over a decade.
Mahomes was trying to cover up for a bad roster lacking key talent on both sides of the ball, and it unfortunately ended with a messed-up knee. The Super Bowl MVP and two-time league MVP could now be sidelined for up to a year recovering from this ACL tear.
It could also drastically change the way he plays the game, as he might not be willing to scramble as much, which has been a huge part of his game. Even before the injury, Mahomes was not playing all that well, as the Chiefs’ offense just could not get much going consistently.
This will be the last week with Patrick Mahomes on our QB rankings for 2025.
18. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett has been fine for the Arizona Cardinals this year, but nothing special. On paper, he’s actually been quite efficient, but Arizona has also trailed a lot this year. Brissett was not someone who the Cardinals expected to rely on this year, but the 2025 season has really turned upside down for Arizona.
Kyler Murray’s foot injury will keep him out for most of the season, and we also got some reporting that the team does plan to move on from Murray in some capacity this coming offseason. That is fine and all, but the Cardinals’ plan after they move on from Murray is an entirely different story.
Arizona is a bad team and were once 2-0 to begin the year. Jacoby Brissett is a fine backup QB, but any team that has to rely on him for a large stretch like this will not have a good season. Brissett has thrown 18 touchdown passes against just six interceptions this year, so he’s been playing well statistically.
17. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers fell to 7-7 on the season thanks to a pathetic loss against the New Orleans Saints, and this has kind of been the story for the Panthers this year, as they will have the most outstanding win only to fall flat on their face the following game.
Young has been fine this year and is playing average football. He’s playing the best football of his career, though, which doesn’t really bode well for the QB’s chances to be a legitimate, franchise player.
Bryce Young has clear limitations as a quarterback in this league and could carve out a nice, long career as a low-end starter or high-end backup, but there simply is not a lot to love with Young for an entire season.
Head coach Dave Canales and GM Dan Morgan have to strongly consider moving in a new direction this offseason, as this is Bryce Young’s ceiling, unfortunately.
16. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson has been fine this year, but the Baltimore Ravens have largely had a season to forget and just aren’t a very good team right now. They were able to beat the Cincinnati Bengals and continue to remain alive in the AFC North division race, but the Ravens just do not have the bite that they have had in previous seasons.
Jackson himself clearly looks like a regressed version of his old self, and maybe that’s been due to playing injured this year, or could it be for another reason? What I know, though, is that this is not the Lamar Jackson that we are used to seeing.
And it might be best for the Ravens to not make the playoffs and to flush this year down the drain and move on to 2026. On paper, the future Hall of Fame QB has been efficient this year, but his completion percentage is down a bit. His 101.4 passer rating is great, but that kind of also shows you how much a passer rating can mislead at times.
15. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert has now thrown an interception in four-straight games and has 12 on the season against just 23 touchdown passes. The 10-4 Los Angeles Chargers did beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15 and are very much alive in the AFC West race, but they do not control their own destiny.
And to be blunt, Herbert has not played all that well this year and has not been the best QB in the AFC West. The Chargers are a flawed team but will eventually do enough to get into the playoffs. Herbert has been running for his life behind a subpar offensive line, so a lot of the regression we’ve seen from him on paper is due to that.
His 92.2 passer rating would also stand to be the lowest of his NFL career thus far. He’s also 0-2 in the playoffs and has not played well when he’s helped lead LA into the postseason. Justin Herbert has been quite average this year, all things considered.
14. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a down year thus far, and it’s really not his fault. Mayfield was one of the more prolific quarterbacks in the league last year, but his offensive coordinator was Liam Coen. Coen is now the head coach of the surging Jacksonville Jaguars, and we have seen Mayfield’s production take a hit.
Coen seemed to play a huge part in Mayfield hitting the 4,500-yard, 40-touchdown mark, which were insane feats. We all know that Baker Mayfield can play this position at a high level, so I can’t really rank him super low, but I still have to be fair to some other quarterbacks who have been a lot better this year.
Mayfield is in the top-half of our quarterback rankings and has largely had a fine season. The Bucs are likely going to turn the page from the Todd Bowles era at the end of the 2025 NFL Season, and I could actually see Tampa going with an offensive-minded head coach after that.
13. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts, statistically speaking, has been good this year, but the Philadelphia Eagles passing offense has not been consistent in 2025. They beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15, but that really isn’t saying much.
Hurts has some limitations, and that is putting it lightly. This is probably the highest that he can go, as he’s not someone who can be a consistent dropback passer and has generally not been a fast processor.
But with a strong offensive line, good run game, and elite weapons like Hurts has had before, he can be a good player. The Eagles are 9-5 on the season and getting closer to the NFC East title. With how iffy Philly has been this year, though, the odds that the team wins a playoff game in 2025 feel low.
12. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy was sensational against the Tennessee Titans in the San Francisco 49ers’ win in Week 15. The Niners are now 10-4 on the season and still alive in the NFC West race. Purdy is a fine QB, and being top-12 is just about as good as he is for the long-term.
Purdy does already have a ton of playoff experience, so he has that going for him, but you don’t ever get the sense that this QB is going to put the team on his back and lead them down the stretch or in massive moments.
There isn’t anything wrong with what Brock Purdy is good at and how good he is, though. The 49ers are surely very pleased with him as their franchise quarterback, but it is quite interesting that Mac Jones played very well this year while Purdy was hurt.
I am not sure the 49ers will keep Jones on the roster in 2025, as I do believe they could explore a trade for him if the compensation is right, but I also do genuinely believe there is a non-zero chance that they could trade Brock Purdy, as Mac Jones was not $50 million per year worse than Purdy while he was in the lineup this year.,
11. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans are heating up at the right time, and are now 9-2 over their last 11 games after an 0-3 start. It would be a miracle if they won the AFC South this year, but I do believe they are the best team in the division right now.
Stroud missed some time earlier this year due to a concussion, but he’s back and he’s heating up. Stroud is a borderline top-10 QB in normal circumstances and is just outside the top-10 in our latest power rankings as Week 15 comes to a close.
The Texans are a very good team, and if Stroud can stack more performances like we saw in Week 15, the Texans could win multiple games in the playoffs. With how good the defense is, this team could be a Super Bowl dark horse as well.
Stroud is 11th in our QB power rankings as we make our way to Week 16 here in 2025.
10. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams has actually been, statistically speaking, nearly identical to his 2024 output as a rookie here in 2025. The completion percentage is below 60%, which is simply not sustainable, and that is probably one of the main things holding Williams back.
We know he can make the tough throws and we know that he has that ‘it’ factor that many other quarterbacks have, but it’s simply now about doing some of the easier things well, and that could come with time.
Williams has to hit these layups and simply complete a higher percentage of his passes down the stretch if the Chicago Bears want to win the NFC North and perhaps go on a run. This team is clearly well-coached enough to go on a run, but the quarterback’s overall inefficiency this year could detract from that.
But the Bears are 10-4 for a reason, and Caleb Williams has been very clutch when his team needs him the most, so he deserves a ton of credit for that. He’s no. 10 in our power rankings.
9. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks actually needed all 60 minutes to beat the Philip Rivers-led Indianapolis Colts. Darnold has been very good this year, but the interceptions are a tick up from where they were in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings.
His touchdown percentage is down, and his interception rate is up, so it’s not been quite as prolific a season as he had in 2024, but the Seattle Seahawks’ offense is still a huge threat in most games.
Darnold and Seattle are still very much alive in the NFC West division race as well. We have seen Darnold kind of disappear in big games, so that is the main concern here, but the veteran QB has been battle-tested and is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.
It’s hard to find a decent spot for Sam Darnold, as the raw stats don’t really jump out at you. He’s no. 9 in our power rankings and is having a strong season overall.
8. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence is heating up at the right time for the 10-4 Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are still in first place in the AFC South and appear to be in the driver’s seat to win the division this year. The Indianapolis Colts are mostly a non-factor at this point, so it’s really just up to the Jags to keep winning so they can fend-off the Houston Texans, who are just one game behind.
Lawrence has been on fire recently. He threw for a whopping five touchdown passes against the New York Jets in Week 15 and has now tossed nine touchdown passes against zero interceptions over the past three games.
Now on the season, Lawrence has thrown 23 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. His completion percentage is still below 60%, but a lot of that has been due to a ton of drops by Jags’ pass-catchers.
The offense is beginning to come into view, though, and the Jaguars are a legitimate team worthy of our respect at this point in time. Trevor Lawrence is surging in our quarterback power rankings as Week 15 closes out.
7. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
The Denver Broncos’ defense ended up getting the best of Jordan Love in Week 15. Love falls a bit in our QB power rankings, but he’s still well inside the top-10. His MVP campaign might have also ended with this two-interception loss. Love threw a pick to Riley Moss and Patrick Surtain II in the second half.
The Packers did have a nine-point lead at one point, but the Denver Broncos proved to be too much for Green Bay to handle. Love has largely been great this year, though, so one iffy performance does not take away what he has done for most of the season. Now at 9-4-1, the Packers have to bounce back and beat the Chicago Bears in Week 16 if they hope to take the NFC North back.
Jordan Love is one of the better quarterbacks in the league and is capable of going nuclear. His team needs him to now.
6. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix is creeping up in our QB rankings after a stellar Week 15 performance. Frankly. This might have been the best performance of Nix’s young NFL career thus far. He tossed four touchdown passes against a very talented Green Bay Packers’ defense and was just surgically accurate.
Nix and the Broncos have now won 11 games in a row and are clearly the best team in the NFL at this point, and that really isn’t up for discussion. After the Broncos Thursday Night Football debacle against the Las Vegas Raiders a few weeks ago, Nix has been sensational and has been a top-10 QB during that stretch.
The Broncos moved to 12-2 with the win, and if Nix continues to play like he has been, the Broncos are going to win this entire thing. Bo Nix was one of the more polarizing QBs in 2024, as so many people got the evaluation on him wrong. It’s clear that he’s a franchise QB, and he might be creeping toward elite status.
5. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye had two rushing touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills, but he and the New England Patriots gave up a massive 21-point lead at home, which is simply inexcusable this late in the season. For the time being, the Bills are still alive in the AFC East division race. Maye simply has to play better if the Patriots want to close the deal here.
He was not doing much at all through the air, and it seems like the moment got too big for him at times, but the second-year QB has still been marvelous in 2025, so it’s not like we can forget about how great he’s been for 96% of the season.
Maye is still no. 5 in our QB rankings, but this was definitely a performance he’d love to have back.
4. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott leads the NFL in attempts, completions, passing yards, first downs passing, and yards per game. The Dallas Cowboys also rank 4th in points scored, scoring 29.1 per game. Simply put, Prescott has been on fire this year and is far from the problem with the Cowboys.
The defense is still horrendous, and with another brutal loss, this time to JJ McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas’ playoff hopes are about out right now. The weird thing with Prescott is that he does have a notable history of playing very well after a bad season the year prior or a major injury.
He hurt his hamstring last year and missed about half of the season. He has since come back and been, once again, one of the more efficient quarterbacks in football, and Dallas would have 10 or 11 wins at this point even if their defense was average. Dak Prescott is a very good, winning quarterback in this league. He’s been one of the best in the NFL this year, is exceptional from the pocket, and can make every throw on the field.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen can put the cape on and turn into Superman when the Buffalo Bills need him to, but at some point, that magic goes away. Allen can’t keep carrying the load like this each and every week, but with the personnel deficiencies that the Bills have on offense, and their defense all of a sudden being shaky, Allen is forced to do this.
It was a 21-point comeback for the Bills in New England against the Patriots in Week 15. For the time being, Buffalo is very much alive in the AFC East title, as the Pats could have clinched the division with a win. This division might come down to which QB between Allen and Maye is better down the stretch, and we simply have seen Allen come through time and time again.
The playoffs have been a different story, but once again, the reigning MVP has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He’s a top-3 dual-threat QB of all-time and is very likely ending his career in the Hall of Fame.
2. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions rank first in points scored per game, but 23rd in points allowed. They are now 8-6 on the season and are seeing their playoff odds disappear. Detroit got into a shootout with the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15, with the better team winning.
Jared Goff is far from the problem, and his situation in Detroit is similar to Dak Prescott’s situation in Dallas, as Goff is commanding a top-notch offense, but the defense has been subpar and has battled injuries for multiple years now.
Goff has now thrown 29 touchdown passes against just five interceptions, having a near 6:1 TD:INT ratio, which is insane in today’s NFL. Goff has been a high-end QB in terms of raw efficiency for years now.
He has a passer rating of at least 110 for the second year in a row and is once again going to finish with a highly productive year, but it might not end with a playoff berth. Jared Goff might not get a ton of attention as a high-end QB because he isn’t flashy - he’s not a dual-threat passer and is not someone who is going to make jaw-dropping throws on the run.
He wins from the pocket and is likely going to be able to sustain success like this well into his 30s. The way Jared Goff plays the game is going to age very well as he gets older.
1. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Right now, Matthew Stafford is the MVP of the NFL. Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams just took down the Detroit Lions in Week 15. Now on the season, the veteran QB has thrown 37 touchdowns against five interceptions.
It’s Stafford’s best season thus far. He leads the NFL in passer rating and touchdown passes. He could flirt with 50 touchdown passes if he finishes strong, but his career-high is 41, and that feels very attainable.
Now at 11-3, the Los Angeles Rams have clinched a playoff spot and could win it all this year. Stafford has been playing out of his mind and is able to carry this team on a deep run if that’s what it takes. Once again, Matthew Stafford is the no. 1 QB in our power rankings.