2. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on their bye in Week 9 and have an insane stretch of tough games right after that, as they’re set to face the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and Los Angeles Rams in Weeks 10, 11, and 12.
That will be a huge test for this team, as it’s hard to get a good read on them - they rank 14th in points scored and 16th in points allowed, so they actually might be a lot closer to being average than we think, but winning two or all three of those games could do wonders.
Mayfield himself has again been efficient - he’s thrown 13 touchdown passes against just two interceptions this year and is continuing to be one of the more efficient quarterbacks in the NFL. Mayfield has a 100.2 passer rating in his now three-year career with the Buccaneers.
1. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
It was another stellar game from Matthew Stafford through the air, as the Los Angeles Rams now move to 6-2 on the season with a blowout win over the New Orleans Saints. The Rams were fresh off of their bye and really just took the time to get healthy for the stretch run.
This was not a game that the Rams had to do much to win, and while they obviously had to score some points, the Saints were never going to be a match for LA. Stafford is playing the best football of his career if you ask me and has now been the best QB in the NFL this year.
He’s stacked touchdown pass after touchdown pass in recent weeks and has been taking care of the ball at an insanely high level this year as well. Back when Stafford got traded to the Rams in 2021, I had said to myself that I thought he was going to win an MVP award.
Well, with his torrid start here in the 2025 NFL Season, an MVP award feels possible, and the Rams are plenty good enough to win the Super Bowl this year. Matthew Stafford is no. 1 in our power rankings as Week 9 closes out.