Everybody knows that if you don’t have a quarterback in today’s NFL, you don’t have anything. Some teams are finding that out the hard way, and some teams already know it all too well.
We’ve already gotten through most of Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season, and it was an enlightening week at the quarterback position, to say the least. Our latest NFL QB Power Rankings will take a look at the state of the quarterback position around the league after Week 5 action, including some reality checks for a number of big names around the league.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith is free-falling, Dak Prescott is rapidly ascending, and how close is Jared Goff to being the best quarterback in the league right now? We’re taking a look at all of those storylines and more in this week's QB Power Rankings.
NFL QB Power Rankings: Dak Prescott rising fast, Geno Smith free-falling
32. Cooper Rush, Baltimore Ravens
Well, I think that about went how most people thought it would, right? The Baltimore Ravens are officially reeling, and it’s not Cooper Rush’s fault. But you certainly feel like a backup who is well-compensated should be able to do a better job than we saw from Rush.
The Ravens were absolutely run out of their own building by CJ Stroud and the Texans. Rush threw three interceptions in the loss and didn’t look like he was going to be able to help keep the ship afloat for however long the absence of Lamar Jackson ends up being. Awful performance.
31. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
At this point, we just have to acknowledge the facts. Geno Smith has been a terrible turnover machine so far this season for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Over the course of the 2025 offseason, the Raiders were applauded for making arguably the most substantial improvement at the quarterback position out of almost any other team in the league when they went from Aidan O’Connell to Geno Smith, but nothing has really changed.
Geno Smith had another pair of interceptions, bringing his total up to nine this season, as the Raiders were absolutely obliterated by the Colts. I guess if the Seahawks put Sam Darnold available for trade, the league should avoid him like the plague based on how the Russell Wilson and Geno Smith deals have gone for the acquiring teams.
30. Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals
After throwing another three interceptions and fumbling in the Bengals’ loss to the Detroit Lions, I’m not sure how Zac Taylor can continue to justify throwing Jake Browning out there. At least in this game, we saw Browning make some throws and get Ja’Marr Chase involved in the offense, but it wasn’t enough.
And to be fair, nobody really expected much out of Browning this week going up against the Lions, and he fought to keep the Bengals in the game. You’ve got to give him credit for that, at least. But for a team with championship aspirations, this is just not sustainable. The Bengals are going to have to make some type of addition at the quarterback position, or they’re basically just punting this season away.
29. Justin Fields, New York Jets
I think it’s safe to say at this point that the Justin Fields experiment is not going overly well for the New York Jets. It was an understandable risk to take in the offseason to sign Fields to a free agent deal, but unlike some of the other castoff quarterbacks, Fields has yet to find his footing with a new team.
The Jets were getting absolutely blown out by the Dallas Cowboys before Fields put together some numbers in garbage time. Make no mistake, however – this was a bad game for everyone involved with the Jets. Fields will now have to go against the best pass rushing team in the league as the Jets “host” the Broncos in London next week. After taking five sacks against a Cowboys defense that has struggled to rush the QB this season, he may be in for a long day.
28. Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland Browns
You know what? Dillon Gabriel might have a little something.
The Browns made sure they gave Gabriel about the toughest task they possibly could, having him go up against a Minnesota Vikings defense called by an absolute madman in Brian Flores. The Vikings’ defense has done worse to other quarterbacks this season, however, as Gabriel had a pair of touchdowns, no interceptions, and only two sacks taken.
This is a player whose best ability is his quick-trigger style of play, and the ability to distribute the ball like a savvy point guard. Gabriel may not be leading the NFL in aDOT anytime soon, but this was a nice debut against a tough defense for him.
27. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
You’ve got to tip your cap to Bryce Young, who led his team back from a 17-0 deficit against the Miami Dolphins and made some really clutch plays in the process. It doesn’t feel like we’ve seen the best of Bryce Young yet this season, even compared to some of what we saw from him last year, but this was a perfectly-timed clutch performance from him.
Even with less than 200 passing yards, Young was able to overcome some crucial mistakes early in the game to ultimately have a pretty darn good performance overall. The key now is going to be figuring out a way to not have those early turnovers that seemingly even help Young settle into games at times. He’s got to be more careful with the ball.
26. Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings
You’ve got to give credit where it’s due. We saw Jordan Love struggle badly with the Cleveland Browns’ defense, and Carson Wentz held his own. Kevin O’Connell is an absolute magician. The final numbers aren’t anything to write home about, but a win is a win.
The Vikings’ passing attack accounted for 14 of their 20 first downs against the Browns, and Wentz didn’t have any turnovers. Most importantly, Wentz came through in the clutch. He connected on 9-of-9 passes for 71 yards and a game-winning touchdown.
Don't look now, but Wentz has a 99.5 QB rating in his time now as the replacement for the injured JJ McCarthy. The Vikings might not be in a rush to get McCarthy back out there anytime soon.
25. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans got pretty lucky in their win against the Arizona Cardinals, but their luck gave us the opportunity to see Cam Ward in a clutch situation at the end of a game, and he absolutely delivered. The #1 overall pick in this year’s draft was fantastic on a game-winning drive with the Titans down by two points, and he deserved to get his first win of the season.
Ward finished with no touchdowns and an interception on the afternoon, but showed a ton of poise in a difficult situation. And Miami Hurricanes fans everywhere rejoiced. What a weekend for Miami fans with the big win over Florida State, and then Ward getting his first win of the year with the Titans.
24. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr. is on a bye in Week 5
The Atlanta Falcons got a great performance last week out of Michael Penix Jr. when they needed it most. Coming off of a terrible outing against the Carolina Panthers where they got shut out, it felt like the fan base was about ready to throw in the towel on Penix.
It ended up being a great outing for the entire Falcons offense, which came at the perfect time because their first game coming off the bye is a brutal matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Penix may not have had to go toe-to-toe with Jayden Daniels like he did late last season, but he got some momentum going in the right direction, anyway.
23. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
It’s not Kyler Murray’s fault that his running back foolishly dropped the ball before he crossed the goal line for a touchdown, but there’s something off about Murray this season. The Cardinals have been competitive every week, it feels like, but it also feels like Murray has played down to his competition.
The former #1 overall pick did have a rushing touchdown in the Cardinals’ brutal loss against the Titans, but he also had a lost fumble himself and the Cardinals’ offensive operation is just not good enough right now. They had just 16 first downs against the Titans along with three turnovers and eight penalties. Murray has to do more for his team.
22. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
I’m going to go ahead and victory lap this one a little bit, because Spencer Rattler has been playing really solid football through the first month-plus of the season, and it feels like nobody’s wanting to notice or acknowledge it.
We see you, Rattler.
The second-year quarterback has made enough noise at this point that the Saints may have to seriously consider that they’ve found a solution at the game’s most important position. There is a lot of season left to be played, but Rattler led the Saints to their first win of the year and get this: No sacks, no turnovers.
21. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence plays Monday night vs. Chiefs
If “Eh” was a quarterback this season, it would look a lot like Trevor Lawrence. You can’t argue with results, and the Jaguars have found ways to win. They’ve got a great test on Monday night against the team that sort of stole their vibe a couple of years ago in the playoffs.
The Jaguars were one of the hottest young teams in the NFL in their playoff upset bid of the Chiefs back in the 2022 season, but the upset bid fell short. And ultimately, things went off the rails for Lawrence after that. The opportunity is there for Lawrence to make a huge statement against Patrick Mahomes on Monday night under the lights.
20. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa has five touchdowns over his last two games and only one win to show for it. The Dolphins don’t have Tyreek Hill for the foreseeable future, possibly ever again, and Tagovailoa showed up big early against the Panthers on Sunday.
And then the Panthers came scratching and clawing back into the game, and embarrassed the Dolphins with a late loss. After scoring on all three of their possessions to start the game, the Dolphins punted on all but one drive for the remainder of the game. Miami is well on its way to blowing things up once again.
19. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
To follow up the adrenaline-charged performance against the Los Angeles Chargers last week, Jaxson Dart came crashing back down to earth a little bit. The rookie first-round pick had a pair of interceptions in the Giants’ loss on the road against the Saints, and also lost a fumble.
Nobody expected it was going to be smooth sailing for Dart after his debut last week, but certainly having three turnovers and only converting 3-of-10 third down attempts wasn’t the encore every Giants fan had hoped for. There will be better days ahead yet for Dart, who still had a pair of touchdowns as well. He’s learning and growing.
18. Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
How about Mac Jones? This man was dressed up as Two-Face after the 49ers’ shocking upset against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night, and it couldn’t have been a more fitting outfit for him. I make my own luck…
Jones deserves a ton of credit, but so does 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan for setting him up for success. Even without Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings, Jones was able to go on the road against a division rival and get the 49ers to 4-1 and first place in the division.
Whatever happens over the course of the remainder of this season, it feels like Jones is going to be able to get himself a starting gig somewhere in 2026 thanks to his 49ers rehab.
17. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
It felt like a cheapie, but you know what? The Houston Texans and CJ Stroud will take it. The Texans needed any sort of good vibes they could possibly get after starting the season a highly disappointing 1-3, and getting their second win of the year in Baltimore could be the turning of the tide.
Nobody needed a “get right” game more than CJ Stroud. He had four touchdown passes against the absolutely depleted Ravens (on both sides of the ball), but once again, nobody cares about who was dressed up for the opposition. In back-to-back games against the Titans and Ravens, Stroud has six touchdown passes and no interceptions.
16. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers was on a bye in Week 5
We didn’t get a Pittsburgh Steelers game in Week 5, but the Steelers went into their ridiculously early bye week on a high note thanks to their win in Dublin.
I wonder if Rodgers ever got to have that Guinness on tap like he wanted…
Either way, Rodgers has been solid early this year for the Steelers and has really stabilized a position that was rocky last year with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Rodgers isn’t playing at his MVP form we saw a few years back, but he’s giving the Steelers a legitimate shot to win the AFC North, especially with the Ravens stumbling badly.
15. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams was on a bye in Week 5
There’s a lot to like about what we saw from Caleb Williams over the past two games. It doesn’t matter if the Bears needed all four quarters to beat the Raiders. It doesn’t matter if they whooped up on the Cowboys, who have had one of the worst defenses in the league this year.
Williams came through after a tough couple of weeks to start the season, he’s been getting all of his guys involved, and he’s looking like a #1 pick in the NFL Draft. Ben Johnson is slowly working his magic with Williams, who is adjusting to the new offense well over his last couple of games.
Coming out of the bye, Williams has a really tough test going up against the Washington Commanders and Jayden Daniels on the road.
14. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Although he hit some throws on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, I think we have to acknowledge that the Eagles’ passing attack this season has not been very good at all. The Eagles were 2-for-10 on third-down attempts, and Hurts obviously has dirty hands in that aspect of the offensive operation.
He made some big throws deep downfield in this game against Denver, including some nice throws early in the game to Devonta Smith, but the feast-or-famine style of Philly’s offense right now is frustrating. Hurts wasn’t nearly as dynamic this week against Denver, taking six sacks and adding just three yards as a runner.
13. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos and quarterback Bo Nix got off to a rather predictable start against the Vic Fangio-led Philadelphia Eagles’ defense. Nix had a big-time throw dropped by his best receiver, he missed a throw himself, and Denver’s offense seemed like it would have been lucky to cross midfield.
And then something clicked in the second half.
Not only did Nix salvage his outing against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he totally redeemed himself with a come-from-behind victory on the road against the reigning Super Bowl champs. Was he perfect? Not by any stretch, but he had 242 passing yards on 24 completions, including a touchdown to Evan Engram and some really clutch plays in the third and fourth quarters.
12. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
At this point, it’s impossible to deny how well Daniel Jones and the Colts have played this season. Nobody is running the table in the NFL this season, so it wasn’t unexpected to see Jones and the Colts come crashing back to earth a bit last week. Against the Raiders on Sunday, they were back to dominating in every phase of the game.
Jones did fumble, but didn’t lose it, and had another pair of touchdown passes to Tyler Warren and Michael Pittman Jr. Not only is Shane Steichen one of the best offensive minds in the league, he’s one of the best quarterback whisperers. Just not for Anthony Richardson, I suppose.
Jones has the Colts firmly in the mix for the AFC South division title this season, and has to be the early favorite for NFL Comeback Player of the Year after his unceremonious exit from the Giants last year.
11. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders got Jayden Daniels back in Week 5 after two weeks of Marcus Mariota, and it came at the absolute perfect time. Not only did Daniels play well coming back from his injury, but the Commanders kind of took it to the Los Angeles Chargers on the road in this one.
Daniels himself was extremely efficient, throwing for 231 yards on just 15 total completions with a touchdown and only one sack. He also added 39 yards as a runner on the ground. The Commanders are such a dynamic offensive operation when Daniels is out there on the field, and he helped them get their first road win of the year.
10. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
I don’t want to knock Herbert too much for losing to the Commanders in Week 5, but we’ve seen the Chargers put up a couple of consecutive stinkers against NFC East teams, and Herbert has been at the center of that. Herbert had a pair of interceptions last week against the Giants and another bad interception in the loss to the Commanders.
We expected a bit of a regression from Herbert and the Chargers’ offense, given the fact that they lost two elite offensive tackles, but aside from a ridiculous throw to Keenan Allen for a touchdown against Denver, Herbert hasn’t played great football since the first two weeks of the season.
At this point, it’s probably just something to monitor, but Herbert needs to get back to that form he showed in Weeks 1-2 quickly, because the Chargers have opened the door for both the Broncos and Chiefs to get back in the AFC West mix.
9. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
You can’t help but be impressed by Sam Darnold week after week. I don’t know if you give partial credit to both Kyle Shanahan and Kevin O’Connell for him being “fixed”, or if the primary credit goes to O’Connell, but the switch has been flipped for this guy.
In a tough loss against the Buccaneers, Darnold threw a game-changing interception, which was really the only negative mark on an otherwise incredible performance. He threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns otherwise, and that interception was a back-breaker. After a disastrous start for Seattle with a missed field goal, a punt, and a lost fumble by Jalen Milroe, Darnold turned it on by leading five straight touchdown drives.
The late interception is a disappointment, but Darnold looks like an absolutely perfect fit for the Seahawks.
8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield and the Cardiac Bucs did it again.
I would say it’s unbelievable, but at this point, what else do we expect? This is who the Buccaneers are this season.
Baker Mayfield has been as clutch as ever. He thrives in an environment like we saw on Sunday, where he had to go toe-to-toe, throw-for-throw with Sam Darnold. This guy has ice running through his veins.
Against the Seahawks, Mayfield had just four incomplete passes, two touchdowns, and was only sacked one time. It helps to have the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite – wide receiver Emeka Egbuka – to throw the ball to, but Mayfield is playing like an All-Pro in his own right. After throwing a ton of interceptions last season, he’s got 10 TDs compared to just one INT this season and looks to have turned the proverbial corner himself.
7. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
I think you have to tip your cap to Drake Maye and the way he played for the Patriots on Sunday night in a hostile environment. The Buffalo Bills are obviously one of the best teams in the NFL this season, but their defense was playing with a bit of a chip on its shoulder after struggling a bit the previous week against the Saints.
And regardless of what kind of chip the Bills had on their shoulder going into this game, Maye was too much for them at times. The young quarterback hasn't been perfect this season, but he's quickly proving just how outstanding his physical talent is on a week-to-week basis.
The Patriots not only have their new franchise quarterback, but soon, the AFC might have another top-tier arm to deal with on a weekly basis. Maye is so gifted and such a threat to all levels of the field, and the Bills found that out the hard way on a number of occasions.
6. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes plays Monday night vs. Jaguars
The drubbing we saw from the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens was much more what we’ve grown to expect from that team over the last eight years compared to the team that’s been in the middle of the pack in scoring.
It’s not breaking news that the Chiefs like to get the ball out of Mahomes’s hands quickly and let the playmakers do the playmaking. But they’ve had a tough time doing that with a huge target on their backs. The Chiefs left the Ravens embarrassed and broken last week, and you just can’t help but feel like that version of this team – with Mahomes at the center of it all – is constantly bubbling beneath the surface, even when they are struggling.
Mahomes is still the most feared presence late in game of any QB in the league.
5. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
At the age of 37, Matthew Stafford is still playing like he’s 10 years younger. Even though the Rams couldn’t close the deal against the 49ers on Thursday night, Stafford threw for a whopping 389 yards, three touchdowns, had no interceptions, and was only sacked one time.
Stafford has thrown two or more touchdowns in every game but one so far this season, and is on pace for 5,110 yards through the air. At this point in his career, what is really limiting Stafford other than injuries? He’s been able to put the Rams on his back when it’s needed and has them in contention.
Even at 3-2 so far this season, Stafford is in MVP form and is really looking like he could lead the Rams to another Super Bowl.
4. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Love is on a bye in Week 5
The last two weeks have been extremely annoying if you’re a Packers fan, but the play of Jordan Love so far this season should be giving everyone reason for optimism. The Packers have one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Through the first four games of the 2025 season, Love has eight touchdowns compared to just one interception, and he made a ton of big-time plays in the Packers’ shootout with the Dallas Cowboys. Obviously, when your offense puts up 40 points, you want to come away with a win. But the way Love has played so far this season is exactly what we expected with Love entering the year on the periphery of the MVP conversation.
I don’t think he’s quite played at the MVP level just yet, but Love has played well enough this year to buy the Packers as true contenders in the NFC.
3. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
You can’t just be dismissive because “it was the New York Jets”. Dak Prescott has been a man possessed from the very first week of the season.
When Dak Prescott is healthy, the Cowboys are able to hang with just about anybody. They had a really odd week against the Chicago Bears a couple of weeks back, but what we’ve seen from the Dallas offense this season is exactly what Cowboys fans hoped for.
Against the Jets, Prescott had a whopping four touchdown passes and now has thrown multiple touchdown passes in three of his last four games. To say Dak is dealing right now might be a massive understatement.
2. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
It’s only the fifth week of the 2025 season, and already, Jared Goff has multiple games with a QB rating of 153.0 or better. That’s absolutely wild.
Goff is playing the best football we’ve ever seen him play, and that’s saying something. Yes, the Lions just beat up on the hapless Bengals, but you can’t deny that Goff is playing at an MVP level at this point. The Lions already had one of the best collections of offensive weapons in the entire NFL, and the addition of Isaac TeSlaa in the 2025 NFL Draft has taken them up yet another level.
Goff has 12 TD passes this season compared to just two interceptions, and has a QB rating on the year of 120.7. After a rough start to the season against the Packers, Goff and the Lions have turned things around in a big way over the last month.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
The New England Patriots really gave Josh Allen a run for his money on Sunday Night Football. The Patriots were motivated to go into Buffalo and make a statement, and Josh Allen was feeling the heat.
For a team that barely turned the ball over at all last season, the Bills were bit of a mess against the Patriots offensively, especially in the first half. And Allen himself had a bad red zone interception in this one. But one game that doesn't include other-worldly stats isn't going to knock Allen down this list at all. He's still the reigning MVP, and he's still the most dynamic player in the game today.
Allen's margin for error is so substantially different than just a couple of years ago. The game has slowed down for him to the point that we're seeing a new level of confidence in Allen week after week, even when he's getting the opposing team's best shot.