There were some elite quarterback performances in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Season. Let's power rank the best five. On the flip side, there were also some downright awful QB performances. But let's take a more positive spin here and look at the best QB performances.
These five teams have to be pleased with the way their passers played in Week 1. While the production below may not be sustainable for each signal-caller, they still deserve credit for how well each played. Let's cover the top five quarterback performances from Week 1 thus far.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking top quarterback performances from Week 1
5. Derek Carr - 19/23, 200 yards, 3 touchdowns
I bet you did not expect to see Derek Carr ranked high in any sort of NFL power rankings, now did you? To be fair, Carr and the New Orleans Saints were at home against the pathetic Carolina Panthers. Carr was dealing, as the Saints cruised to a blowout, and he was among the best QB performances in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Season.
4. CJ Stroud - 24/32, 234 yards, 2 touchdowns
CJ Stroud is back to dominating opposing defenses. The Houston Texans held on for a crucial Week 1 win against their division rivals, the Indianapolis Colts. Stroud was efficient with his completions and threw two touchdown passes. He didn't add a ton of yards, but as we can all see, you don't need to throw for a ton of yards to win games.
Stroud and the Texans picked up right where they left off in 2023.
3. Lamar Jackson - 26/41, 273 yards, 1 touchdown, 122 rushing yards
Coming in third in these QB power rankings, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens produced at a high level in their Week 1 loss. He was efficient as a passer and made the Kansas City Chiefs pay on the ground a bit. Yes, his team lost, but he was all over the field and showed the NFL why he is still the most explosive player in this league.
2. Tua Tagovailoa - 23/37, 338 yards, 1 touchdown
Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins mounted a late-game comeback win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, as the newly-extended QB led Week 1 thus far with 338 passing yards. For all of the criticism that comes his way, Tagovailoa has been among the most productive QBs in the NFL since the start of the 2022 NFL Season.
1. Baker Mayfield - 24/30, 289 yards, 4 touchdowns
How about Baker Mayfield? He's revived his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and simply looks like one of the best QBs in the NFL over the last year with his new team. He began his 2024 NFL Season with a bang, tossing four touchdown passes in the Buccaneers Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders.