Somehow, we are already in Week 14 of the 2023 NFL Season. Well, before Thursday Night Football kicks off, let's power rank all of the starting QBs in the NFL. I think as of now, there are two QBs in the NFL who are playing a tick above the rest. Those passers would be Dak Prescott and Brock Purdy.
And ironically enough, these two passers might get the most criticism of any other QBs in the league. Purdy is playing in a very QB-friendly system in San Francisco, so some people still haven't bought into him being as good as he is. Dak Prescott plays for the Dallas Cowboys. I think that about covers why he gets criticized a ton.
After Prescott and Purdy, there's really a ton of average, below-average, and downright stinky QB play. Before Week 14 kicks off, let's do our best to rank all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL.
32. Tim Boyle/Zach Wilson/Trevor Siemian - New York Jets
We don't really know who the heck is going to play QB for the New York Jets, but this QB room is easily the worst in the NFL. Tim Boyle is atrocious and was brought in because he's buddies with Aaron Rodgers. Zach Wilson should have never been the backup in NY to begin with. And Trevor Siemian is your typical well-traveled backup QB who is the best of the three. Not good.
31. Bailey Zappe/Mac Jones - New England Patriots
There are a ton of yucky, stinky, no-good QB rooms in the NFL. The New England Patriots have one of them. Both of these passers give the team the best chance to lose each week, if that makes sense. The Pats are 2-10 and have a realistic shot at the #1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
30. Tommy DeVito/Tyrod Taylor - New York Giants
Italy's own Tommy DeVito has gotten some starts this year with the New York Giants. Tyrod Taylor has been on injured reserve. Taylor is obviously the better QB, but none of that really matters. The Giants are playing in a lost season in 2023 and need a franchise QB,
29. Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young has been pretty bad this year, but to be fair, the entire Carolina Panthers' team has been horrid. I'm not sure you can blame Young for the inept offense, but Young is currently one of the "worst" starting QBs in the NFL. The Panthers have no choice but to make it work with Young.
28. Aidan O'Connell - Las Vegas Raiders
He's a rookie passer who is not going to make it as a franchise QB but could potentially carve out a role as a well-traveled backup QB. The Las Vegas Raiders need to go quarterback shopping this coming offseason, as the Jimmy Garoppolo free agent signing wasn't working from the beginning.
27. Kenny Pickett/Mitchell Trubisky
Kenny Pickett keeps getting hurt and is now set to miss some games with an ankle injury that he had surgery on. Mitchell Trubisky is the starter now, and well, I'm not sure Trubisky isn't the better QB here. Both Pickett and Trubisky are awful and the Pittsburgh Steelers should be aggressive in finding a franchise QB this coming offseason.
26. Joe Flacco/Dorian Thompson-Robinson/PJ Walker
All of these players have started for the Cleveland Browns this year, and Joe Flacco actually looked pretty decent. Dorian Thompson-Robinson and PJ Walker are no good, but I think having Flacco in the mix does raise the ceiling of this room just a hair.
25. Desmond Ridder - Atlanta Falcons
At least Desmond Ridder can run, I guess. He's a second-year player that was picked in the mid-rounds and is just a guy. Ridder will eventually fall into irrelevancy at some point, but as of now, he and the Atlanta Falcons would host a playoff game. The NFC South is really bad, folks.
24. Joshua Dobbs - Minnesota Vikings
I think we all expected Joshua Dobbs' magic to run out at some point. Throwing three interceptions against the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings losing two games in a row might have Dobbs on the ropes in Minny. I'm not sure he starts for the Vikings when they take the field next. He's a backup QB that played well for a few games. That's it.
23. Will Levis - Tennessee Titans
Will Levis has thrown seven touchdowns against two interceptions thus far in his rookie season, and I think he's shown enough for the Tennessee Titans to give him year two to secure the position. Getting help along the offensive line and at the skill positions will certainly help Levis' development.
22. Derek Carr - New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr has been hurt multiple times this year and just isn't playing well at all. The massive contract he signed with the New Orleans Saints last offseason is proving to be a huge bust. The Saints are in deep trouble here. They have an expensive, old roster and a bad quarterback.
21. Gardner Minshew - Indianapolis Colts
Gardner Minshew is clearly doing enough to help the Indianapolis Colts win games. They're 7-5 and now just one game back of the AFC South lead. They're tied at 7-5 with the Houston Texans. I think Minshew and the Colts eventually fall off a bit since he's simply a high-end backup QB, but he's played fine and is still helping keep the Colts in the thick of things.
20. Jake Browning - Cincinnati Bengals
Jake Browning really announced himself to the NFL world in Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's got three touchdowns against one interception this year and has completed over 75% of his passes thus far. The Cincinnati Bengals are 6-6 and in the thick of things in the AFC.
19. Sam Howell - Washington Commanders
Sam Howell has thrown for a ton of yards this year, but he's also thrown 18 touchdowns against 14 interceptions and is on a very bad team. Howell takes a ton of sacks, but he's not exactly being helped by that offensive line. Howell has improved in year two, but there's not a ton to love about him right now.
18. Geno Smith - Seattle Seahawks
The Geno Smith regression was coming at some point, and it comes just one year after his breakout 2022 season. Smith has thrown 15 touchdowns against nine interceptions and is on a Seattle Seahawks' team with no identity. Smith was a fun story for a while, but I think the team needs to go franchise QB shopping this coming offseason.
17. Kyler Murray - Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray returned to the starting lineup for the Arizona Cardinals a few weeks ago after his ACL rehab. He's looked fine in the new offense and the Cardinals feel like a very scrappy team. I think the team sticks with Murray as their franchise QB and invest in the WR and OL rooms to help him in 2024 and beyond.
16. Justin Fields - Chicago Bears
Justin Fields looks marginally better in year three than he did in year two, but being that the Chicago Bears are probably picking #1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, I don't think Fields is the starting QB for the Bears next year. They could probably fetch a second-round pick for him. A team like the Seattle Seahawks would make sense for Fields.
15. Baker Mayfield - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield has actually been pretty solid this year and has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 5-7 and just one game behind the NFC South lead. He's tossed 18 touchdowns against eight interceptions this year and has a respectable 90 passer rating. I think Mayfield has earned a bit of money from someone next offseason when he hits free agency.
14. Matthew Stafford - Los Angeles Rams
I think Matthew Stafford has played reasonably well when you consider the young targets he's throwing to and the shaky and young offensive line. He's got an 87.3 passer rating, which is a hair below his career average. I think Stafford is on the decline but is still somewhat effective.
13. Trevor Lawrence - Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence has just been eh this year, I think. He's tossed 14 touchdowns against seven interceptions and I don't think he's taken that step into stardom that a lot of us thought he would. He also left the game in Week 13 with a pretty nasty looking ankle injury. I would not be surprised to see an extended absence for T-Law.
12. Jordan Love - Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love has really taken a step forward over the last few weeks, and the Green Bay Packers have won three games in a row. Love has 22 interceptions and 10 interceptions on the year thus far and is making a case to be brought back as the starter in 2024.
11. Jalen Hurts - Philadelphia Eagles
I don't think Jalen Hurts has been all that great this year, and I do not think that the Philadelphia Eagles are nearly as good as their record indicates. Hurts hasn't been great as a passer and has about 28 rushing touchdowns this year with the "Brotherly Shove."
10. Russell Wilson - Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson was surgical during the Denver Broncos five-game win streak, but came back down to Earth in Week 13 versus the Houston Texans. Wilson throwing three interceptions and overall not having a good game should not take away from how good his was during Weeks 7-12. He's been much more efficient this year and looks a little like his old self.
9. Justin Herbert - Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers are just wholly irrelevant. Let me ask you a question; what exactly has Justin Herbert improved on or developed into from his rookie season? He's the same QB in 2023 as he was during his rookie season, and I do think he needs to be more responsible for the lack of success the team has had during his tenure.
8. Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
I think Josh Allen is overrated and throws too many interceptions. He's not been great this year, but people will obsess over him being responsible for a ton of touchdowns each year. Where's the playoff success? And at this point, where's the regular season success?
7. Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs
This has easily been the worst year of Patrick Mahomes' career in terms of offensive production and personal statistical production. Nothing really jumps out with Mahomes this year. He's been a pretty average passer and the Chiefs' offense just does not have the explosion that it once had. If only they had a super speedy, sure-handed wide receiver on their team. They'd be an elite offense in that case...
6. Lamar Jackson - Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson has been pretty solid this year. He doesn't have crazy numbers as a passer, but the Baltimore Ravens have a very good offense and Jackson is playing efficient football. He's stayed healthy this season and seems like he doesn't have any sort of nagging injury that'll come back to bite the team late in the year.
5. Jared Goff - Detroit Lions
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions offense is a high-powered unit. Goff has thrown 20 touchdowns this year against eight interceptions. The Lions do show their inexperience a bit with the occasional slip-up, but this is still one of the most effective QBs in the NFL this year.
4. CJ Stroud - Houston Texans
CJ Stroud has been nothing short of excellent this year for the Houston Texans. Oh, and he's a rookie, too. Stroud has thrown 3,540 passing yards this year and has a 101.2 passer rating. This is unheard of from a rookie QB. He's got the Offensive Rookie of the Year award locked up, and I think he needs to be firmly in the MVP conversation.
3. Tua Tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa might be the first QB in NFL history to have thrown to a 2,000 yard receiver. The nature of the Miami Dolphins' offense is taking risky chances in the passing game, so his 10 interceptions look ugly, but in reality, he's been hyper-aggressive with the football and has still been extremely efficient this year. The Dolphins are 9-3 and are right in the mix for the #1 seed in the AFC.
2. Dak Prescott - Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott is second in the NFL in passer rating and has already tossed 26 touchdown passes on the year on a 70.1 completion percentage. Prescott has definitely silenced some haters and is playing at an MVP-level. I do think if the Cowboys can win the NFC East this year, he'll be all but guaranteed to win the MVP award in 2023.
1. Brock Purdy - San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy has been the best quarterback in football. Who cares what kind of system he plays in? He leads the NFL in passer rating and has just been surgical for most of the season. He averages 9.6 yards per attempt for people that think he's just a dink-and-dunk type of passer. He's not. Get over it.