Brightcast Media, USA TODAY Sports
With the NFL season underway, we can’t help but take a closer look at how each starting quarterback is doing across the league. Quarterback play has never been more important to overall team success. Some squads are being held back by their QB, while other hurlers help elevate the rest of the team. Heading into Week 2 of the NFL season, here is how each quarterback ranks among the league’s 32 starters:
32. Malik Willis — Green Bay Packers
Wagner Meier/Getty Images
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 0-of-1 passes
Packers starting QB Jordan Love suffered an injury on the final drive of their Week 1 loss to the Eagles. Former Tennessee Titan Malik Willis took the last two snaps of the game under center. Willis was a highly-touted recruit out of Liberty, but never established himself with the Titans. He has immense athletic tools. It will be intriguing to see how HC Matt LaFleur decides to utilize his new QB with Love on the shelf for at least the next month.
31. Bo Nix — Denver Broncos
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 26-of-42 passes, 138 yards, 2 INT, 35 rush yards, 1 rush TD
Sean Payton got his guy in Oregon passer Bo Nix. The former Duck transformed as a player during his time at the college level. Nix started at Auburn, but eventually transferred to Oregon following three shaky years. Over the last two seasons, Nix became one of the most accurate QBs in all of college football. He’s athletic, accurate, and able to play within a structure — all traits Payton covets in his quarterbacks. After beating out Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the starting role, Nix will be aiming to prove that he should’ve been the first QB drafted in 2024. His debut wasn’t a clean performance, but Nix showed his toughness on a strong touchdown run to keep the Broncos close late in the game.
30. Will Levis — Tennessee Titans
Denny Simmons/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 19-of-32 passes, 127 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 36 rush yards
Will Levis will get a crack at the full-time starting job in ’24. Last season, he was one of a trio of Titans QBs vying for the starting spot. Ryan Tannehill is gone (and still unsigned) and Malik Willis is now the back-up in Green Bay. Levis started with a bang in his NFL debut, tossing 4 TDs against the Falcons. His last eight appearances — 4 TD, 4 INT, 57-percent completion rate, 77.5 passer rating — were a bit more indicative of why Levis slipped into the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. His Week 1 performance seemed like more of a regression. Levis essentially gave the game away in a loss to Chicago, tallying three turnovers a crucial pick-six to seal the loss.
29. Bryce Young — Carolina Panthers
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 13-of-30 passes, 161 yards, 2 INT, 1 rush TD
It could not have gone much worse for Bryce Young in Year 1. Credit to the youngster for his numbers not looking as bad as his play sometimes suggested. Young was erratic as a passer and never really found his groove. In his defense, Carolina’s supporting cast was among the league’s worst last year. The offense line and receiving corps was upgraded during the offseason. Year 2 is a big year for the former No. 1 overall pick. It’s off to a rocky start, but Young still has time to turn it around.
28. Daniel Jones — New York Giants
Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 22-of-42 passes, 186 yards, 2 INT
Jones was awful in six games last year before getting sidelined with an injury. Of course, it’s not entirely his fault. New York’s receiving corps was among the league’s worst. They added LSU’s Malik Nabers through the draft, who will provide a much-needed big-play threat. Still, it doesn’t seem like the team is overly sold on Jones. They reportedly considered taking a QB at pick 6. Jones will be on the hot seat in ’24, as the Giants can release him after the season without suffering a significant cap penalty. Even with the offseason upgrades, the Giants laid an egg in Week 1. How long will Jones occupy the starting QB spot in New York?
27. Jacoby Brissett — New England Patriots
Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 15-of-24 passes, 121 yards, 32 rush yards
With the Mac Jones experiment over, the Patriots will (eventually) turn to UNC passer Drake Maye to lead them to the future. However, first year head coach Jerod Mayo decided Maye could use a bit more time and will be turning to journeyman Jacoby Brissett to begin the 2024 campaign. The NC State vet has established himself as one of the more consistent back-ups in the league, and at this point, we pretty much know what to expect from him. He won’t wow you in any way, but he protects the ball and consistently makes the right read. With an offense lacking talent and a team expected to rely heavily on its defense to keep them in games, Brissett’s “game manager” playing style meshes perfectly.
26. Gardner Minshew — Las Vegas Raiders
Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 25-of-33 passes, 257 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Vegas’ starting QB job was one of the last to be decided this offseason. After the Raiders skipped on QB entirely in the draft, Gardner Minshew officially won the job over sophomore Aidan O’Connell. Although O’Connell is a familiar face within the team and showed flashes during his rookie year, Minshew is the classic gunslinger/gamer who gives the Raiders the best chance to win. Full transparency, O’Connell would be 32nd on our list. Instead, Minshew narrowly dodges the bottom five.
25. Justin Fields — Pittsburgh Steelers
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 17-of-23 passes, 156 yards, 57 rush yards
The Steelers named Russell Wilson their Week 1 starter, only for the veteran to be a late scratch after reportedly suffering a calf injury during practice. The Steelers are unusually prepared for such a situation after acquiring two quarterbacks in the offseason. Former Chicago Bear Justin Fields will now step into the lead role with Wilson on the mend. Fields’ Chicago tenure was riddled with inconsistency — both from him and the organization. Though, his elite running ability adds a different dimension to Pittsburgh’s attack. We’ll see what the 25-year-old can do for a team that made the postseason last year despite harboring some of the worst QB play in the entire league.
24. Caleb Williams — Chicago Bears
Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 14-of-29 passes, 93 yards
High expectations are already in place in Chicago for rookie QB Caleb Williams. The former Heisman winner is regarded as one of the best quarterback prospects to enter the league in years. The Bears front office has done an excellent job of rebuilding the roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Not too often do you see the No. 1 pick enter a situation where he has three go-to wideouts like Williams does in D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and fellow rookie Rome Odunze. There’s no throw Williams is incapable of making, earning him some comparisons to three-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes. The rookie has a long way to go, but we’re excited for what he can do in Year 1.
23. Jayden Daniels — Washington Commanders
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 17-of-24 passes, 184 yards, 88 rush yards, 2 rush TD
Washington’s Jayden Daniels may have been the No. 1 pick in any other year. He’s already one of the most dynamic athletes in the game. At LSU, Daniels emerged as the country’s premier dual-threat QB en route to winning the Heisman trophy. His top-end speed is elite. As a passer, Daniels is one of the best downfield throwers to come out of college in quite some time. He should be linking up for big gains consistently with Terry McLaurin.
22. Deshaun Watson — Cleveland Browns
Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 24-of-45 passes, 169 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 39 rush yards
Watson was downright awful in ’22. That’s why some Browns fans were pleasantly surprised with how he started the 2023 campaign. The Browns were 5-1 in games that Watson played in. But, that record doesn’t tell the whole story. Watson’s individual numbers were virtually identical to the year prior, as the Browns leaned on an all-world defense to secure wins. It’s now-or-never in 2024 for Watson – he hasn’t had an elite statistical season since 2020.
21. Sam Darnold — Minnesota Vikings
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 19-of-24 passes, 208 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
The future will need to wait another year in Minnesota, as rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury. With Sam Darnold leading the offense, it’s officially the former first-rounder’s final chance to prove he’s worthy of being a starting quarterback in the NFL. Between Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson (when he returns from PUP list) and newcomer Aaron Jones, Darnold couldn’t ask for more talent to throw to. However, Darnold hasn’t thrown for double digit touchdowns in a season since 2019, so we fully expect him to be nothing more than a stop-gap in 2024. The 27-year-old is off to a good start in Minnesota, can he keep it up?
20. Anthony Richardson — Indianapolis Colts
Jenna Watson/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 9-of-19 passes, 212 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 56 rush yards, 1 rush TD
The Colts opted to select Florida gunslinger Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft. It was just the third time in the last 25 years that the Colts selected a QB in the first round. It worked out fairly well the other two times they’ve tried (Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck). Richardson had the best tools of any QB in the draft and instantly had one of the most powerful arms in the entire NFL. If his development is steady, Richardson has the chance to be a dual-threat superstar. It’s a matter of him staying healthy after being limited to just four games as a rookie.
19. Kirk Cousins — Atlanta Falcons
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 16-of-26 passes, 155 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
One of the most intriguing QB rooms in the league this season resides in Atlanta. After QB play derailed their season a year ago, the Falcons went out and inked free agent Kirk Cousins to a massive deal in the offseason. It was a perfect match as Cousins has always been adept at getting the ball to his playmakers. The Falcons have plenty of those on offense in Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. However, the front office threw a curveball by drafting Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. Penix is unlikely to earn the starting role for at least a couple of years. However, recovering from an Achilles injury is a difficult ask for a 36-year-old QB. Cousins has never been very mobile, but he looked out of sorts in his Atlanta debut.
18. Derek Carr — New Orleans Saints
Andrew Nelles/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 19-of-23 passes, 200 yards, 3 TD
The overall numbers don’t look all that bad, but Derek Carr’s first year in New Orleans was widely seen as a disappointment. New Orleans finished the season just 9-8 with one of the easiest schedules in the league and ended up losing a tiebreaker to the Buccaneers for a division title. Carr’s spotty play throughout the year was the main culprit. He looked like a deer in headlights against any competent team. That’s alarming for a 10-year pro. Heading into ’24, the Saints upgraded at offensive coordinator by hiring Klint Kubiak. Carr falling short of the postseason for the second straight year will likely motivate the Saints to look elsewhere at QB.
17. Geno Smith — Seattle Seahawks
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 18-of-25 passes, 171 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 30 rush yards, 1 rush TD
They wrote him off, but Geno Smith didn’t write back. Smith looked destined to be a career backup after early struggles with the Jets. He signed with the Seahawks in 2020 and was Russell Wilson’s reserve for two seasons before landing the starting role. Smith has been excellent ever since. Poise in the pocket and an elite deep ball make him one of the more effective passers in the game. The Seahawks have a winning record with Smith each of the past two years, and he’s earned Pro Bowl nods both times.
16. Baker Mayfield– Tampa Bay Buccaneers
USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 24-of-30 passes, 289 yards, 4 TD
Baker Mayfield’s career turnaround can be linked back to his signing with the Rams. After a couple of memorable moments — including a 99-yard game-winning drive — Mayfield entered free agency and signed with the Bucs. Year 1 in Tampa was a revelation. The former No. 1 pick led the Bucs into the postseason after clinching the NFC South. There, Mayfield and the Bucs blitzed the defending NFC champion Eagles in the Wild Card round — and fell just a couple of plays short of an NFC title game berth. He’s always had a live arm, and it seems like he’s matured a ton since his time in Cleveland. The Bucs could do a whole lot worse, and they inked Mayfield to a three-year extension after a strong 2023 campaign.
15. Kyler Murray — Arizona Cardinals
Joe Rondone-Arizona Republic/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 21-of-31 passes, 162 yards, 1 TD, 57 rush yards
One of the most dynamic players in the league, Kyler Murray’s one defect has been his ability to stay healthy. He’s missed games each of the last three years and has been inconsistent as a passer in the last two. As the injuries have piled up, Murray has become less effective as a runner. In 2020, Murray averaged 51.2 rushing YPG and scored 11 times on the ground. In the three years since he’s averaging just 32.9 rushing YPG with 11 TDs total. The Cardinals are hoping for a bit more out of their $230 million QB in 2024.
14. Trevor Lawrence — Jacksonville Jaguars
Stephen Lew/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 12-of-21 passes, 162 yards, 1 TD
Finding consistency will be key for Lawrence’s development moving forward. Year 1 was a disaster under former head coach Urban Meyer. Doug Pederson was brought in the next season, and it immediately paid dividends on the field for the QB. 2023 was expected to be a big year for the Jaguars after adding Calvin Ridley to the receiving corps. However, Lawrence battled accuracy and turnover issues as Jacksonville found itself outside of the playoff picture. Lawrence’s best moments are up there with the league’s elite tier of quarterbacks, but managing the mistakes will have the Jacksonville QB in a better place.
13. Tua Tagovailoa — Miami Dolphins
Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 23-of-37 passes, 338 yards, 1 TD
Tua Tagovailoa is likely the most polarizing QB in the game today. On one hand, the former Alabama hurler led the league in passing yards last year with 4,624 while throwing for a career-high 29 TDs. However, he also tossed 14 INTs and unraveled down the stretch. Playing in all 17 games (plus the Wild Card round) was certainly a welcomed sight after he missed time in each of his first three seasons. Tua and the Dolphins have put up massive regular season numbers, but it has yet to translate in the Winter months.
12. Aaron Rodgers — New York Jets
Ryan Kang/Getty Images
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 13-of-21 passes, 167 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
The start to the Jets’ 2023 season could have not worse. Just four plays in, Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers ruptured his Achilles and was forced to miss the entire season. It was a crushing blow to a franchise searching for an elite quarterback for decades. It seemed like Rodgers attempted to make a shocking late-season comeback, but ultimately did not. His Week 1 debut this year showed that even future Hall of Famers can be rusty. A bit out of sync with his receivers and more jumpy in the pocket than usual, Rodgers will undoubtedly find his groove and move up this list as the season progresses.
11. Jared Goff — Detroit Lions
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 18-of-28 passes, 217 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Jared Goff was set to be written off following his trade from the Los Angeles Rams to the Detroit Lions. It certainly seemed as such in Goff’s first year with Detroit. While the Lions limped to a 3-13-1 record, Goff’s former team went on to win the Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford at the helm. However, Goff flipped the narrative around and will now be one of the highest-paid QBs in the league. Detroit made it all the way to the NFC title game with Goff playing at a high level. They ultimately came up short in a close game against the 49ers, but Goff played well and had the Lions in position to make a Super Bowl berth. As a result, the Lions rewarded Goff with a $212 million extension that has $170 million in guarantees. He’s emerged as a true franchise QB and one that can lead the Lions for the foreseeable future.
10. Jalen Hurts — Philadelphia Eagles
Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 20-of-34 passes, 278 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 33 rush yards
The Eagles shocked everybody when they drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft — with former QB Carson Wentz still on the roster. Of course, it turned out to be a wise decision as Hurts has emerged as a true franchise quarterback. He’s one of the league’s top dual threats with an elite athletic profile. In the offseason, future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce announced his retirement, dealing a crushing blow to one of the league’s best offensive lines. Can Hurts continue his great play if the supporting cast begins to decline?
9. Dak Prescott — Dallas Cowboys
Tim Heitman/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 19-of-32 passes, 179 yards, 1 TD
Any quarterback suiting up for the Dallas Cowboys is going to face an overabundance of criticism – especially when the team has come up short time and time again in the postseason. Dak Prescott hasn’t had his breakout playoff moment just yet, but he remains one of the steadiest signal callers in the game. Prescott boasts a 74-41 record as a starter and has been one of the league’s most successful QBs since the first moment he stepped on an NFL field.
8. Brock Purdy — San Francisco 49ers
Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 19-of-29 passes, 231 yards, 0 TD
From Mr. Irrelevant to MVP candidate, Brock Purdy’s journey in the NFL has already been magical. Purdy took over for the Niners in Week 12 of the 2022 regular season and hasn’t looked back. Since then, he’s won 18 of 22 regular season games and collected four playoff wins. Naturally, critics point to San Francisco’s loaded offense and elite scheme as reasons for Purdy’s success. But, there are plenty of talented rosters across the league — and no QB was putting up the numbers Purdy was last year. In ’23, Purdy led the league in yards-per-attempt (9.6), passer rating (113.0), and touchdown percentage (7.0). He had his fair share of struggles in the postseason, but ultimately played well down the stretch of each game. In 2024, it’s once again Super Bowl or bust for Purdy and the 49ers.
7. Matthew Stafford — Los Angeles Rams
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 34-of-49 passes, 317 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
After an injury-riddled ’22, some were beginning to wonder if Stafford’s best days were behind him. Those critics were wrong, as the 35-year-old enjoyed one of his best seasons in years. We’ve always known about the arm talent. Stafford still has his fastball after all these years. And, he has become comfortable in Sean McVay’s offense. With Stafford at the controls, the Rams offense is among the league’s best. While he enters the twilight years of his career, we’ll see if the former Detroit Lion has enough left in the tank to make one last Super Bowl push.
6. Joe Burrow — Cincinnati Bengals
Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 21-of-29 passes, 164 yards
Injuries were the main theme for Joe Burrow in 2023. He missed the entire preseason nursing a calf injury and immediately reinjured the area in Week 1. It clearly seemed to bother him until he suffered a wrist injury in Week 11 which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. When healthy, Burrow is a surgical passer who is extremely accurate with the football. However, some believe Burrow will have to manage his wrist for the remainder of his career. Cincy is off to another slow start, can Burrow help them dig out of the hole?
5. Justin Herbert — Los Angeles Chargers
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 17-of-26 passes, 144 yards, 1 TD
Justin Herbert tried to keep the ship above water last season. Injuries devastated the Chargers roster, including ones suffered by the franchise QB who was forced to miss the last four games of the season. Herbert is capable of leading a team to the postseason if surrounded by competent teammates, but that might not be the case in ’24. Jim Harbaugh was brought in to replace Brandon Staley, and the roster has been stripped down. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler are all gone. Herbert is a gifted passer, an exceptional decision-maker, and boasts one of the strongest arms in the league. Can he lead a depleted squad back to the playoff picture?
4. C.J. Stroud — Houston Texans
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 24-of-32 passes, 234 yards, 2 TD
CJ Stroud is looking to build off one of the great rookie QB seasons the league has seen. His poise has stood out among all other traits. Stroud never looks overwhelmed by NFL defenses. He consistently makes plays both within and outside of the structure and always keeps his eyes downfield. His accuracy in throwing to all areas of the field is already among the league’s best. Adding Stefon Diggs (and getting Tank Dell back from injury) only makes the Texans even more dynamic offensively.
3. Lamar Jackson — Baltimore Ravens
Evan Habeeb/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 26-of-41 passes, 273 yards, 1 TD, 122 rush yards
Lamar Jackson added some more hardware to his trophy case, earning his second MVP trophy for his efforts in ’23. It’s almost unfathomable how much the 26-year-old has already accomplished in his young career. Jackson has stamped himself as the greatest rushing QB of all time. He’s also a polished passer who has previously led the league in passing TDs – all while leading the Ravens to a near 75-percent win rate as a starter. Now, it’s all about capturing that elusive Super Bowl.
2. Josh Allen — Buffalo Bills
Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 18-of-23 passes, 232 yards, 2 TD, 39 rush yards, 2 rush TD
For the first time since 2019, Stefon Diggs is not wearing a Buffalo Bills uniform. Allen was not considered an elite QB before Diggs came to town. However, he’s developed all parts of his game during that time. We don’t expect a major dip in his production with Diggs now catching passes in Houston. Allen is an offense all unto himself. He’s thrown for over 4,000 yards four straight years and has 53 rushing TDs in 93 games. While he’s yet to win the award, Allen enters each season as an MVP candidate.
1. Patrick Mahomes — Kansas City Chiefs
Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports
2024 Stats: 1 game, completed 20-of-28 passes, 281 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Was there any doubt? Three Super Bowl wins, three Super Bowl MVPs, and two regular season MVPs for the No. 1 quarterback in football. Patrick Mahomes has been dominating the league ever since he got the starting nod. Last year, some were counting out the Chiefs after an up-and-down regular season. Mahomes delivered in the playoffs (yet again) — and was sensational in the Super Bowl leading the game-winning drive in overtime. Nobody is coming for his mantle anytime soon as the Chiefs look for the three-peat in ’24.
