Who is the best quarterback in the NFL? Who is the worst quarterback in the NFL? Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings have a new look after Week 12.
Fans are always debating player rankings, and when it comes to the NFL, no position is more hotly debated than quarterback. This is why we maintain our quarterback rankings all year round.
Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson are widely viewed as some of the best players in football. While they set an elite standard for quarterback play, our 2024 NFL QB rankings capture how all 32 signal-callers perform every week. Come back and see how they change after each game.
32. Tommy DeVito, New York Giants (Daniel Jones ranked 25th)
The Giants want to act like Daniel Jones is the problem, but they’re about to find out just how bad this offense is under Brian Daboll. Tommy DeVito still isn’t the best quarterback on the roster, that’s Drew Lock. Yet, we understand why New York wants to see if the local native can at least be their backup in 2025.
Related: 7 teams that should sign Daniel Jones after he clears waivers
31. Brandon Allen, San Francisco 49ers (Brock Purdy ranked 11th)
Let’s all hope Brock Purdy is only dealing with a one week absence. Journeyman backup Brandon Allen didn’t show any signs of being a stopgap option that can deliver a win or two for the 49ers. Finishing with just 199 yards to go with a touchdown and an interception plus a lost fumble, San Francisco may be better off turning to Josh Dobbs next time.
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30. Mac Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 31)
A week after coming within six points of defeating the Vikings, Mac Jones came back down to earth against Detroit, with the Jaguars suffering their worst loss in franchise history. Jones was predictably atrocious, averaging just 4.9 YPA while throwing one interception and avoiding the endzone like the plague.
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29. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys (LW: 32)
Just when it looked like Rush came close to getting benched, he comes through with one of the best games of his career, reminding folks of his TNF performance in 2021. Rush was a big reason why the Cowboys got arguably their best win of the season by taking down the Commanders, where he avoided turnovers and even prevented a few bad snaps from turning even worse. Rush finished with 247 yards and two touchdowns, while earning himself at least another start.
28. Gardner Minshew III, Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 29)
Gardner Minshew’s first season with the Las Vegas Raiders is over after suffering a broken collarbone. Based on his performance, he may not get a second year in Vegas. Minshew signed a two-year, $25M contract, but he’s produced 14 turnovers in just nine starts, delivering two wins in the process. At this point, the Raiders probably should sign Daniel Jones, if he’s even interested in playing for this franchise.
27. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts (LW: 27)
We can’t imagine the Colts becoming a successful offense if their quarterback can’t even complete half of his passes. While his pass-catchers are partially to blame, they can’t take all the heat while Richardson is completing just 39.2% of his passes as he did on Sunday. Amazingly his 11 completions still went for a robust 172 yards and he did add 61 more as a rusher, which just shows how explosive he can be, but the Colts need their QB to be more efficient too.
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26. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (LW: 30)
After winning back-to-back starts for the first time in his NFL career, Young nearly completed the trifecta, against the Chiefs nonetheless. While Patrick Mahomes had a game-winning drive, Young had one of his best games yet. The former No. 1 pick is flashing glimpses of developing into a starting-caliber quarterback, and more days like his 262-yard performance in Week 12 should give Panthers fans hope for a brighter future.
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25. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans (LW: 28)
The 2023 second-round pick could be giving Tennessee second thoughts about their 2025 NFL Draft preparation. Levis still threw a pick-6 and took six sacks. However, he also completed 75% of his passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns in an inspiring win over the Texans. If nothing else, Levis is showing the ability to be a high-end backup, competing for Tennessee’s starting QB role next season.
Related: 2025 NFL Draft order: Picks by team, 2025 NFL Draft order right now
24. Drake Maye, New England Patriots (LW: 24)
While Maye salvaged his day by running in circles to buy himself just enough time for a magical fourth quarter touchdown strike to Austin Hooper on 4th-and-15, the rookie had a rough day at the office. He completed 59.4% of his passes for 221 yards. But his worst move was an ill-advised pass off his back leg that led to an easy interception for Miami. Chalk it up to growing pains for the Patriots’ franchise quarterback.
23. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (LW: 26)
We’re starting to see more of what makes Caleb Williams a special talent with sky-high upside. The No. 1 overall pick bought more time with his legs, making defenders look foolish by grasping at air and had the second-most passing yards of his young career (340). The Bears nearly pulled off a stunning upset by scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter, but Williams taking a gut-wrenching sack in OT put the final nail in Chicago’s coffin.
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22. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns (LW: 23)
The world was exposed to how great of a teammate and leader Jameis Winston can be with his pre-game motivational speech. But then he went out in a snow game and managed to overcome the elements and beat one of the best teams in the NFL. Winston did have an interception and lost a fumble, but he still has this Browns offense looking better than they did under Deshaun Watson.
Related: Cleveland Browns could turn to 2x Pro Bowl QB in 2025… or Daniel Jones
21. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets (LW: 22)
If you’re not off the bandwagon yet, it’s time to ditch the Jets’ cart altogether. While it’s still unknown whether he’ll return to the Jets or even play football in 2025, Aaron Rodgers is a shell of his former self. The latest evidence came on Sunday when the four-time NFL MVP needed 21 completions just to get 173 passing yards. He did muster two passing touchdowns, but we haven’t seen him look elite at all this season.
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20. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 20)
Despite playing in a snow game, Russell Wilson handled himself well, completing 75% of his passes for 270 yards and a touchdown. Oddly enough, it was his highest completion rate as a member of the Steelers. Yet, for the first time since joining Pittsburgh, the Steelers lost one of Wilson’s starts. While Wilson had four 20-plus yard completions, he also took four sacks and lost a fumble, which may have been the difference in the five-point loss.
19. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (LW: 18)
The Packers dominated the 49ers without Brock Purdy, scoring 38 points. Yet, he had his fewest passing yards of the season, a 163-yard effort while averaging a below-average 7.1 YPA. Despite completing just 56.5% of his passes, Love managed to avoid turnovers despite having multiple passes that should have been picked off. This wasn’t his best day.
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18. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (LW: 21)
The Broncos’ rookie quarterback continues to amaze. Aside from Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix has easily been the best of the quarterbacks drafted in the first round in 2024. He’s now led the Broncos to a respectable 7-5 record thanks to a 273-yard, two touchdown performance on Sunday, giving him eight touchdowns in the past three games. Nix only took off once for five yards as a rusher, but a win’s a win.
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17. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (LW: 19)
For the fourth time this season, Geno Smith took four ore more sacks, except this time he took five. Yet, he was otherwise potent and efficient, completing 22-of-31 passes (70.9%) for 254 yards and a touchdown. Smith also had a bad red zone interception thrown directly to a diving Garrett Williams, but otherwise the Seahawks QB had an admirable performance.
Related: 2024 NFL offense rankings
16. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (LW: 15)
It’s time to admit C.J. Stroud is in the midst of a sophomore slump. After throwing just five interceptions as a rookie, Stroud is already up to nine on the season. Sunday’s loss featured two more ugly interceptions while losing to one of the NFL’s worst teams thanks to a game-sealing safety. We’ll see if Stroud can return to greatness next week as he gets back on the same page with Nico Collins.
15. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (LW: 17)
A strong first half had the Rams looking like they’d pull out a much-needed win over the Eagles. But Stafford couldn’t maintain his momentum in the second half while the Eagles ran wild. Overall, Stafford completed 66.7% of his passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns, but he also took five sacks in a mixed effort.
14. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (LW: 12)
The $180 million QB didn’t have any answers against a top-five Broncos defense last Sunday. You’d have to go back to his Falcons debut to find a day where Cousins had fewer than the 173 passing yards he had against Denver. Making matters worse, Cousins didn’t even get into the end zone, yet had an interception and three sacks to put the Falcons in a tough spot.
13. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (LW: 14)
The Vikings were laughed at after signing Sam Darnold and propping him up as their QB1. No one’s laughing now that the $10 million quarterback has led Minnesota to a 9-2 record. The former No. 3 overall pick ranks in the top five of interceptions thrown, but he also has the NFL’s fourth-most touchdown passes. Darnold is well on his way to landing a contract worth over $30 million per season and a starting role with a QB-needy team this offseason. The Vikings couldn’t be happier with their situation.
Get the latest Minnesota Vikings coverage from Minnesota Sports Fan
12. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints (LW: 13)
With the Saints on the ropes, Derek Carr threw his team on his back and carried them to a convincing 35-14 win over the Browns. Carr was excellent, completing 21-of-27 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns, and he even had time to let Taysom Hill take a few snaps from the shotgun, too. Returning from the bye with extra rest should set Carr up for a strong finish to an already impressive season.
11. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (LW: 16)
Tagovailoa has been excellent since returning from the concussion that sidelined him for four games. His surge continued on Sunday, with a 317-yard, 4 TD performance as the Dolphins dominated the Patriots 34-15. Tagovailoa still took two sacks and Tyreek Hill didn’t reach 50 yards, but Miami has done a good job keeping their QB out of harm’s way by getting the ball out of his hands quickly. At 5-6, the Dolphins still have a chance, and it’s all thanks to Tagovailoa.
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10. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 10)
Once again, Jim Harbaugh’s offense called for Herbert to execute short passes, and it led to zero passing plays that went for more than 19 yards. To be fair, the Chargers got out to a 10-0 lead, so a conservative approach made some sense, but scoring just 13 points the rest of the way was not the recipe for success against Lamar Jackson’s Ravens. Losing a fumble and taking four sacks didn’t help, but neither did missing 15 of his 36 attempts.
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9. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (LW: 8)
While Murray finished with 285 passing yards, he led an ugly Cardinals offensive effort that mustered just six points. K1 had three passing plays that went for 20 or more yards, but none went for more than 30 while settling for many short targets. He also failed to escape Seattle’s pass-rush, taking five sacks and making a bone-headed throw to Seahawks cornerback Coby Bryant that got returned for a touchdown. This was a sizable step back for someone who was a fringe MVP candidate.
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8. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 9)
On a day when Saquon Barkley had a career-high 255 rushing yards, Jalen Hurts didn’t need to do much. When he was called upon, the Eagles QB performed well, completing 15-of-22 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown, while chipping in 39 rushing yards. Amazingly, he has just one interception in his past eight games.
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7. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 7)
It’s no surprise that injecting DeAndre Hopkins into the Chiefs offense has helped Patrick Mahomes return to glory in the stat column. Suddenly the Chiefs QB has 12 passing touchdowns in his past five games and Sunday’s 269-yard game is his fourth-best of the season. In a matchup against Carolina that got too close for comfort, Mahomes broke free for a 33-yard scramble on the game’s final drive, getting him up to 60 rushing yards on the day while clinching victory.
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6. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (LW: 6)
The former No. 1 overall pick avoided the end zone on Sunday, but he was still his usual efficient self, completing 72.2% of his passes for 269 yards. Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that the Lions didn’t dominate their opponent, only defeating the Colts 24-6. At this point, we’ve come to expect gaudy stat lines from Goff and the Lions, but cruising to another easy victory like they did in Indianapolis has just become the norm this season.
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5. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 5)
A week after his worst game in a Buccaneers uniform, Mayfield bounced back with a near flawless performance, aside from a lost fumble. The former No. 1 overall pick didn’t have any passing touchdowns, but Tampa Bay didn’t need them with four rushing touchdowns, including one from their QB. Mayfield was extremely efficient, completing 80% of his passes for 294 yards while avoiding sacks in what can only be described as a great game. He even added a Tommy DeVito touchdown celebration while under the New York spotlight.
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4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (LW: 4)
After combining for just 58 rushing yards over the past three games, the favorite to win NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year broke out for 74 yards and a touchdowns against Dallas. Yet, as great as Daniels was with his legs, he was shaky through the air with several erratic passes to throw Washington’s offense out of rhythm.
He still finished with the second-most passing yards (275) of his career, ending with two touchdowns, including a clutch 84-yard strike to Terry McLaurin. Yet, his day was marred by two interceptions — one could have been caught, plus another last-second Hail Mary attempt .Overall, Daniels showed his competitive fire, rallying the Commanders back from an 11-point deficit, but the missed opportunities are what stuck out the most.
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3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (LW: 3)
After last Sunday’s win, Josh Allen is now 4-1 against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the regular season. But he’d trade all those regular season wins for a chance to improve upon his 0-3 postseason record against Kansas City. Still, Allen had multiple momentum-shifting throws, like his 30-yard over-the-shoulder raindrop to Amari Cooper or his 21-yard touchdown strike to Curtis Samuel. Overall, Allen did a good job avoiding negative plays, finishing with one interception and zero sacks.
2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 2)
Even though he had trouble operating efficiently, where he completed just 56% of his passes, Joe Burrow continues to play at a very high level. He just had his fourth 300-yard game of the season, going off for 356 and three touchdowns against the NFL’s top-rated defense. Yet, it didn’t lead to a Bengals win, and now they have an incredibly tough road ahead in regards to snagging a playoff spot.
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1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (LW: 1)
Lamar Jackson’s MVP candidacy strengthened after completing 72.7% of his passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns against the NFL’s best defense. Jackson didn’t have as much success with his legs, only rushing for 15 yards. But he did add another rushing score, giving him the league’s most combined touchdowns this season. Second only to Herbert in interceptions, even if he didn’t have nearly 600 rushing yards, Jackson would still rank first in our NFL QB rankings.
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