Week 14 NFL QB Rankings: Russell Wilson carries Steelers to victory

By Andrew Buller-Russ

·Updated: December 1, 2024

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.

Related: 2025 NFL Mock Draft

32. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 31)

The former undrafted free agent led Dallas to their second consecutive win, but he still barely completed more than half of his passes (58.3%) for 195 yards and a touchdown. Had the Cowboys not been playing an incompetent Giants team, Dallas would have lost. For now, Rush bought himself at least another week in the starting lineup.

31. Drew Lock, New York Giants (Tommy DeVito ranked 32nd)

The former second-round pick has been waiting for a second chance since flaming out in Denver. He was better than Tommy DeVito, but Lock still took way too many sacks (six) and committed two turnovers, one of which led to a pick-6. Lock showed off a lively arm and the ability to pick up first downs with his legs. If it was up to us, Lock would start in Week 14.

30. Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders (LW: Gardner Minshew ranked 29th)

Aidan O’Connell needed just a month to recover from a broken thumb. His re-insertion into the Raiders’ starting lineup nearly led to a massive upset win over the Chiefs, before a last-minute fumble ended all hopes. Still, the Raiders should be encouraged by the former fourth-round pick’s production after a 340-yard, two-touchdown performance.

29. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts (LW: 28)

He may have only finished with a 50% completion rate for 109 yards, but Anthony Richardson came through when it mattered most. Richardson had two interceptions, but his second touchdown drive ended with a successful two-point conversion, sneaking the Colts away with a one-point victory. He needs to be more accurate, but the Colts won’t complain about his clutch performance.

28. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans (LW: 26)

The Will Levis experience has developed into a Jekyll and Hyde situation, with the Titans QB flashing signs of greatness one week and falling flat the next. The biggest positive on Sunday was that the second-year pro didn’t turn the ball over once, but he also only completed 48.6% of his passes for 212 yards.

27. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (LW: 27)

The former No. 1 pick continues to string together impressive performances, giving Panthers fans hope that he can still develop into their franchise quarterback. He’s now taken Carolina to overtime in back-to-back weeks, and with a bit more consistency from him and his teammates, the Panthers could easily start winning these games. Young avoided turnovers and had several eyebrow-raising throws, leading to 298 yards, a passing touchdown, and another rushing score. He’s turned a big corner.

26. Drake Maye, New England Patriots (LW: 25)

Drake Maye appeared to have the Patriots in position for their fourth win of the season before some last-second heroics from Anthony Richardson. Maye was efficient, completing a career-best 80% of his passes for 238 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also added 59 yards as a rusher in one of his best performances yet.

25. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (LW: 24)

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The No. 1 overall pick got out to a slow start, with the Bears falling behind 16-0 in the first half. But Williams woke up in the second half of play, rallying for 20 second-half points. Chicago’s prized rookie even had a chance to win, but taking the fifth sack of the game ultimately ended the Bears’ hopes. While the 23-year-old couldn’t pull off a comeback win, he’s showing signs of growth.

24. 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.

23. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (Mac Jones ranked 32nd)

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After being sidelined for two weeks due to a shoulder injury, Trevor Lawrence refused to sit out for a third game despite not being close to 100%. Unfortunately, Lawrence’s return ended before halftime after suffering a cheap shot from Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair. But even when the former No. 1 pick was available, he struggled, completing just 4-of-10 passes for 41 yards and an interception. We’ll see if his head injury keeps him out of the lineup in Week 14 too.

22. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets (LW: 22)

We saw a moment of glory when Rodgers connected with Davante Adams for a vintage over-the-shoulder touchdown. But that was about the only highlight in the Jets’ latest loss. He ended the day completing just 53.8% of his passes for 185 yards, two touchdowns, and a pick-6 to a defensive lineman, and he finished the day with a YPA of just 4.7. It was clearly not his best effort.

21. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (LW: 15)

Four interception performances are not why the Falcons shelled out a $180 million contract to Kirk Cousins this offseason. Yet, Atlanta made some long-term contingency plans by selecting Michael Penix Jr with the fourth overall pick. After Sunday, some are wondering how early the rookie will get a chance to play.

20. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (LW: 18)

Did Geno Smith win this game, or did the Jets just lose it? That’s up for debate. While Smith compiled 206 yards and a touchdown, he also took three sacks. That included a crucial 15-yard loss on a 4th-and-goalline attempt. The Seahawks got the win, but it wasn’t exactly pretty.

Related: 2024 NFL offense rankings

19. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (LW: 20)

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Playing on a short week, Love had his second-highest completion rate of the season, plus his second-most passing yards (274) in a convincing 30-17 win over Miami. The Packers have won three in a row, and he hasn’t committed a turnover in the past two weeks.

Related: 2025 Super Bowl odds

18. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (LW: 19)

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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.

Related: 2024 NFL defense rankings

17. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (LW: 17)

If not for a fourth-quarter touchdown strike to Dalton Schultz, C.J. Stroud’s day would have been forgettable. Overall, Stroud turned in a respectable performance, completing 22-of-34 passes for 242 yards and the score, but the Texans should have been able to beat the Jaguars by much more than just three points. Still, a win’s a win, and the Texans can’t be disappointed with their QB after this one.

16. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (LW: 16)

Stafford’s final stat line was far from gaudy. He completed just 14-of-24 attempts for 183 yards, but it was the two touchdowns that paved the way to victory in a seven-point win over the Saints. Stafford didn’t commit any turnovers but contributed a 46-yard completion to Demarcus Robinson to help move the needle in the Rams’ favor.

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15. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (LW: 14)

Thankfully, Brock Purdy only missed one week. 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.

14. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 21)

Few believed in Russell Wilson before the year kicked off, but Mike Tomlin’s support for the Super Bowl-winning quarterback is paying off in a big way. On Sunday, Wilson was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, passing for 414 yards and three touchdowns, averaging a robust 10.9 YPA. Signing him to a veteran minimum contract looks like one of the biggest steals of the century for a playoff-bound Steelers team.

13. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints (LW: 12)

Playing in the climate-controlled Caesars Superdome, the Saints dialed up a pass-heavy approach, with Carr dropping back for 37 passes. Unfortunately, he only completed 24 of those for 184 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a measly 5.0 YPA average. He didn’t commit any turnovers, but he also just had three plays of over 20 yards. After winning their past two games, Sunday’s loss comes as a gut punch for the New Orleans faithful.

12. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (LW: 11)

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Since returning from his concussion, Tagovailoa had been doing a good job of avoiding sacks, but not against Green Bay, where he hit the turf five times. Tagovailoa had a season-high 365 passing yards and an impressive 80.4% completion rate. But the Dolphins still only mustered 17 points.

11. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (LW: 9)

Kyler Murray looked unstoppable at times against the Vikings’ defense, using an array of play-action rollouts to complete easy passes. But K1 didn’t take much time to look downfield, instead opting to get the ball out quickly to avoid Minnesota’s pass-rush. That part worked, as he only took one sack, but a lack of red zone success led to Arizona settling for six field goal attempts. Had Murray not been so conservative early, he might not have had to force passes, leading to two interceptions later.

Related: 2024 NFL Playoff Predictions

10. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 8)

Most quarterbacks wouldn’t be able to win, especially against the Ravens, after completing just 11-of-19 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. While Hurts added another 29 yards as a rusher, plus a touchdown, he didn’t complete a pass for longer than 17 yards.

Related: NFL MVP odds 2024

9. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (LW: 13)

Sam Darnold and the Vikings’ offense got off to an extremely slow start, with Minnesota heading into halftime with just 75 yards. Part of that was due to Aaron Jones losing two fumbles, but Darnold wasn’t connecting with his receivers either. The second half was a different tale, with Darnold finishing with a respectable 235 yards and two touchdowns, plus leading a 13-point comeback win in the final two quarters.

Get the latest Minnesota Vikings coverage from Minnesota Sports Fan

8. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 10)

Who’s thrown the NFL’s fewest interceptions this season? None other than Justin Herbert. Boasting the NFL’s best TD: INT ratio, Herbert didn’t get a chance to do much against Atlanta, surprisingly taking five sacks against a team that entered Week 13 with the fewest in the league. Yet, Herbert still won the QB battle by avoiding turnovers. Meanwhile, his opponent threw four interceptions, contributing to the Chargers’ four-point win.

Get the latest Los Angeles Chargers coverage from LAFB Network

7. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 7)

In what’s already been an odd season filled with inconsistent production yet plenty of wins, Patrick Mahomes had a day to forget on Black Friday. The three-time Super Bowl champion completed just 56.5% of his passes yet still managed to have his second 300-yard game of the season. It doesn’t help that Mahomes is under constant pressure, and he took five sacks for the second consecutive week, but the Chiefs’ offense is simply not firing on all cylinders.

6. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (LW: 6)

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Even though he wasn’t his usual efficient self, completing just 61% of his passes, Goff managed to avoid turnovers and was sacked just once. Yet, the Lions’ offense got stagnant in the second half, nearly allowing the Bears to pull off a comeback win while Detroit scored just a touchdown after the second quarter.

5. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 5)

While the former No. 1 pick didn’t have his best game, Mayfield also had to leave due to an ankle injury that appeared to be caused by Jadaveon Clowney. Mayfield returned and immediately threw an interception. However, he also helped the Buccaneers post 13 points in the fourth quarter, emerging with a much-needed win in overtime.

4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (LW: 4)

After having just three touchdowns and three interceptions over the past three weeks (all losses), Jayden Daniels is back to his elite form. On Sunday, that included completing 83% of his passes for 206 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. Daniels also added another 34 yards and a rushing score to cap off an impressive all-around performance.

3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (LW: 3)

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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)

Joe Burrow continues to show that he’s not the reason for Cincinnati’s struggles this season. The former No. 1 overall pick kept the Bengals in the mix all game, but losing two fumbles and throwing an interception were definite factors in the six-point loss. Aside from the turnovers, Burrow was excellent, racking up 309 yards and three touchdowns.

1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (LW: 1)

While the two-time NFL MVP racked up 237 passing yards and 79 rushing yards, he couldn’t establish any consistency. Jackson passed for two touchdowns, but he also took three sacks for 31 yards. Ultimately, too many missed opportunities led to a disappointing day, with the Ravens mustering just 19 points and going back home with a loss.