Week 16 NFL QB Rankings

By Andrew Buller-Russ

·Updated: December 15, 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 15.

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. Jake Haener, New Orleans Saints (Last week: Derek Carr ranked 12th)

The 2023 fourth-round pick made the first start of his career on Sunday, but he had a short leash. Haener completed just 4-of-10 passes for 49 yards and an interception while taking three sacks that lost a whopping 29 yards. To no surprise, Haener was benched for rookie Spencer Rattler, who passed for a touchdown and avoided turnovers. Amazingly, the Saints still would have won despite Haener’s poor start, had it not been for a failed two-point conversion.

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

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The New York native finally gets his chance to start for his favorite team again, but DeVito’s return ended early with a concussion. Before leaving due to injury, the former undrafted QB completed 10-of-13 passes for 68 yards, but he also took two sacks, which was a common theme during his rookie season too.

30. Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 30)

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Aidan O’Connell got hurt again. But even if he didn’t, the Raiders quarterback wasn’t exactly playing well. O’Connell attempted just 19 passes but had only 104 passing yards for an average of 5.5 YPA. AOC also had an interception and lost fumble in another ugly effort. But now it might be time for Desmond Ridder to get another chance, this time on Monday night in primetime.

29. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans (LW: 27)

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The magic ran out early during Tennessee’s loss to Cincinnati after Levis completed 8-of-12 passes for 89 yards. His biggest issue was that three of his four incompletions resulted in interceptions. He also lost a fumble, so the Titans felt like they had no choice but to turn to Mason Rudolph, who created a spark by completing 21-of-26 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns, plus another pick.

28. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys (LW: 30)

The former undrafted free agent understood the assignment on Sunday, targeting CeeDee Lamb 13 times. He connected on nine of those for 116 yards and a touchdown, covering the bulk of Rush’s 214 yards. But the Cowboys QB also found Jalen Brooks and Jalen Tolbert for 17 and 11-yard touchdown strikes to put the game out of reach.

27. Mac Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 29)

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The former first-round pick has had an inconsistent season filling in for Trevor Lawrence, but Sunday’s showing was a good one. He still threw two interceptions, which has become a concerning theme, but he also deserves credit for helping keep the chains moving, completing 67.3% of his passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns.

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

Another sub-par performance from the former No. 4 pick. Richardson completed 44.7% of his passes for a scoreless 172 passing yards, averaging 4.5 YPA. He also threw two mind-boggling interceptions but did have 46 rushing yards and his lone touchdown on the day. Overall, this was another game to forget.

25. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (LW: 25)

The former No. 1 overall pick has impressed in the second half of the season, but Sunday was a step in the wrong direction. He still had a respectable day through the air, completing 67.8% of his passes for 219 yards and a touchdown. But it was the two interceptions, two lost fumbles, and six sacks that drastically hurt Carolina’s chances of getting their fourth win of the season. Despite the negative day, Young did find rookie Jalen Coker for an 83-yard score for the longest touchdown of Young’s career.

Related: 2024 NFL offense rankings

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

Maye was efficient (82.6% comp. rate) against Arizona, and he averaged a respectable 8.8 YPA. Maye finished with two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing), but he also had an interception and took two sacks in an overall mixed effort. Still, the signs point to the Patriots QB being much better once he gets a better supporting cast.

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

So maybe it wasn’t the offensive coordinator. Williams managed just 27 passing yards in the first half as Chicago led a lethargic offense. In fact, he lost more sack yards (30) than he had through the air. He wasn’t much better in the second half, finishing with 134 yards while taking a total of seven sacks and losing a fumble. He did pass for two touchdowns, but that was mostly the result of being behind all game.

22. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns (LW: 22)

Just when everyone was starting to fall in love with the idea of Jameis Winston as their bridge QB again, the former No. 1 pick threw three interceptions and took five sacks. Before getting benched, Winston had thrown for just 146 yards while completing 16-of-25 passes. While Winston wasn’t his best, the Browns may have been itching to get a look at Dorian Thompson-Robinson too. Yet, DTR wasn’t any better, finishing with 18 yards and an interception while completing 4-of-9 passes.

21. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (LW: 23)

Kirk Cousins’ return to Minnesota didn’t go the way he dreamt of. Getting behind early, the Falcons QB racked up 344 yards against a defense he used to practice against. Yet, Cousins’ day was ruined by throwing two interceptions. It didn’t help that his much less expensive replacement had a better completion rate, more yards, and five touchdowns without turning the ball over.

20. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets (LW: 21)

The 41-year-old four-time MVP turned back the clock on Sunday, leading the Jets with 45 rushing yards, including an 18-yard pickup. But the most encouraging part was seeing the Rodgers to Davante Adams connection heat up for 198 yards and two touchdowns. The Jets have nothing to play for, but this was a good game for Rodgers to put on film if he needs to find a new team in 2025.

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

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Once again, Geno Smith was excellent on Sunday, completing 24-of-30 passes for 233 yards and an average of 7.8 YPA. Smith didn’t commit any turnovers, which helped the Seahawks lead an efficient attack that contributed to 30 points. Smith only had one touchdown, but with Zach Charbonnet soaking up the yards and touchdowns, the Seahawks QB didn’t need to make risky throws near the end zone.

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

In one of the oddest outcomes of this week’s NFL schedule, Nix had the first three-interception game of his pro career, yet still won by 18 points. Nix tried a lot, completing 20-of-33 passes, but he only managed to get 130 passing yards for a ridiculously low 3.9 YPA. He did have three passing touchdowns and led the team with 23 rushing yards, but this effort wouldn’t have been good enough to win against most teams.

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

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Nearly 30% (28.6%) of Love’s 206 passing yards came on one play, a beautiful 59-yard bomb to Christian Watson. Otherwise, the Packers QB couldn’t get much going against the Lions, completing just 12-of-20 passes and finishing with just the one score. Still, he averaged 10.3 YPA, showing how potent Green Bay’s offense can be when they’re firing on all cylinders.

Related: 2025 Super Bowl odds

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

Stroud snuck out another ugly win for the Texans despite having just 131 passing yards, which surprisingly isn’t his fewest of the season. As much as he struggled, the Texans QB saved the day by having two touchdown strikes after buying more time with his legs to give Houston a commanding lead in the AFC South.

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

Playing with the 49ers’ playoff hopes on thin ice, Mr. Irrelevant had his worst game of the season. The 49ers QB completed just 45.2% of his passes for 142 yards plus an interception while San Francisco scored just six points. The rain didn’t help, but Purdy’s not doing himself any favors ahead of likely contract negotiations this offseason.

14. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (LW: 16)

Don’t look now, but Kyler Murray and the Cardinals continue inching closer to a playoff spot. The latest effort included completing 23-of-30 passes for 224 yards without taking any sacks. Murray wasn’t able to find the end zone, but he also didn’t commit any turnovers while leading a convincing 13-point win.

Related: 2024 NFL Playoff Predictions

13. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (LW: 14)

A rainy night led to Stafford’s second-lowest yard output of the season, delivering just 160 yards. He also completed just 59.3% of his passes. He avoided an atrocious day by finding Puka Nacua for a 51-yard gain and taking care of the football. Thankfully, Stafford’s wonky night didn’t throw the Rams off their path because his opponent had an even worse night, leading to a win for Los Angeles.

Get the latest Los Angeles Rams coverage from LAFB Network

12. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 13)

Not having George Pickens is having a big impact on Russell Wilson’s play. On Sunday, that meant completing just 14-of-22 passes for a season-low 128 yards. He only averaged 5.8 YPA, with just one play going for over 20 yards (31-yard connection to Calvin Austin III). Wilson only had one touchdown and took two sacks while losing a fumble in a forgettable performance.

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

Tagovailoa still leads the NFL in completion rate, but Sunday was a big step backward, not only for him but for the Dolphins’ playoff hopes. The Dolphins QB attempted 40 passes but only mustered 196 yards, averaging a paltry 4.9 YPA. But the worst part was throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble, which hampered Miami’s offensive attack in just a 12-point effort.

Related: NFL coaching candidates 2025

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

Hurts clearly was the better of the two quarterbacks in the battle of Pennslyvania, completing 25-of-32 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns. He did take three sacks and lost a fumble, but Hurts boosted his day with 45 rushing yards and another rushing score to stretch his lead for the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL.

Related: NFL MVP odds 2024

9. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 9)

Mahomes left the game late with a lower leg injury, but even before he departed, the Chiefs QB wasn’t in top form against the Browns. He completed just 50% of 38 pass attempts, which only went for 159 yards. Averaging 4.2 YPA isn’t exactly dangerous, yet he still managed to reach paydirt twice. The Chiefs won again, but it wasn’t exactly pretty. The biggest concern now turns to Mahomes’ status for Week 16 as the Chiefs look to secure a first-round playoff bye.

8. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 7)

Herbert finally threw his second interception of the season, which just shows how well he’s been taking care of the football all year long. But he also was on the receiving end of a 23-point blowout loss after mustering just 195 passing yards on an average of just 5.9 yards per attempt. Herbert did have two touchdown passes, but he didn’t get enough help from the rest of his teammates to outduel Mayfield.

Get the latest Los Angeles Chargers coverage from LAFB Network

7. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 8)

The Buccaneers QB now has the third most passing touchdowns in the NFL, but he also has the second-most interceptions too. Still, what Mayfield is doing is nothing short of magnificent, leading the Buccaneers to what’s likely to be their fourth consecutive NFC South division title while having a top-five offense.

6. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (LW: 6)

Somehow, Sam Darnold keeps getting better and better under Kevin O’Connell’s guidance. Surely benefiting from an all-star cast of pass-catchers, Darnold’s five-touchdown effort on Sunday was easily his best game yet. What made this one more fun was that it came against the QB he replaced in Minnesota.

Get the latest Minnesota Vikings coverage from Minnesota Sports Fan

5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (LW: 5)

Goff may have just had one of the best games of his life, with a 494-yard, five-touchdown performance against a top-ten defense, but he still didn’t win. Goff got outdueled by fellow MVP candidate Josh Allen, leading to Detroit’s second loss of the season, making their race for a first-round playoff bye a fight to the finish. The crazy part is Goff could have had an even better day if Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams hadn’t dropped key reception opportunities in big moments.

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

The superstar rookie powered the Commanders to their ninth win of the season, the most Washington has had since 2015 with Kirk Cousins. He was excellent again, completing 25-of-31 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns while leading the Commanders with 66 rushing yards. The Saints’ defense was ferocious, with Daniels taking a career-high eight sacks. Yet, the added pressure also led to a magical Terry McLaurin touchdown strike after Daniels lost his footing and nearly juked a defender out of his cleats.

3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 3)

When finishing with 271 yards and three touchdowns while leading your team to 37 points is considered a ‘down’ day, you’re doing something right. But this was Burrow’s first multi-interception day of the season and his first game with fewer than 300 yards in four weeks. Still, the Bengals QB has been playing at an MVP level all season long, doing everything he can to keep Cincinnati in contention.

2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (LW: 2)

A week after his NFL MVP candidacy took a slight hit for suffering a three-point loss, Allen returned to frontrunner status with an excellent win over the Lions. Allen tacked on another four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) without committing a turnover. He was incredible through the air, scrambling to find open receivers while avoiding any sacks, which led to a 290-yard passing day and another 68 on the ground. The Bills’ leader has been one of the NFL’s best QBs all season.

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

The two-time NFL MVP returns to being a favorite to win again thanks to a dominant five passing touchdown performance in which he completed 21-of-25 passes for 290 yards. Nearly flawless through the air, Jackson also added 65 more rushing yards, averaging 10.8 yards each time he carried the ball. His only blemish was a lost fumble, but it didn’t slow down Baltimore during their 21-point win.