Week 17 NFL QB Rankings

By Andrew Buller-Russ

·Updated: December 23, 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 16.

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. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cleveland Browns (Last week: Jameis Winston ranked 23rd)

While we understand why the Browns want to get a look at the 25-year-old 2023 fifth-round pick, DTR hasn’t shown any signs of developing into a long-term starter. Even heading into next season with him as a primary backup to Deshaun Watson would be a mistake at this point, but there’s no harm in keeping him on the roster as he refines his skillset.

31. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints (LW: Jake Haener ranked 32nd)

Jake Haener made the first start of his career last 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. Haener ranked dead last in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB Rankings for Week 15.

30. Drew Lock, New York Giants (LW: Tommy DeVito ranked 31st)

It doesn’t get much worse than Drew Lock in Week 16. The Giants’ stand-in QB had not one but two pick-sixes, and he also lost a fumble. When he wasn’t fixated on throwing the ball to the other team, Lock had a respectable day, getting up to 210 passing yards plus a touchdown. But those turnovers were never going to lead to a win. Any hope of him showing enough to land a chance at competing for a starting role next season has gone up in smoke.

29. Mason Rudolph, Tennessee Titans (LW: Will Levis ranked 30th)

It turns out, the Mason Rudolph experiment isn’t any better than the Will Levis experience. Levis was benched after committing too many turnovers. But Rudolph did the same, throwing three interceptions. Yet, he was still productive as a passer, finishing with a respectable 252 passing yards and two scores.

28. Mac Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 28)

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The former first-round pick basically had the same game as his opponent, only Jones had ten fewer yards (247) and had a touchdown. Yet, Jones couldn’t lead the Jaguars to a win over one of the worst teams in the NFL. Plus, his numbers were significantly boosted by finding a wide-open Brian Thomas for a 62-yard touchdown.

27. Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 31)

While everyone else looked at the Raiders and said they had nothing to play for, Aidan O’Connell felt differently. The Raiders QB knew the assignment was to feed Brock Bowers with a heavy dose of targets, and it led to 99 yards for the rookie superstar. AOC didn’t find the end zone, but he did finish with a respectable 257 yards while avoiding turnovers.

26. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys (LW: 29)

Sunday night’s win produced Cooper Rush’s second-best completion rate and second-most passing yards of the season. The former undrafted QB has performed admirably after Dak Prescott’s season-ending surgery, leading the Cowboys to a 4-3 record. He shouldn’t have any trouble landing a top backup job this offseason.

25. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons (LW: Kirk Cousins ranked 22nd)

Taking on one of the worst teams in the NFL, Michael Penix had a respectable debut. He did get saddled with an interception; only because Kyle Pitts couldn’t hold onto a pass he bobbled near the goal line. But otherwise, Penix settled in and performed well in his first start.

24. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts (LW: 27)

The 22-year-old completed more than 50% of his passes for the first time in four weeks. In fact, it was one of his better passing performances of the season, with Richardson completing 7-of-11 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. He did have an interception, his 12th of the season in 11 starts, but he also added 70 yards and another rushing score, helping the Colts score 38 points.

23. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (LW: 26)

The former No. 1 overall pick didn’t have a strong passing performance, but his two passing touchdown day would have looked better had Adam Thielen not dropped an easy score. Young finished with just 158 yards, but he kept the chains moving with his legs, rushing for 68 yards and another score while leading the Panthers to an overtime victory.

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

The No. 3 overall pick gave the Bills everything they could handle, passing for 260 yards and two scores. But he also had an interception that surely played a factor in the three-point loss. The Patriots have to be happy with their quarterback, now it’s time to get him some weapons.

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

The Bears fell behind 20-0 near the start of the second quarter, putting Caleb Williams in a spot where he had to pass his way out. Williams generated 334 passing yards, averaging 8.4 YPA along the way. He also tacked on two passing touchdowns while leading the Bears with 34 rushing yards. The Bears were never going to beat a red-hot Lions team, but Williams did his best to keep the game close.

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

The 41-year-old continues to turn back the clock, stringing together impressive performances. This time he racked up 256 yards and a touchdown. But he also lost a fumble. Rodgers didn’t have any completions over 20 yards, but he’s done enough to land a starting job elsewhere next season.

Related: 2024 NFL offense rankings

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

Once again, Smith had a 300-yard game, his fifth of the season. Unfortunately, he also had two critical interceptions, contributing to the Seahawks’ second loss in a row. Smith now sits one interception behind Kirk Cousins this season, but he’s also second in passing yards.

Related: 2024 NFL Playoff Predictions

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

The final stat line looks pretty, thanks to the Broncos’ offense finding early success, scoring 21 points in the first half. But a closer look at the same shows Nix missed potentially game-winning throws while still generating 263 passing yards and two touchdowns. A lack of big plays is holding him back, but Nix isn’t losing his team the game either, which is worth noting for a rookie.

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

C.J. Stroud was hot and cold in the Texans’ eight-point loss to the Chiefs. He managed to complete 23-of-39 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns. One of which was a beautiful 30-yard strike to Tank Dell, which caused a likely season-ending leg injury for the Texans receiver. Stroud may have been able to get Houston a win, but his two ugly interceptions played a factor in the one-possession loss.

16. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (LW: 18)

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

15. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (LW: 16)

Mr. Irrelevant had another 300-yard game, his fourth of the season. But it also came with the 49ers suffering another loss as they tumbled out of the playoff conversation. Purdy threw another interception, putting him one away from tying his career-high, only this time he only has 17 touchdowns to go with it.

14. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (LW: 15)

Despite Kyler Murray’s best effort, the Cardinals were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday. Murray put up a strong fight, racking up a total of 265 yards (202 passing, 63 rushing), plus a passing and rushing touchdown. Yet, he also threw an interception and was charged with a lost fumble in the overtime loss.

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

Even though the Jets didn’t have menacing pass-rusher Quinnen Williams, the Rams didn’t get much production out of Matthew Stafford. He completed 14-of-19 attempts for just 110 yards while tacking on a touchdown and an interception. Stafford didn’t generate many big plays, with just one pass going for more than 20 yards (27-yarder to Puka Nacua), but he still squeezed out a win over Aaron Rodgers and the Jets.

Get the latest Los Angeles Rams coverage from LAFB Network

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

The former Super Bowl winner had the Steelers in position to potentially defeat the Ravens for the second time this season. But that was before Wilson threw a pick-6 in the fourth quarter. He also coughed up a fumble on a scramble in the red zone, which cratered Pittsburgh’s chances of overcoming their AFC North rivals. Aside from the two turnovers, Wilson played well, generating 217 passing yards and two touchdowns in the mixed performance.

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

Leading the NFL in completion percentage, Tagovailoa has popped back into the Dolphins’ life and shown why he elevates their offense. Amazingly, Miami is still alive in the playoff hunt, and it’s largely thanks to their QB. The lefty compiled a respectable 215 yards and a touchdown in the Dolphins’ latest win, and if he hadn’t missed time, Miami would already have a playoff spot secured.

Related: NFL coaching candidates 2025

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

The Eagles QB’s day ended early after suffering a first-quarter concussion, leading to Kenny Pickett getting a chance to show what he can do. Hurts only completed 1-of-4 passes for 11 yards before exiting, but he also tacked on 41 rushing yards too. He should be good to go next week.

Related: NFL MVP odds 2024

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

The Chiefs QB supposedly came into the game with a high-ankle sprain, but he also had the longest rushing touchdown of his career (15 yards). He’s still having trouble connecting with his receivers, mostly due to dropped passes, but the Chiefs could add a reinforcement before their Week 17 matchup. Otherwise, Mahomes was excellent, racking up 260 passing yards while converting on 7-of-13 third downs to keep the chains moving.

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

Boasting the NFL’s lowest interception rate, Justin Herbert has slowly crept his way into the fringe MVP conversation. His latest effort involved a 284-yard, two-touchdown day against the NFL’s best defense. Herbert did also throw his third interception of the season, but he also converted a two-point conversion to help push the game further out of reach. He’s been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks this season.

Get the latest Los Angeles Chargers coverage from LAFB Network

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

Mayfield had his fifth 300-yard game of the season on Sunday night, but unfortunately, it didn’t lead to a win. That could be problematic for a Buccaneers team that now shares the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons. Mayfield performed well, completing 72.1% of his passes while tacking on two touchdowns. He nearly had another, but a Cowboys defender ripped the ball out of Jalen McMillan’s hands to turn a touchdown into an interception instead. Without it, the Buccaneers’ late comeback attempt may have led to a victory.

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

Sam Darnold clearly won the battle of the former New York Jets ‘draft busts,’ avoiding turnovers while passing for three touchdowns. The most intriguing part about Darnold’s latest win was that Justin Jefferson had a season-high 144 yards. Oddly enough, Darnold might be on track to secure a larger contract than Kirk Cousins this offseason.

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

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Jared Goff runs such an efficient offense, that the Lions can afford to run trick plays seemingly every week. This time it was a picture-perfect fake fumble that Goff turned into a 21-yard touchdown to Sam LaPorta. Otherwise, Goff was excellent, averaging 10.5 YPA while racking up 336 passing yards and three touchdowns.

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

While he did throw two interceptions, it’s hard to imagine how Jayden Daniels could have played any better. Washington’s QB led the Commanders with 81 rushing yards, but he also had 258 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes. Most importantly, he led the Commanders to a huge win over the Eagles.

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

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If the Bengals had a winning record and were on track to make the playoffs, Joe Burrow would be among the MVP frontrunners. He’s put the Bengals on his back, playing hero each and every week. This time, he completed 76.6% of his passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns to keep Cincinnati’s playoff hopes alive.

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

Allen’s MVP candidacy took a hit this week, even though the Bills won again, mainly because he had just 154 yards and a touchdown to go with an interception. But the bigger concern came in the second half, when he injured his throwing elbow while being tackled on the run. Allen’s injury status bears watching, considering he was experiencing a “lack of sensation” in his arm.

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

The NFL MVP race is down to Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Saquon Barkley. The Ravens QB already has two awards to his name, but now he’s up to a career-high 37 passing touchdowns. The crazy part is that Jackson has the NFL’s second-fewest interceptions too. He’s been excellent all season long.