The NFL quarterback play in 2024, like every regular season, has its share of surprising top performers and unexpected underachievers.
Rookies are playing like accomplished veterans, while some veterans are playing like shaky rookies. There are also are some great stories of redemption
From best to worst, based on just the first six weeks this season only and nothing in the past or future (yet), here’s ranking and grading every QB who started a game (so far), from head of the class to below average.
MORE: Week 7 Power Rankings | Week 7 NFL picks | Week 7 NFL picks against the spread
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
Burrow leads the NFL in passer rating with a stellar 110.3. He is the only reason the Bengals can creep out of 2-4 and a slow defensive start to defy the odds and make the AFC playoffs. He’s fully healthy and locked in with his arm, accuracy, and efficiency.
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2. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
The reigning NFL MVP is in the mix to repeat and take home the award for the third time. He’s having his best overall passing season with 8.7 yards per attempt and a 108.4 rating in the second year of Todd Monken’s favorable offense.
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3. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
Daniels has been right there as a younger version of Jackson with his rushing success balancing out 8.5 yards per attempt and a 107.1 rating. His league-best 75.3-percent completion percentage shows he’s playing in the ideal Kliff Kingsbury offense.
4. Josh Allen, Bills
Allen has yet to throw an interception against his 10 TD passes and has a 106.8 rating because of that efficiency. The compressed nature of the passing game with limited deep-shot success has hurt his yards per attempt (7.4) and completion percentage (62.8), but along with his running, he’s in complete command of an offense that just acquired a savvy No. 1 receiver again.
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MORE: Amari Cooper trade details | Cooper trade grades | Bills WR depth chart | Is Cooper playing Week 7?
5. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
By the numbers, Mahomes looks mediocre with six TDs, six INTs, and an 88.9 passer rating, but everyone knows he’s more dangerous than ever when it counts the most. Coming off his first Super Bowl repeat, he has his team rolling toward another ring at 5-0.
6. Brock Purdy, 49ers
Purdy is still above the century mark in efficiency (100.8) with a gaudy yards per attempt (8.8), proving he remains a superstar downfield pocket passer despite the injury and inconsistency around him.
7. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
Mayfield is completing 70.9 percent of his passes and trails only Burrow with his 109.4 rating. He also leads the league with 15 TD passes, looking even better in Liam Coen’s offense.
8. C.J. Stroud, Texans
Stroud has avoided a sophomore slump and has been particularly sharp the past few weeks to push back toward the top of the league. His passing has been off just enough to keep him here.
9. Jordan Love, Packers
Love has been a bit all over the place passing with his turnovers and has missed time, but now healthy, he looks terrific spreading the ball around downfield with increased confidence and connection with his young weapons.
10. Kirk Cousins, Falcons
Captain Kirk has remained Captain Comeback, showing lesser effects of the torn Achilles he suffered with his old team for his new team. He’s handling high volume well and getting more on the same page with his receivers each passing week.
11. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
There’s been some passing and running sloppiness with Hurts, but injuries at wide receiver and offensive line changes have hurt his overall efficiency. He can get back to being “A” playmaker with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith soon.
12. Dak Prescott, Cowboys
There’s a lot being put on him with the running game going into the tank and the defense having major lapses. He’s handling his burden of winning as best as he can, even though there have been key issues with the receiving corps and offensive line, too.
13. Caleb Williams, Bears
Williams was headed toward “C” after the first two games but has razzled and dazzled with his arm and his feet the past two games. The No. 1 overall pick already is Chicago’s best rookie QB ever and should be let loose as a passer and runner a lot more after the bye.
14. Sam Darnold, Vikings
With 11 TDs to only four INTs, Darnold has been efficient, too, rating 103.4. He’s been well protected and has Justin Jefferson, so credit goes to taking advantage of Kevin O’Connell’s top passing system. He has struggled in tougher spots, and Vikings’ calling card has been defense first.
15. Geno Smith, Seahawks
Smith has responded well to a more uptempo and aggressive passing game under former University of Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. He leads the league with 1,778 passing yards and has room to build back up his efficiency in the new offense.
16. Jared Goff, Lions
Goff leads the league with his 8.9 yards per attempt, and he has a stellar QB rating (105.3). They’re letting him be more aggressive and prolific, too, with Jameson Williams finally breaking out as a key deep threat to help Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta.
17. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Murray has executed well in the offense with no concerns about his past knee injuries, but he can be a passing and running roller coaster. There’s no doubt that, when healthy, rookie first-round wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has been a huge help, but Murray’s play falls into the “solid overall as a playmaker but well short of spectacular” category.
18. Malik Willis, Packers
Willis played well, passing and running, in his two-game fill-in stint for Love. The young backup’s supersub success ties again to what a great always-adjusting system the Packers have under Matt LaFleur.
18. Aaron Rodgers, Jets
Rodgers is the all-time leader in passer rating but is No. 26 this season at 84.4, averaging only 6.4 yards per attempt with a 61.8 completion percentage. He needs to be above average for the Jets to be an above-.500 AFC playoff contender. They’re hoping Davante Adams will rejuvenate the 40-year-old into vintage form.
MORE: Why Raiders traded Davante Adams | Will Adams play Week 7? | Adams trade grades
19. Justin Herbert, Chargers
Herbert has been reined in a bit in the run-heavy offense, as the Chargers are calling rushes 52 percent of the time. His early foot injury that limited his movement didn’t help They are opening it up more, which should help him bump up from his 95.3 passer rating and 6.5 yards per attempt.
20. Derek Carr, Saints
Before his oblique injury, Carr was feeling it in the new passing game under Klint Kubiak, which plays much better off the run. He was still being too calculated with the ball and missing some shots with a thin wide receiver corps. The volume also hasn’t been high, which belies his 100.7 rating.
21. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
Lawrence has not been as bad as one thinks in the offense of Doug Pederson and Press Taylor, given some personnel transition and a key early injury to go-to tight end Evan Engram. He’s trying to figure out the identity of the system like everyone else as the coaches keep failing to streamline a consistent attack.
22. Joe Flacco, Colts
Flacco has a misleading 102.2 passer rating, but he’s still the best backup option in the league, making a great transition from long-time Ravens pocket passer and Super Bowl winner in his prime. He is fearless in throwing it up from the pocket — boom or bust, better or for worse — playing confidently with (literal) house money from his previous NFL career.
23. Andy Dalton, Panthers
Dalton, another long-time successful AFC North QB, has become the Flacco of the NFC, embracing his new role as a reliable, multiple-team backup, a la Ryan Fitzpatrick or Josh McCown before him. Unfortunately, the Panthers would prefer to have him on the bench again with Bryce Young playing well instead.
24. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
Tua was pretty solid before going down with his latest concussion, putting a big cloud over how much he will see the field in 2024. He wasn’t zipping it to his speedy and quick wide receivers as he did in 2023, but the noticeable QB dropoff shows how much simple execution in Mike McDaniels’ system is missed.
25. Daniel Jones, Giants
The good news is Jones has responded well as a passer for his upgraded receiving corps with rookies Malik Nabers and hybrid RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. playing well, and he’s also benefitted from good play-calling from coach Brian Daboll. Unfortunately, some of the same bad habits and mistakes keep holding Jones back.
26. Matthew Stafford, Rams
Stafford is a very dependent QB at this point in his career, and it’s been tricky without Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp early with more struggles on the offensive line. At least the pressure is off him a bit despite a bad defense because of Kyren Williams’ continued strong running.
27. Drake Maye, Patriots
Maye made some rookie mistakes in his first start against the Texans, but there were more positives than negatives once he was let loose with his big arm and quick legs. Now the team better hope there are no real knee issues that can keep him from a longer look on the field the rest of the way.
28. Justin Fields, Steelers
Fields is getting the job done with his legs to facilitate the run-heavy offense enough to win games — largely thanks to the defense lessening the scoring burden in most games. However, his passing has been flat since his Bears’ end, which has pushed the change to Russell Wilson.
29. Bo Nix, Broncos
Nix has done his best running around and spreading the ball around to manufacture offense with a limited receiving corps and inconsistent running game. He is flashing his arm and athletic talent, but there is a lot to develop in terms of accuracy and efficiency.
30. Anthony Richardson, Colts
He’s battling through another injury (hip) after the concussion and shoulder ailment cut short his rookie season just as it was warming up. Now he needs get back on the field and use his immense dual-threat skill set better to make the Colts feel confident they have their franchise guy.
31. Deshaun Watson, Browns
His $230 million in guaranteed money is the only thing keeping him in the starting lineup over fiery backup Jameis Winston. Watson has looked skittish and off during what was supposed to be a turnaround season.
32. Gardner Minshew, Raiders
Minshew is OK in short stretches when the running game and defense are supporting, but he definitely was bound to be replaced as now a journeyman backup.
33. Aidan O’Connell, Raiders
O’Connell is getting another shot as a second-year fourth-rounder, but just like Minshew, neither is set up for success in a run-heavy, injury-riddled mess without Davante Adams and first-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers being the only reliable target.
34. Tyler Huntley, Dolphins
Huntley was overwhelmed and out of his comfort zone in his first start for his hometown team before the bye, but he needs to settle fast into his old Ravens form to help Miami win games.
35. Will Levis, Titans
The biggest buzz around Levis continues to be his unusual love of mayonnaise, and despite being a QB playing in the south, he can’t even pick Duke’s as his favorite. He is running out of time to stick as the franchise QB, as the Titans are beginning to try to hide him with a run-heavier approach.
36. Spencer Rattler, Saints
Would he be starting for Derek Carr if the fans didn’t demand it? Who knows? Rattler is a developmental fifth-rounder who needs a lot more time in a complex offensive scheme to execute it at a basic level.
37. Jacoby Brissett, Patriots
The veteran’s lack of downfield throwing confidence and sudden immobility made him a sitting duck in the pocket behind shaky pass protection. The call for Maye was necessary and correct.
38. Bryce Young, Panthers
This might seem harsh for the benched No. 1 overall pick from 2023, but the fact the Panthers didn’t want to see too much of him in a new offense says his confidence is broken and he’s already at a point of no return for Carolina.
39. Skylar Thompson, Dolphins.
It’s difficult to believe Mike White wasn’t a better initial Tua backup option than this.
