NFL Power Rankings: Who is the best quarterback in each division?
NFL power rankings: Quarterbacks in the AFC North
- Joe Burrow
- Lamar Jackson
- Deshaun Watson
- Kenny Pickett
There’s a strong argument to say the AFC North has the second-best lineup of quarterbacks of all the divisions in the league (no one is touching the AFC West, but more on that later).
It starts at the top with Joe Burrow, who is far and away the No. 1 guy even in a stacked division. The Bengals quarterback led his team to the brink of a Super Bowl appearance with a quarterback rating of 100.8. There’s no reason to believe he can’t keep them in contention this year and beyond.
It says more about Burrow that he’s No. 1 than it says about Jackson that he’s No. 2. The former MVP is still one of the top playmakers in the NFL. When he’s healthy, he’s a unique challenge to defend with rushing ability to supplement underrated passing prowess. Managing to bring him back means Baltimore will have a chance to unseat the Bengals at the top of the standings.
Deshaun Watson slotting in at No. 3 is a nod to his previous form with the Texans. He looked like he’d sat out a season and a half when he finally got to step in at QB for the Browns. After completing just 58.2 percent of his passes and posting an interception rate of 2.9 in six games last year, he needs to prove he’s still got it.
Kenny Pickett struggled early in his rookie campaign but he noticeably progressed with each week of the season, giving Steelers fans plenty of reasons for optimism that he can handle replacing Ben Roethlisberger in the long term.