Ranking all 32 NFL QBs after Week 2: Cam Ward is better than you think

It's still far too early in the NFL season for sweeping conclusions and definitive declarations, but Week 2 does feel like an illuminating inflection point for a lot of teams. Even in an 18-week season, it can be deathly hard to bounce back from an 0-2 hole. It puts so much pressure on a team right out of the gate. Meanwhile, those "unexpected" 2-0 teams are now only seven or eight wins, if that, from a postseason berth. Things happen quickly in this league.

As far as the quarterbacks are concerned, Week 2 was plenty entertaining. There were a lot of big performances, from Russell Wilson's 450-yard masterclass in Dallas to Jared Goff's five-touchdown evisceration of his old pal Ben Johnson. There were also a few oddities. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles barely squeaked out 200 yards of total offense, but still won their Super Bowl rematch in Kansas City. Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers, after exceptional Week 1s in their new homes, both came crashing back down to earth in Week 2.

We also have several injuries to account for, with Joe Burrow slated to miss a few months in Cincinnati, while Carson Wentz and Mac Jones will take up temporary residence as QB1 in Minnesota and San Francisco, respectively.

Here is how the NFL QB power rankings shake out ahead of an exciting Week 3 slate.

32. Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow is expected to miss a few months as he recovers from foot surgery, which thrusts Jake Browning into the national spotlight for the 2-0 Bengals. There isn't a more fraudulent 2-0 team in the NFL right now, and it's not just because the backup QB is taking over. Cincy's offensive line is an affront to the football gods and the defense remains as porous as ever. Browning, to his credit, operates with tremendous confidence in the pocket. He's going to put up some numbers with this Bengals wide receiver corps, but he's also going to turn the ball over a lot (three interceptions on Sunday) and shoot himself in the foot more than a quarterback ought to.

31. Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings

This weekend's Carson Wentz-Jake Browning showdown is a sufficiently deranged matchup. Typically, backup quarterbacks just try to hit their marks and not stray too far from the game plan. Not Jake Browning, and certainly not Carson Wentz. A former MVP candidate who famously watched his backup win a Super Bowl in Philadelphia, Wentz still has that high draft pick, future of the NFL energy, even if the results are almost never very good nowadays. The veteran will probably give Minnesota's offense a bit more zest than whatever J.J. McCarthy was cooking on Sunday night, but Wentz is turnover-prone and historically undependable.

30. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints

Spencer Rattler is... solid? He has three touchdowns and zero interceptions through two weeks, completing 65 percent of his passes. It's a bridge too far to call him the future of the quarterback position in New Orleans, but he has clearly settled down after a bumpy rookie season. (Shocking! I thought you could only be as good as your rookie season?!) Rattler has plenty of natural talent and he's doing enough to keep a pretty bare-bones Saints roster competitive. If he can keep it up, he'll rise in these rankings by default, because lord knows some of the names ahead of him will have their reckonings eventually.

29. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa bounced back nicely from an abominable Week 1. The Dolphins still lost, and the vibes in the clubhouse aren't much better, but we saw flashes of that vintage connection with Tyreek Hill that once made the Dolphins so damn fun. When he's protected in the pocket, Tagovailoa can still hit his targets efficiently. He's all about timing. The lack of arm talent and mobility makes these big 300-plus yard games a bit fool's gold-y, but Tagovailoa has proven that he can lead the NFL's best offense in the past, so for now he gets the benefit of the doubt and sneaks into the 20s. It's the best I can do, man.

28. Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers

Mac Jones was once the object of Kyle Shanahan's pre-draft obsession, but San Francisco went the wayward route of Trey Lance instead. Flash forward to 2025, and Jones is finally Shanahan's quarterback — after an unfortunate turf toe injury for Brock Purdy, that is. Jones looked the part in his first start for the Niners, completing two-thirds of his passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns, notably all without a turnover. San Francisco is 2-0 and the Shanahan offense can make almost any quarterback look better than he actually is (see: Garoppolo, Jimmy). Jones was once a very promising, Pro Bowl-level rookie before Bill Belichick intentionally nuked his psyche, so maybe this was the fresh start he needed. (Of note: Jacksonville, not a good place for "fresh starts.")

27. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young put on a much better showing in Week 2. The Carolina offense remains troublingly untalented — I'm sorry, but Tet McMillan alone clearly will not save this team. The wide receiver corps is frightfully young and inconsistent. The Adam Thielen trade feels ill-advised in hindsight. The O-line isn't much better, so Young spends a lot of time dodging bullets in the pocket. He still holds the ball too long and lobs up some ugly throws, but he held his own against fellow No. 1 pick Kyler Murray on the other side, so Young gets some credit.

26. Justin Fields, New York Jets

Justin Fields was brilliant in Week 1 and atrocious in Week 2. How should we reconcile these facts? Well, by seeing what happens next week, if he's even out there. Fields suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter after completing 3-of-11 passes for a whopping 27 yards. It was among the worst QB performances in recent memory, against a Bills defense that gave up 40 points to Baltimore the week prior. Fields has been remarkably solid in his limited appearances over the last couple years, so he gets some benefit of the doubt. But when a quarterback cannot consistently move the football through the air, it's, um... a limiting factor. Fields will need to prove his mettle in Week 3 to avoid slipping down these rankings. (If Tyrod Taylor gets the nod, he probably occupies a similar range in these rankings as one of the NFL's more well-established stopgaps.)

25. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns

Joe Flacco and Cleveland were thoroughly outclassed in Baltimore, which leaves the Browns in an 0-2 hole to begin the season. Flacco is still probably the best option on the Browns roster, but one wonders how many losses it takes until Dillon Gabriel gets his first taste of real NFL action. Flacco's immobility makes him vulnerable to pocket pressure against a great defense like the Ravens, but to his credit, the man still throws the ball a lot. He is not one to be easily discouraged.

24. Russell Wilson, New York Giants

Russell Wilson was catastrophically bad in Week 1. The calls for Jaxson Dart reached a fever pitch, and it felt like the end was nigh for the former Super Bowl champ. Then the Giants dropped 37 points in an OT loss in Dallas, with Wilson completing 30-of-41 passes for 450 yards and three touchdowns. He made a few genuinely astounding throws — the sort we haven't seen from the DMV product in ages. The Cowboys' defense is a sieve and we shouldn't act like Russ is "back" necessarily, but it was a resounding response to vocal critics. The Giants are still 0-2, and it's still only a matter of time until Dart gets the nod, but Russ turned back the clock and regained a little respect on Sunday afternoon. Somewhere, Mike Tomlin is smiling...

23. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams is approaching dangerous territory after Chicago fell to 0-2 with a blowout loss to Detroit. The Bears' offense is not completely anemic, but Williams looks out of sorts in Ben Johnson's scheme. He's being asked to stick to the game script and process the field quickly and it's just not happening. His lack of touch is alarming — this dude made some of the most beautiful throws in recent memory at USC! — and Williams is rendering some truly awful decisions under pressure. The physical gifts are immense, and Williams is still young, but Chicago was under pressure to start this season on a positive note. Getting outplayed by J.J. McCarthy in Week 1 also looks a heck of a lot worse after Minnesota's Week 2 stinker against Atlanta.

22. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

So... is Daniel Jones just good now? He was kinda good that one year in New York, amidst all the really bad years. Sometimes, a change of scenery is all it takes to really unlock a quarterback, as evidenced by Sam Darnold's performance with the Vikings last season. Jones has a serviceable offensive line, a clever playcaller in Shane Steichen, and a few trustworthy receivers, and right now everything is clicking. The Colts are 2-0 and Jones has completed 71.4 percent of his passes through two weeks (with zero turnovers). Torching the torpedoing Dolphins in Week 1 was one thing. Expertly picking apart a very good Broncos defense in Week 2 was a far more encouraging and meaningful sign that 'Indiana Jones' is here to stay.

21. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville fell to 0-2 with a high-scoring loss to the Bengals, who came back to win despite an injury to Joe Burrow and three interceptions from his replacement. Trevor Lawrence can put up numbers, there's no doubt about it, but the decision-making is still troubling. He threw two picks of his own on Sunday and the Jags offense does not look meaningfully better than it did a year ago, despite the presence of a proven, effective playcaller like Liam Coen (whom Lawrence expressed open frustration with on the field). Lawrence is running out of time to prove himself. He can only cycle through so many coaches and coordinators before it's clear that the problem is him.

20. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle put the clamps on Pittsburgh in a commanding 31-17 victory. Sam Darnold and the offense were a bit more erratic than the defense, however. He completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns, but also coughed up two ugly interceptions. That's just life with Darnold under center. He's such a talent — he can put superhuman velocity on his throws — but every possession feels like a roll of the dice as to whether Darnold is going to make all the right decisions or all the wrong decisions. Seattle has a chance to compete this year and Darnold is clearly a high-ceiling quarterback, but unless he can achieve the stability he did for most of his short tenure in Minnesota, the Seahawks probably aren't hoisting any trophies at season's end.

19. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

Bo Nix was better in Week 2 than in Week 1, but it has mostly been an underwhelming start to his sophomore campaign in Denver. It's early in the season, and there's still reason to believe in this Broncos offense under Sean Payton, but a lot of the common critiques of Nix coming out of Oregon — limited arm strength, a lack of unscripted success — are beginning to take center stage. He's a young quarterback, but he's also one of the most experienced second-year QBs ever. The dude was a five-year starter in college, at two massive Power Five programs. A sensational rookie season earns him the benefit of the doubt, as does his partnership with a great quarterbacks coach in Payton, but Nix is officially under the microscope moving forward.

18. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers

Aaron Rodgers was brilliant in Pittsburgh's Week 1 win over the Jets, but Seattle's defense knocked him around early and often this past Sunday. Rodgers threw two interceptions and completed only 54.5 percent of his passes, in addition to taking three sacks. He's still an incredible off-script thinker, with more zip on his passes than any 41-year-old quarterback has a right to have, but Rodgers is slowly down — literally. He can't maneuver in the pocket like he used to and while he's still capable of those astounding side-arm throws and quick daggers through the heart of a defense, he's just not airing it out like he did in his prime with Green Bay. The Steelers are on tumultuous ground right now.

17. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

Geno Smith was under constant duress in the Raiders' MNF loss to the Chargers. He threw three interceptions and took three sacks, completing 55.8 percent of his passes for 180 yards without a score. Smith is capable of extreme highs and extreme lows. We shouldn't ding him too hard for his Week 2 struggles, especially when so much of it falls on the offensive line and Chip Kelly's questionable playcalling. Smith is getting older, though, so notions of decline will start to creep in if Las Vegas can't turn the ship around. I am generally confident in Smith, who throws a gorgeous ball, but Las Vegas was no match for the Chargers defense last weekend.

16. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Tennessee is 0-2 and it's clear the offense has a long way to go, but No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward has exceeded most reasonable expectations out of the gate — even if he's not lighting the scoreboard on fire. He looks incredibly poised, operating efficiently while still flashing the incredible athleticism and creativity that made him so dynamic at Miami. His first career touchdown pass was positively Mahomesian. As he settles in, develops a rapport with his receivers, and the playbook opens up a bit, expect the numbers to perk up. Ward looks the part, which is all the Titans could have asked for at this stage and with this roster.

15. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons

Unfortunately for Kirk Cousins, who should probably be starting football games somewhere, Michael Penix Jr. continues to look the part of Atlanta's long-term quarterback. The Falcons struggled in the red zone on Sunday night, an area Penix will need to continue to improve in, but the southpaw has a massive arm and he's making all the right decisions in the pocket. He didn't exactly detonate in the win over Minnesota, but Penix's steady hand is readily apparent, and it feels like this Falcons offense is going to wake up as he continues to gain experience and forge chemistry with his pass-catchers.

14. Drake Maye, New England Patriots

After a sobering Week 1 loss to the Raiders, Drake Maye and the Patriots responded well in Week 2, toppling the Dolphins in a 33-27 shootout. We know the Miami defense is a sorry excuse for a resisting force, but Maye and the Patriots were able to weather the storm of a vintage Tua Tagovailoa-Tyreek Hill fireworks display, punching back at every opportunity and ultimately capturing their first win of the season. Maye was extremely efficient, completing 19-of-23 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns, while also picking up 31 yards and another score on the ground. He continues to look the part of a future star at football's most important position.

13. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Don't look now, but the Cardinals are 2-0 and the NFC West sure seems within reach. It's early, of course, but it feels like Kyler Murray was written off after his ACL injury and the football-viewing public hasn't fully come back around yet. He's good! He threw a pick on Sunday, but otherwise pulled all the right strings to outlast Carolina. There is still incredible value in a quarterback who can move around the pocket and escape for huge runs like Murray. He's the prototypical dual-threat quarterback in a lot of ways and he just feels like a solid bet to produce week-to-week, even if he's not the soaring MVP candidate we once imagined.

12. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans

Houston fell to 0-2 with a one-point loss to Tampa Bay on MNF. It has been a slightly wonky start to the campaign for CJ Stroud, as the Texans can't quite seem to live up to their immense potential on offense. But it's also early in the season, and Stroud has more than earned a grace period. He's still 2-for-2 when it comes to leading Houston to the postseason and when he's on, few quarterbacks are capable of delivering more special performances. Stroud is a creative and ambitious thrower, with all the athletic traits a team could ask for at the quarterback position. The Texans will turn things around eventually. Stay the course.

11. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

We were all sufficiently worried about the Lions' offense after a dour Week 1 performance in Green Bay. Well, the script flipped in Week 2 as Detroit poured 52 points on the Bears defense. Chicago is not exactly a top-rate opponent on the defensive end, but 52 points in 52 points, and Goff looked a heck of a lot more like the Jared Goff we've come to know and love. He completed 82.1 percent of his passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns. He wasn't sacked once. So yeah, maybe the Lions aren't dead yet.

10. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Dak Prescott captained the Cowboys to an improbable overtime win over the Giants, completing 38-of-52 passes for 361 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. This is basically the tempo we should expect from every Cowboys game moving forward, so buckle up. The defense is an embarrassment, and the offense is going to drop nukes left and right. Prescott can't control the former, but he'll keep Dallas competitive by running up the score, even against quality defenses. Health has brought Prescott's reputation into question in recent years, but when he's right, the Mississippi State product is still an MVP candidate capable of leading a top-five offense. Prescott makes his share of mistakes, but it's worth it for all the high-risk, high-reward passes he's able to complete over the top of the defense.

9. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa has narrowly escaped with a win over quality opponents in back-to-back weeks. Baker Mayfield just has that star energy in the pocket. He's a fearless big-play threat who can also escape pressure and create opportunities with his legs more frequently than he gets credit for. The Bucs are still adjusting to life without Liam Coen, but as the supporting cast gets healthier and the new scheme becomes second nature, we can expect another highly productive campaign from the former No. 1 pick.

8. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Matthew Stafford and the Rams keep on chugging. A 33-19 win over Tennessee cements the Rams as early frontrunners in the NFC West. Stafford is getting up there age-wise, but he's showing no signs of imminent decline. There's a reason Los Angeles was so eager to keep him this summer. What he lacks in mobility, Stafford makes up for with creative arm slots and a unique ability to process the field at warp speed. He can read the field and render a decision as fast as any quarterback in the NFL, and he's still capable of chucking it 40-plus yards downfield on a rope. He's easy to take for granted, but Stafford is one of the best in the business.

7. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love and the Packers are picking up serious momentum. The Micah Parsons trade has worked like gangbusters and the offense, even without Jayden Reed, feels destined to rank near the top of the league in yards and scoring. Love has always oozed with potential, but it feels like he is making a tangible leap toward true stardom this season. He boasts one of the absolute best arms in the NFL and he's becoming a more efficient decision-maker with each passing start. Green Bay's Super Bowl dreams are alive and well.

6. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert threw for an efficient 242 yards and two touchdowns in Monday's win over Las Vegas. He also led the Chargers in rushing yards with 31. Herbert's postseason ghosts remain, but when it comes to regular season productivity, all the hype is justified. He's comfortable working on John Harbaugh and Greg Roman's tight script, but he can also deliver some of the most ambitious, gobsmacking throws in the league. He dances through traffic with balletic poise, he can read the defense like a good book, fast and with a purpose. Las Vegas did its best to muck things up — Herbert took two sacks and fumbled twice — but even a feisty Pete Carroll defense wasn't enough to leave much doubt moment-to-moment as to who'd win Monday's game.

5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts threw for 101 yards on Sunday and the Eagles offense churned out a whopping 226 yards collectively in their 20-17 victory over Kansas City. Like clockwork, the questions of "can the Eagles score enough?" and "what's wrong with Jalen Hurts?" started to percolate in the media. Philadelphia has a unique talent for grinding the opponent into dust on defense and only needing marginal production from its offense to emerge victorious. Life post-Kellen Moore is off to a bumpy start, sure, but the Eagles are still 2-0, and Hurts has proven at every turn that he can ratchet it up when he needs to. Philly is an egoless team that is very committed to its game script. As such, we shan't dock the Eagles (or Hurts) until any of these so-called problems start to manifest in the loss column. Sleepwalking to a win over the Chiefs in what profiled as a revenge game on Kansas City's home turf is no small feat.

4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels suffered a knee sprain in Week 2, which casts doubt upon his status for Week 3. We can go ahead and get this out of the way: if Marcus Mariota is forced into against on Sunday, he would rank dead last on this list. For now, we'll stick with Daniels, who is reminding folks of why his rookie campaign was so special. Daniels' freewheeling style and featherweight frame means durability concerns will always exist, but there are few more dynamic playmakers in recent NFL history. His ability to create with his legs and execute throws on the move without sacrificing efficiency is something special.

3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are 0-2, which is unfamiliar territory. Kansas City's defense is still exceptional, but the offense looks slow and disjointed right now. It's hard to blame much, if any of that on Mahomes, who can still improvise with the best of 'em. He just doesn't have much support right now, from an injury-battered wide receiver room to a makeshift offensive line. Mahomes is clearly not the all-powerful force he was a few years ago, but even as he ages out of his prime, you'd be hard-pressed to compile a list of more trustworthy quarterbacks when the lights are brightest.

2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

After a thrilling comeback win over Baltimore in Week 1, the Bills buried the Jets early in Week 2. Whatever concerns exist over Buffalo's supporting cast (and especially the defense), it's hard to be too worried when Josh Allen in the quarterback. He suffered a brief injury scare on Sunday, which gave Bills fans visions of horror as Mitch Trubisky pinch hit, but Allen returned and finished the game on a high note. From the barreling runs to the high-arcing, pinpoint throws into high-traffic areas on the field, Allen is one of the most mesmerizing quarterbacks in the NFL. It feels like every play has a chance to yield explosive results.

1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore put Cleveland to bed early after their Week 1 meltdown in Buffalo. Lamar Jackson's greatness is par for the course at this point. He completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 225 yards and four touchdowns. He actually didn't do much as a runner, which is only a testament to how effective Jackson is even when he's not skating past defenders in the open field. On paper, the Ravens might be the best team in the NFL right now, top to bottom. Jackson has postseason demons to exorcize, but as well settle in for a long regular season, it would take a Herculean effort from Josh Allen (or someone less expected) to knock Jackson off his pedestal at No. 1...