Across the board, there was a lot of mediocre quarterback play in Week 1, from the usual suspects all the way to the tippy-top of the NFL's positional hierarchy. There were also plenty of standouts, although some of them feels more like Week 1 apparitions than anything sustainable.
We ranked all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks before the season. Now, we embark on the mission of updating this list weekly as performances ebb and flow, as new names rise and old names fall. This was an exceedingly fun week of football and the season ahead promises plenty of surprises.
Let's dive into the results of this busy opening slate to determine the best of the best (and the worst of the worst) at football's most important position.
32. Russell Wilson, New York Giants
Jaxson Dart will take over this spot soon enough, but the New York Giants' abysmal Week 1 performance was highlighted by Russell Wilson hitting a new low. He isn't getting any help from this Giants O-line, but Wilson simply does not move or throw the way he used to, which is especially troubling for a 5-foot-11 quarterback. He's getting pancaked under pressure, even against a middling Commanders defense, so it's hard to see things getting much better from here. The mobility and accuracy that once made Russ so effective has left him.
31. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
It's only Week 1, but I'm not sure even the most diehard Dolphins fan can unearth a silver lining from Tua Tagovailoa's god-awful performance on Sunday. What used to be the most explosive offense in the NFL looked completely out of sync, exposing just how little Tagovailoa actually brings to the table. He can execute a quick-hitting scheme designed to put the NFL's fastest wide receivers in open space, but when Tagovailoa is forced to operate under duress and thread the needle into traffic, it all falls part. Tagovailoa was insulated by an elite offense for so long. Put him in any remotely compromised position, and he looks utterly hapless.
30. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
How long until the Saints bite the bullet and start Tyler Shough? It won't get any better with Shough, who's probably a worse quarterback, but New Orleans invested a second-round pick in the Louisville product and Rattler just does not look the part of a long-term starter. He's too inefficient despite underrated arm talent and plus athleticism. The processing skills and accuracy needed to helm a productive NFL offense is not there, especially when the Saints aren't giving him much to work with.
29. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers suck again. It's sad but true. Carolina got wiped off the field by a largely unimpressive Jaguars team. After showing signs of growth last season, Bryce Young reverted to his worst habits as the Panthers' offense ran headlong into a brick wall. It's only Week 1, so he deserves some grace, but Young's lack of size and athleticism continues to limit him. There just isn't enough zip on his throws or creativity under pressure to overcome middling tools.
28. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Daniel Jones began the season dead last in these rankings. He was one of the best quarterbacks in Week 1. How do we reconcile this? Probably by saying the Dolphins are an aberrational s**tshow and not much that happens against them should be taken without a healthy dose of salt. Jones did a lot of encouraging things on Sunday, using his mobility to escape pressure and consistently locating his downfield targets without flubbing the delivery. But we need to see it against a real opponent before we run away with Colts optimism.
27. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
The Titans were predictably impotent against a stout Broncos defense in Week 1. Cam Ward's receivers were M.I.A. and he deserves the standard rookie grace period, but the No. 1 pick isn't enough of an outlier talent to carry a substandard supporting cast. That much is clear. Ward made every throw imaginable at Miami and he's undeniably gifted, but the 23-year-old needs to crank up the aggressiveness and prove that he can work off-script against NFL defenses before we move him up in these rankings.
26. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
J.J. McCarthy has faces the indomitable burden of proof. This Vikings offense should insulate him nicely, but in terms of overall experience, McCarthy remains one of the least-proven quarterbacks in the NFL. He has the arm talent, but how effectively does McCarthy process the field and operate against the grain? This Bears defense probably isn't the best case study, but until we get a solid sample size from the second-year rookie, he will remain toward the bottom rung of this ladder. Circle back to Tagovailoa to understand the importance of separating the art from the artist — or the QB from the scheme — in these situations.
25. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
The Browns gave the Bengals a run for their money on Sunday and Flacco straight up out-produced Joe Burrow, although it's hard to hold that against Burrow and not the Cincy defense. Flacco was a predictably uninspiring QB choice for Cleveland this summer, but the 40-year-old still has a canon and he's extremely confindent in his abilities, which goes a long way. The interceptions will pile up eventually, but there's something to be said for making the risky throws and forcing the defense to make plays.
24. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Sam Darnold and the Seahawks were awfully quiet in a 17-13 loss to San Francisco. After an revelatory Pro Bowl campaign in Minnesota last season, Darnold will need to prove his mettle in a far less optimal environment. He displayed a strong connection with Jaxon Smith-Njigba (nine catches, 124 yards), but the rest of his receiving corps combined for 26 yards total. Darnold packs a huge arm, but the Seahawks' offense is bent toward the intermediate game under Klint Kubiak. We shall see how frequently Darnold is able to take the lid off a defense this season without falling into past bad habits. The accuracy concerns remain.
23. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye and the Patriots offense fell flat in Week 1 against Pete Carroll's revamped Raiders defense. The 23-year-old was in the Pro Bowl as a rookie, a credit to how well he performed despite a shoddy O-line and minimal wide receiver talent . The supporting cast is much stronger on paper this season, but Maye is young. He's still figuring things out. He's much sharper than he was at UNC, and the athleticism is next level, but Maye needs to speed things up a bit without sacrificing efficiency or accuracy. He should get better with more reps, but Las Vegas reminded us that Maye is only in the fledgling stage of his career. He has not put all the pieces together... yet.
22. Justin Fields, New York Jets
Despite the loss, Justin Fields rocketed past expectations in Week 1. The Jets offense sliced and diced what should be a strong Steelers defense. Fields made some of the best throws of his career and did plenty with his legs, consistently evading pressure and extending possessions without succumbing to the short-armed deliveries that so often mitigated his athletic advantages in Chicago. Fields will need to prove he's real over a more extended period of time (and perhaps against more locked-in defenses), but after a solid 4-2 stint in Pittsburgh, he looks poised to keep the Jets respectable this season. The schedule won't get easier with Buffalo on the docket in Week 2, however.
21. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams will benefit profoundly from Ben Johnson this season. We can't throw his rookie season out the window, but we can acknowledge that Williams was battling uphill in an ineffective scheme with a flawed supporting cast. The better O-line (and more creative play calls) should help Williams tap into his arm talent while taking fewer sacks. Williams still needs to ramp up his processing speed and know when to hit abort on a possession, but there are few quarterbacks as physically gifted as Chicago's No. 1 pick. He's 23 years old. This is just the beginning.
20. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville took advantage of a meek Panthers defense in Week 1, but Trevor Lawrence didn't exactly light the world on fire. Liam Coen was key to unlocking Baker Mayfield in Tampa — and it sure looks like the Bucs will miss him — but Lawrence continues to be just a little bit too inconsistent. He has all the tools at his disposal, but until Lawrence can operate a bit more freely and with a few less negative plays, Jacksonville will struggle to unlock its ceiling (or justify that contract).
19. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
An absolutely brutal Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay sets the wrong tone for Atlanta in a do-or-die season, but there were positive takeaways. Michael Penix looks like the real deal. The talented southpaw executed at all three levels and kept the chains moving, primarily through his rock-solid rapport with running back Bijan Robinson, who notched 100 yards and a touchdown as a receiver (compared to only 24 yards on 12 carries as a runner). Penix's lack of mobility is a limiting factor, but he can drop bombs like few others in the NFL and he has lived a much longer football life than most second-year quarterbacks. That experience is translating to excellent poise in the pocket.
18. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Did we all fall for the Bo Nix fool's gold last season? That is a common question after Denver lackluster showing against Tennessee. The Titans defense actually looks poised to outperform expectations this season, but Denver looked awfully turgid for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Nix threw a couple interceptions and just didn't look as sharp as he usually does. We can chalk this up to a Week 1 aberation for now, but Denver fans are on edge.
17. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy is the quarterback equivalent of a noncommital shoulder shrug. Like yeah, he's good. Okay. Whatever. Purdy has some real pop behind his throws and he can get crafty with his deliveries, but he's just not a real needle-mover. He feels like the median line for NFL quarterbacks — in a way, the barometer against which against all others are measured, positive or negative. Purdy can still struggle to elevate beyond his means, but a healthier 49ers offense should mean more productive outings than we saw a year ago. Purdy did the bare minimum to squeak past Seattle on Sunday.
16. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Am I being scammed? After an extremely frustrating tenure in New York, Aaron Rodgers stepped up to the plate and delivered in Pittsburgh's 34-32 win over the Jets. The Steelers defense certainly wasn't around to offer support, so Rodgers needed to convert on an absurd percentage of his drives. And he did. The 41-year-old hit 73.3 percent of his targets for 244 yards and four touchdowns. He looked right at home in Arthur Smith's scheme, executing out of play action and delivering the football through tight windows on the move. Unc still got it dot gif.
15. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona didn't exactly obliterate a weak New Orleans defense, but Kyler Murray did what he needed to do. He was efficient, if un-explosive, and he came through with a few key scrambles. Murray's stock is down after a couple turbulent years, but the former No. 1 pick is still more talented with your average Joe and there are encouraging signs about where this Cardinals offense is heading, none more so than Murray's burgeoning connection with Marvin Harrison Jr.
14. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Big yikes. Jared Goff's first start in a post-Ben Johnson world left much to be desired. He salvaged his numbers with a garbage time touchdown drive, but the Lions' offense was dead in the water against a revitalized Packers defense. Micah Parsons only picked up one sack in his debut, but it was a truly menacing sight as he ran Goff down Weapons-style. The former No. 1 pick has earned the benefit of the doubt (as has Detroit's offense as a whole), but Goff is officially on notice if the subpar outings begin to stack up.
13. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
Geno Smith gave Raiders fans a full helping of the good and the bad on Sunday. He just throws an absolute rocket. It's really nice to watch Smith sit back and fire a pass through an infinitesimal window. His ability to navigate pressure and get the football out quickly is genuinely special. He will also test his luck a bit more often than he should. The Raiders didn't blow the doors off in Foxboro, but there's reason enough to take Las Vegas seriously with Smith helming the offense.
12. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
The Texans offense looked extremely dull in a 14-9 Week 1 loss to the Rams. CJ Stroud gets the benefit of the doubt after leading Houston to the playoffs twice in two seasons, but the former No. 2 pick didn't exactly build upon his stellar rookie campaign in two year. If he takes another step back in year three, the panic might set in. He's clearly a capable quarterback, especially when the lights turn up a bit, but Stroud is too prone to these duds. We need to see more consisent exectuion from a player of Stroud's immense talent.
11. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
A rain delay threw a wrench into Dallas' comeback efforts on Thursday night, but the Cowboys hung tight with the reigning champs. That defense is a sieve and it will probably keep Dallas out of the contenders circle, but we aren't too far removed from Prescott's second-place MVP finish in 2023. He's just solid, unlike the roster and front office around him. Equipped with a big-time arm and one of the NFL's top receiving rooms, Prescott should have plenty of big games this season.
10. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We shall reserve judgement until we get a larger sample size of this new Bucs offense (and the new Falcons defense), but Tampa's first game post-Liam Coen was not the dominant, spirit-breaking showcase fans hoped for. The Bucs still eked out the win in hilariously Falcons-coded fashion, but Atlanta more than held its own. Michael Penix was the best quarterback on the field Sunday. Is he a better quarterback writ large? Time will tell, but Mayfield set the bar high last season and fell short of it in Week 1. He is under the microscope moving forward.
9. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams only manufactured 14 points in their Week 1 victory over Houston, but Matthew Stafford looked mostly sharp after an offseason of trade rumors followed by injury concerns. He's getting up there, but Stafford is still offers of the most creative and intelligent pocket presences in the NFL. He fed Puka Nacua like he always does and flashed enough of a connection with newcomer Davante Adams to proceed with confidence in what Los Angeles can accomplish in 2025.
8. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay made a statement in Week 1. There's a lot of season left, but those of us projecting Super Bowl-level success for the Packers can't help but feel good. Detroit won 15 games last season. Two new coordinators and all, that is a quality team and the Packers put them on ice early. Love's talent has never been in question. He delivers an easy ball and operates with unfettered confidence. If he can cut down on turnovers without losing his fastball, the Packers are Go Pack Going places.
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert continues to get the job done in the regular season. His playoffs résumé looms large as we attempt to a baseline for the Chargers, but Herbert outclassed Patrick Mahomes in front of an international crowd on Friday night. Los Angeles' offense is not built for explosive performances, but Herbert reminded us all that he can still deliver big outings without deviating too far from Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman's tight script. In terms of "natural talent," however you define such a concept, Herbert is one of the NFL's very best. He minimizes mistakes, stretches the defense on a whim, and generally delivers the football to his receiver before the defense has a chance to muck things up. The Chargers are going to be a thing again this season, postseason TBD.
6. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Look, there aren't very many quarterbacks who inspire more quiet confidence than Jalen Hurts. The dude is a psychopath, detached from all normal human emotion and the foibles they inspire. He's not going to let a Super Bowl victory disrupt his focus. The Eagles' offense is absolutely stacked, so it can be difficult to detach Hurts from his situation, but only a handful of truly elite quarterbacks are more adapatable and consistent week-to-week. Hurts can dominate as a runner. He can settle it and pick defenses apart from the pocket. Whatever the matchup demands, Hurts is typically capable of delivering productive results. Dallas is not exactly a challenging defensive equation to solve, but Hurts cruised through the first half on Thursday night and did what was necessary to hold on after the weather delay.
5. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
An underrated Giants defense did a lot to hold Washington's offense in check on Sunday, but Jayden Daniels still did enough to cruise to victory, 21-6. He threw for 233 yards and a touchdown while adding another 68 yards on the ground, averaging 6.2 yards per scramble. There is a massive weight of expectation on Daniels after his sensational rookie campaign, but there's no reason to expect regression. He has a huge arm, he's smart beyond his years, and he's incredibly evasive when he decides to abandon the pocket and leg out a run. Daniels' dual-threat dynamism and savant-like processing will keep him near the top of this list all season.
4. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes has earned his spot near the mountaintop. The Chiefs' offense isn't the buzzsaw it once was and there's reason to believe Kansas City could face real adversity this season, but five AFC championships in six years and three Super Bowl MVP trophies earns you a certain benefit of the doubt. Mahomes is not the nuclear cheat code of yesteryear, but he's still impossible to hold down. He thinks outside the box and has the rare talent necessary to execute on throws 29 other quarterbacks wouldn't dare to attempt.
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati's titanic offense came up small against Cleveland in Week 1, but we can't dock Joe Burrow too far. The track record is too solid. We know he's capable of leading the NFL in completions and passing yards every season if he wants to. Burrow lacks the dual-threat specialties of those ahead of him on this list, but in terms of your standard quarterback traits — pocket presence, accuracy, depth and velocity — there is none better. The defense may or may not support him in a given week, but Burrow and the Bengals offense are always a threat to detonate.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen has become almost painfully likable. He's a standup dude with a winning personality and one heck of a QB arsenal. Buffalo scored 22 points in the fourth quarter on Sunday night to erase a 15-point deficit and pull out the win at home against a prime AFC opponent in Baltimore. Allen is the reigning MVP for a reason. He's pure magic on the football field, blending the NFL's most powerful arm with uncommon finesse and strength as a runner. There's not much he can't do out there, whether it's firing downfield, off-balance and across his body, or plowing through the line of scrimmage in key short-yardage situations.
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Despite another high-profile collapse, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens still put up 40 points in Buffalo and held court for three out of four quarters it what may be the best game we see all season. Jackson transcends his position, with a spring-loaded arm and an incredible knack for delivering pinpoint throws in motion. When he decides to go off script and do damage with his legs, there isn't a more dynamic open-field runner in the sport. He's impossible to bring down. Until further notice, the two-time MVP holds strong in the No. 1 spot.