Ranking every NFL starting QB of the 2024 season

The quarterback position is the most important position in sports. It's why we're seeing the QB contracts go into insane stratuspheres, and it's why the likes of Sam Darnold and Brock Purdy are likely going to make $40 million this offseason. The worst thing that can happen to an NFL team is to be left without a starting QB.

This season, many teams figured out just how bad the QB situation is. Just look at the teams at the bottom of the standings. Of the bottom 10 teams in the league, seven have major quarterback questions going into this offseason, two have rookie QBs (Caleb Williams and Drake Maye), and one saw their suffer a season-ending injury (Trevor Lawrence). It has been a strange season for quarterbacks, but one might be surprised to hear that we've seen less QBs than last season.

Last season, we saw 66 quarterbacks start a game for the 32 starting franchises. That is more than two QBs per team on average. This season, that number dropped to 28 quarterbacks. One thing that hasn't changed is the Cleveland Browns led the league in starting quarterbacks as the Deshaun Watson situation continues to be a disaster. However, that wasn't the worst quarterback in the league. It wasn't even the worst quarterback on that roster.

58. Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Cleveland Browns

Once again, the Cleveland Browns were home to the worst quarterback situation in the league. They started more quarterbacks than anyone, and unlike last season, there was no Joe Flacco to salvage their season. And yet, Dorian Thompson-Robinson was the worst of the bunch. He played in six games but started two. In those games, he has no touchdowns and six interceptions. He was by far the worst quarterback in the league.

57. Jake Haener
New Orleans Saints

Jake Haener came in due to a series of injuries for the New Orleans Saints, and it’s clear he wasn’t ready to be a starter in the NFL. He did throw his first touchdown, but in his one start, he did nothing but throw an interception and lose. 

56. Skyler Thompson
Miami Dolphins

Has there ever been a less impressive quarterback that continues to remain with the same team? Skyler Thompson was awful for the Miami Dolphins when Tua Tagovailoa got injured. It makes the decision to go into this season with only him as the backup insane. They eventually went with a guy off the street over Thompson, which just tells you how bad this went.

55. Desmond Ridder
Las Vegas Raiders

Did you realize that Desmond Ridder started a game in the NFL this season? Everything about the Las Vegas Raiders season was forgettable. Ridder played in three games before finally getting a start in Week 14. The Raiders asked him to throw 39 times, and he ended up putting up two touchdowns and two interceptions. 

54. Gardner Minshew
Las Vegas Raiders

And we jump right into the Raiders’ opening week starter. The Raiders gave Gardner Minshew a two-year, $25 million deal. For that, they received nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions, plus a 2-7 record as a starter. Minshew was a rough watch, although he’s probably not as bad as he looked. Still, playing nine games and failing to get over 155 yards four times is awful.

53. Mac Jones
Jacksonville Jaguars

Somehow, Mac Jones was given way more credit than he deserved. When he came in to replace Trevor Lawrence for the Jacksonville Jaguars, it was his shot to show that the New England Patriots were wrong to give up on him. He showed that he could throw the ball to Brian Thomas Jr., but that’s about it. He finished with a 39.8 QBR, but that won’t stop a team from giving him a chance at a quarterback competition this offseason.

52. Cooper Rush
Dallas Cowboys

Cooper Rush was put in a bad position with a flailing Dallas Cowboys after Dak Prescott got injured, but he had been waiting for his shot to prove he could be a starting quarterback. Despite having a superstar receiving corps, Rush never really proved anything. The only thing that came out of Rush’s performance was questions about how bad Trey Lance must be since he wasn’t given his own chance to start.

51. Bailey Zappe
Cleveland Browns

The former New England Patriots quarterback was given another chance with Cleveland, and it went about the same. Zappe is not a starting QB in this league, but he gets a little leeway because of the situation he was placed in.

50. Tommy DeVito
New York Giants

We did the Tommy DeVito thing again, but we didn’t get the result from last year. The New York Giants needed to move on from Daniel Jones, but DeVito was always a one-hit wonder. He’ll sign football cards in Middletown, New Jersey for the rest of his life and he’ll become more of a legend than he actually was, but the Giants need to find a true QB of the future this offseason. 

49. Carson Wentz
Kansas City Chiefs
48. Josh Dobbs
San Francisco 49ers
47. Jimmy Garoppolo
Los Angeles Rams

These guys just got starts in Week 18 because their team had nothing to play for in Week 18. These are all players who were some level of starter in the past, but this game meant absolutely nothing for their team except for rest for the usual number one.

46. Brandon Allen
San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers had the season from hell. The Super Bowl loser's curse hit them like a ton of bricks, so it’s no surprise they ended up having to start Brandon Allen while last year’s backup, Sam Darnold, was one of the league’s best players. Allen was not good, and the 49ers lost to the Packers 38-10 in Allen’s only start.

45. Kenny Pickett
Philadelphia Eagles

Poor Kenny Pickett. He finally got his chance to play and immediately got hurt. Then, it looked like he might play in a playoff game, but Jalen Hurts is set to return. So, no Pickett again this season. He played relatively well for his small sample size, throwing for two touchdowns and an interception, but it really wasn’t a relevant amount of snaps to really judge. 

44. Joe Flacco
Indianapolis Colts

Joe Flacco was a great story last year, coming off the street to take the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs. He played so well that he won Comeback Player of the Year despite Damar Hamlin coming back after almost dying on a football field. However, this year with the Colts, Flacco was showing his age. He had a really good start, throwing seven touchdowns and one interception in his first three games. Then, he fell apart. Flacco’s drop in production came at the worst time, and his loss against the Giants ended the Colts push for a playoff spot.

43. Spencer Rattler
New Orleans Saints

Spencer Rattler had some moments, but he played six games and lost every single one of them. There’s more to that than just on Rattler, but the rookie out of South Carolina didn’t do enough, and it was clear he was put in a position to fail. He was the better of Derek Carr’s backups, but it’s not saying much. He might be something one day, but today is not that day.

42. Tyler Huntley
Miami Dolphins

Tyler Huntley was once considered legitimate competition to Lamar Jackson. We wish we were kidding, but some thought that Jackson couldn’t stay healthy and Huntley was the answer. Some also thought he would go to a team who would give him a shot to make noise. Instead, he signed with the Browns and ended up as their fourth string. He got cut and signed with the Dolphins and played when Tua Tagovailoa got hurt. He was fine. 

41. Aidan O’Connell
Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders don’t have their quarterback in the room right now. Aidan O’Connell not being the guy and the Raiders letting this be a competition is what got Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco fired. O’Connell’s numbers are fine, but that feels like it was mostly throwing to Brock Bowers and praying. 

40. Daniel Jones
New York Giants 

The New York Giants finally made the move that seemed obvious coming into the season. Daniel Jones is officially done in New Jersey, and the Giants did it in the most embarrassing fashion. They benched him in a very public fashion, made him the third-string quarterback to protect themselves from injury guarantees, and then they cut him when it hit a fever point. It was overall a dark cloud over the Giants season that somehow didn’t cost Brian Daboll or Joe Schoen their jobs. Beyond the embarrassing end, Jones was pretty bad on the field, but he didn’t deserve how he was treated. 

39. Drew Lock
New York Giants

When Tommy DeVito didn’t work out as Jones’ replacement, the Giants went to Drew Lock. He was a below average starting quarterback. He threw for six touchdowns and five interceptions and went 1-4 in his starts. The Giants were a mess under center, and we expect a complete overhaul of the position this offseason. 

38. Mason Rudolph
Tennessee Titans

Mason Rudolph was able to turn a decent run with the Steelers last season into a contract with the Tennessee Titans last offseason, but all he did was help them reach the number-one overall pick. Both him and Will Levis (who is still to come) did nothing to earn the job full time. A disastrous performance against the Colts (three interceptions) cost this young team a signature win. His only win in a game he started came against the lowly New England Patriots, and they needed overtime to do it. 

37. Deshaun Watson
Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns came into this season with hopes that Deshaun Watson could finally be the number-one quarterback they were hoping for when they sent all of the assets and paid him all of the money. Nope. Watson was slightly above average, and then he tore his Achilles tendon, ending another disappointing season. He faced a setback, and it might actually be the last time we see Watson in the NFL.

36. Jacoby Brissett
New England Patriots

Jacoby Brissett was a fine backup quarterback for the Patriots. He was a leader for Drake Maye, and he stepped in to give him a few weeks to get acclimated to the NFL schedule. Brissett was not good and couldn’t get the ball downfield, but he did beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. That was fun for Patriots fans in what was overall a lost season. Unfortunately, Brissett finished with two touchdowns in five starts, and that’s not nearly good enough to start in this league.

35. Tanner McKee
Philadelphia Eagles

Tanner McKee is this year’s Tommy DeVito but on a much better team. After taking over for an injured Pickett against the Cowboys, McKee threw four passes, and two went for touchdowns. Against the Giants, McKee was really good, throwing for two more touchdowns and no interceptions. It wasn’t exactly a gauntlet in front of him, but McKee did enough to get the Eagles fanbase behind him, which is pretty hard to do.

34. Will Levis
Tennessee Titans

Will Levis came into this season with a little bit of hype. He showed some great qualities last season, even if the results weren’t there. With the addition of Calvin Ridley to the offense, some thought Levis could continue developing his deep ball. It didn’t happen, and the Titans’ season quickly went off the rails. He threw for 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 12 games. While his completion percentage went up from his rookie year, most of the other averages went down. A 27.6 QBR is going to cause your team to draft your successor. 

33. Malik Willis
Green Bay Packers

We go from a future former Titan to a current former Titan. Tennessee traded Malik Willis to the Green Bay Packers after a dreadful run in the Music City. Most thought it was a huge miss by the Packers, but Willis ended up being a serviceable quarterback when Jordan Love got hurt. He won both of his games and threw three touchdowns with no interceptions. Is he a full-time starter anywhere? No, but the former Liberty great can at least keep a team in the game when called upon.

32. Jameis Winston
Cleveland Browns

Looking back on it now, this might seem too high for Jameis Winston. The former number-one overall pick was way too risky with his throws with the Cleveland Browns, and it eventually led to his benching in favor of DTR (this list’s worst QB). It was clear to anyone that Winston was the best QB for the Browns this season when he was at his best. He could actually win games with this roster, and he got the most out of Jerry Jeudy, who might now be a player for them. However, it’s a complete roller coaster having Winston under center. 

31. Andy Dalton
Carolina Panthers

We’re not sure how Andy Dalton keeps doing this, but he was once again a good quarterback when called upon by the Carolina Panthers. Head coach Dave Canales made the hard decision to bench Bryce Young and gave the ball to the 14-year veteran. Dalton threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions in his first game filling in. He was fine throughout his starting tenure and he might not have ever given up the starting role if it wasn’t for a car crash that led to him missing time.

30. Kirk Cousins
Atlanta Falcons

Admittedly, it was hard to figure out where to put Kirk Cousins. This probably feels too high with how things ended for him, and likely ended entirely in Atlanta. In his first season in the ATL, Cousins finished with 3,500 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He was coming off a torn Achilles, and his mobility was basically nothing. He was a statue in the pocket, and whatever was presented to him while he was there was what he made the most of. However, playing so poorly that you will likely have your team eat between $40 million and $65 million isn’t going to get you very high on this list. 

29. Anthony Richardson
Indianapolis Colts

Another guy who had a rough season is former fourth-overall pick Anthony Richardson. The Indianapolis Colts GM said that the former Florida Gators standout will go into next season with a quarterback competition. That’s not what you want to hear for a third-year QB who is just 22 years old. That means he was wildly ineffective, and Richardson was indeed that. We can jump into the stats, but the real collapse of this season was when Richardson admitted he took himself out of a game on a key down because he was tired. 

28. Trevor Lawrence
Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence signed a deal this past offseason that will pay him upwards of $55 million per season. And he’s 28th in the league according to this list. That’s rough for the Shad Khan regime. The Jacksonville Jaguars are pretty stuck in this situation. Lawrence was supposed to be as big a sure thing as there was at the position, but his entire time in Jacksonville has been topsy turvy, and now he’s dealing with even more injuries. The Jaguars are back in the doldrums of the NFL standings, and the only hope is Lawrence completely turns it around.

27. Justin Fields
Pittsburgh Steelers

Speaking of the 2020 NFL Draft, Justin Fields was given a shot to start at the beginning of this season when Russell Wilson went down with an injury. Fields looked dynamic, although there were plenty of flaws. He was winning games, though, and he and George Pickens looked like they were building chemistry. Mike Tomlin made the decision to start Russell Wilson and never looked back. Fields is going to be a free agent this offseason, so we’re curious how the market is going to treat him and if he’ll get a chance to at least compete for a starting job.

26. Michael Penix
Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons finally made the move fans were looking towards and benched Kirk Cousins for first-round pick Michael Penix. Penix was the talk of the NFL Draft when the Falcons not only took him way before projections had him going, but took him despite giving Cousins a massive contract. Penix was pretty good during his tenure and would probably be higher on this list if he was only given more time.

25. Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys

Dak Prescott is another quarterback who was trying to keep his team afloat before injuries ended his season. First, Prescott injured his hand early in the season, but it was a major hamstring injury that ended his season. The 31-year-old finished with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. It was a highly disappointing year for the Cowboys, and it starts with the quarterback.

24. Aaron Rodgers
New York Jets

Is this the last we’ve seen of Aaron Rodgers? The former four-time MVP just didn’t look great this year for a terrible Jets team. He did start all 17 games, but that was about the only positive that came from his game. He was just as big a lightning rod as he was last season when he was just sitting on the sidelines. His play didn’t measure up to his off-the-field distraction level to boot. Rodgers says that his future is in the hands of the Jets, but when the ball was in his hands, he didn’t always make the right moves, and that’s why his career is in danger of ending likely before he wants it to.

23. Derek Carr
New Orleans Saints

The Saints season went in the tubes pretty quickly, but it wasn’t because of Derek Carr. He did his best to get the most out of his roster, throwing for 15 touchdowns and just five touchdowns. Carr is still a quality QB in this league, but the injuries are starting to pile up. This season, abdominal and hand injuries caused him to miss seven games, this after he missed time last year with a concussion and shoulder issues. Carr would be higher on this list in future years if he could just play an entire season.

22. Caleb Williams
Chicago Bears

There is a very clear pivot point at this pick. Caleb Williams had moments where he looked like a legit starting quarterback. The Chicago Bears had legit expectations after spending much of the offseason bolstering the offense around Williams. Unfortunately, Williams didn't have the right coaching staff around him, and the Bears looked lost for much of the year. They had some key moments, and we understand the irony of Williams being so close to Justin Fields, but there is still a lot to like about what we saw from Williams this season. He just has a lot longer way to go than rookies like Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix.

21. Tua Tagovailoa
Miami Dolphins

What was it about quarterbacks signing huge contracts this offseason then getting injured this season? It’s almost like a lesson should be learned here. Tua Tagovailoa came in with high expectations after a big season in 2023, but another major concussion had some calling for him to retire for his own good. Tagovailoa came back and looked pretty good, but another injury caused him to miss the end of the season when the Dolphins still had a chance to make the playoffs. His numbers were good (19 TDs to 8 INTs), but the injuries ended the Dolphins season and likely is the reason Tyreek Hill is now calling for a new home.

20. Bryce Young
Carolina Panthers

There was a pretty good chance that Bryce Young was going to finish this season dead last on this list. He was the worst quarterback in the league over the first couple weeks of the season. He threw for zero touchdowns through his first four games of the season, and the Panthers got completely blown out in each game. Then he got benched, and something reset in him. When he got back into the lineup, he started to learn. While he wasn’t good at first, over time he started to look more and more like the guy from Alabama who was dynamic and untouchable. His confidence grew, and it now looks like he can be the QB of their future.

19. Brock Purdy
San Francisco 49ers

We’ve talked about those contracts that middle-of-the-pack quarterbacks received this past offseason that almost exclusively didn’t work out. Now, the San Francisco 49ers have to make a decision on their own middle-of-the-pack QB. Brock Purdy was a revelation for, the league for most of his career, going from Mr. Irrelevant (last pick in the NFL Draft) to starting in the Super Bowl. It was an incredible rise, but this season was the precipitous fall. Brandon Aiyuk got hurt after a tumultuous offseason. Christian McCaffrey barely played after his Offensive Player of the Year performance in ‘23. Purdy was not enough to get this team to the playoffs, and now he’s dealing with a major elbow injury. What’s coming next for Purdy might surprisingly be in a different uniform.

18. Russell Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers

Russell Wilson might have been in the top ten of this list if it wasn’t for the last month. Wilson was a legitimate star at the position again, even if he was just the very best version of a game manager. After missing the first few weeks with an injury, the Steelers looked like the easy favorites to win the AFC North coming into December. After losing every hard game on their schedule as of late, the shine on Wilson has worn off. We’ll see how he does in the playoffs, but the Steelers should proceed with caution.

17. C.J. Stroud
Houston Texans

This might feel too low for a player like C.J. Stroud, but he really had a poor sophomore season compared to expectations. The Houston Texans made the playoffs, but it feels almost like it's by proxy. The AFC South was the worst division in football. When the Texans beat the Bills in early October, this looked like a true contender. They've lost every game against a contender since then, and they even added losses to the Jets and Titans in there. Stroud is still a phenomenal talent with a long ceiling, but this wasn't a desirable season.

16. Geno Smith
Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith is a hard quarterback to rank this season. He finished fourth in the league in passing yards despite having an offensive line that did not give him the kind of time that warrants that. He helped Jaxson Smith-Njigba break out, and still made time for Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Yet, he finished with 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Only Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield had more INTs than Smith, but Mayfield at least had 41 touchdowns this season. Smith is still a very good passer, but this season wasn’t his best.

15. Kyler Murray
Arizona Cardinals

Kyler Murray is back to being a quarterback who can make things happen. With the Arizona Cardinals this season, he threw for 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, averaging 226 yards per game. He’s delightfully average under center. Murray could get a team to the playoffs if everything around him works out, but that’s not where the Cardinals’ roster is yet. Marvin Harrison Jr. wasn’t the immediate superstar we were promised, but if he develops, this could be a great connection for years to come.

14. Drake Maye
New England Patriots

There were six quarterbacks who were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft this season, and three had incredible seasons. Let’s start with Drake Maye, who is the only one of the three to miss the playoffs. The Patriots were dreadful outside of two players: Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Maye looked dynamic, poised, intelligent, and athletic since taking over for Jacoby Brissett in October. He made too many mistakes, but that was largely due to a terrible roster around him. He has no weapons anywhere, with Hunter Henry being his most reliable target. His offensive line can’t block, but Maye still made a good amount of plays. 

13. Bo Nix
Denver Broncos

Another rookie quarterback who wowed us this season is Bo Nix. The Denver Broncos really put themselves in a position to have others say, “I told you so,” by taking Nix about 20 picks before others thought he would go. Then, he had an awful start to his season, peaked by that dreadful game against the New York Jets, where he had negative yards for most of the game (and finished with 60 yards). Since a bad loss to the Ravens on November 3rd, Nix had 21 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He’s going into the playoffs with a Broncos team that nobody had going this far. Sean Payton proved he was worth the money he’s getting with Nix’s development alone.

12. Jordan Love
Green Bay Packers

Many expected this to be the season that Jordan Love jumped into that upper echelon of quarterback. He wasn’t bad at all, with eight yards per passing attempt, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. This might feel low based on his stats, but there was just something off about Love this season. He did get injured, which hurt some of his progress. However, once he was clearly over the injury, he started to be really good again. He hasn’t thrown an interception since November 17th, and he has the Packers in the playoffs as an interesting Wild Card.

11. Matthew Stafford
Los Angeles Rams

We’re starting to get into those really good quarterbacks, as it was incredibly hard to keep Matthew Stafford outside the top ten. The Rams took an interesting approach to the offense this year, doing just enough to win. That means a lot of Kyren Williams and less dangerous passing from Stafford. However, we have to acknowledge that Stafford was able to throw for 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions despite missing Puka Nacua for part of the season and Cooper Kupp losing his fastball. When the Rams needed the best out of Stafford, they got it. He threw for 320 yards in a win against the Bills and 317 yards in an overtime loss to the Lions. He’s still one of the greats.

10. Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs

It feels almost wrong to put Patrick Mahomes this low on a quarterback rankings list, but this is where the reigning Super Bowl MVP deserves to be. Mahomes was bad at times during this season. Not even compared to the Mahomes standard, he was just not great. However, he did enough to win every single game. The Chiefs lost one game with Mahomes as the starter. So, when looking at his stats (3,928 yards, 26 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 67.5 completion percentage), we have to see it in the context that he’s getting just 6.8 yards per attempt, a career-low. It doesn’t matter. He’ll probably win the Super Bowl again.

9. Jalen Hurts
Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have the most talented offense in the NFL. If they let Saquon Barkley play in Week 18, he would be the all-time rushing champion in what is one of the great seasons we’ve seen from the position. They have pass catchers in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith who can turn any play into a touchdown no matter where they are on the field. This is all to say that Jalen Hurts has a pretty easy job compared to other quarterbacks. That shouldn’t take away from his performance, which was good this season, but it’s just a fact of the ranking. He’s a top ten QB for sure, but he’s in this ranking because of the help that he gets on a weekly basis.

8. Baker Mayfield
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield threw for 41 touchdowns despite spending most of the season without Chris Godwin and losing Mike Evans for weeks. That seems impossible. However, Mayfield was one of the flashiest quarterbacks in the league this season. What he was able to do with his walking wounded was incredible. He’s got his Bucs in the playoffs again after once again winning the NFC South. Mayfield signed the big deal this offseason, and he’s one of the few that’s really worked out. 

7. Justin Herbert
Los Angeles Chargers

The season started slowly for Justin Herbert as Jim Harbaugh’s new offense focused on the run and ball control, but the coach finally let his guy air it out in the second half. He finished the year with 23 touchdowns and three (!!!!) interceptions. He was so safe with the ball while still making it work with a thrown-together wide receiver room. Despite losing Mike Williams and Keenan Allen in the offseason, Herbert was able to make a star out of rookie Ladd McConkey. The Chargers are on the upswing and might be coming for Mahomes’ and the Chiefs’ supremacy in the AFC West. 

6. Sam Darnold
Minnesota Vikings

Is Sam Darnold turning into a pumpkin at the end of the season? We'll know more once he plays in the playoffs, but we can't deny just how great he was all season for the Minnesota Vikings. Even before J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury before taking a regular-season snap, many thought this would be a lost season for the Vikings. Darnold is the reason the Vikings even fought for the number-one seed. He revived his career, and now someone is going to pay him like a starting QB, and it might be the Vikings.

5. Jayden Daniels
Washington Commanders

A rookie in the top five quarterback performances in the league? There really is no other place we could put Jayden Daniels after his performance for the Washington Commanders this season. He was incredible, from Hail Marys to win games in the final moments to calculated drives to set the tone for his offense. The former Heisman Trophy winner was immediately amazing. The Commanders got a guy who can make things happen with his rocket of an arm. He did this while getting sacked 47 times. If the Commanders upgrade the offensive line and get him another weapon, they might have a top-five offense by next season.

4. Jared Goff
Detroit Lions

In a normal year, Jared Goff would get legitimate MVP buzz. He’s the signal caller of the best offense in football. The Detroit Lions can score points at will. He finished the season second in yards (4,629) and third in touchdowns thrown (37). The Lions scored 33.2 points per game, more than two points higher than the team in second place. He threw at least three touchdowns in seven games and even had five touchdown passes in a shootout with the Buffalo Bills. Goff is a story in Detroit, going from an also-ran that needed to be attached to a trade for a different superstar QB to now being one of the best in the league leading an offense that’s basically unstoppable.

3. Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals

There are certain circumstances in life where you do everything you possibly can do, and it’s still not good enough. That is the situation for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. The team’s defense was losing them games left and right to start the season despite Joe Burrow’s attempted heroics, and it ended up ruining their season at the end. Burrow led the league in yards and touchdowns. He did this despite losing Joe Mixon in the offseason, having Tee Higgins miss time with an injury, and getting sacked 48 times (fourth worst in the league). This is a player who did absolutely everything he could to carry his team, but it just wasn’t good enough.

2. Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens

With Joe Burrow missing the playoffs, the MVP comes down to Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. You see where our pick is, but we don’t want to take anything away from Jackson. This is an insane season, including a league-leading 8.8 yards per passing attempt and a ridiculous 41 touchdown passes. Jackson did this with a flawed defense and while giving Derrick Henry enough carries to be a superstar himself. Jackson was a madman when the ball was in his hands, and he’s become smarter while running. He led the league (minimum 100 rushing attempts) in yards per carry with 6.6. Will any player ever in the history of the league lead in both yards per attempt and yards per rush? Somehow, he’s not the best QB in the league…

1. Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen was your best quarterback in 2024. What he did with the Buffalo Bills offense can’t be explained. He threw for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns despite not having a receiver go for more than 850 yards. In fact, Khalil Shakir is the only one who went for more than 560 yards. Allen was doing this by finding the best option for himself on every play. That’s why he was able to be the second-highest-scoring offense in the league despite his stats not looking as ridiculous as Jackson’s or Burrow’s. Allen also did this after the Bills went on a cutting spree that included them trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. The Bills were supposed to be mediocre this season, but Josh Allen would not let that happen.