Who is the best quarterback in the NFL? Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are widely viewed as two of the best players in football. While they set an elite standard for quarterback play, our 2022 NFL QB rankings capture how the top 20 quarterbacks perform every week. Updated weekly throughout the season, here are our top-20 NFL QB rankings, with Matthew Stafford, Kyler Murray, and Russell Wilson disappearing from the list as of late.
Related: Weekly Fantasy Football rankings 2022
NFL QB Rankings countdown from 20-1
20. Baker Mayfield, Los Angeles Rams
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Baker Mayfield stats | 10/7 | 2,016 (6.5 YPA) | 60.8% | 52.9 |
How Baker Mayfield began his career with the Los Angeles Rams felt unprecedented. We always hear about how difficult it is to learn a new system midseason. It’s a big reason why teams are so hesitant to make sweeping changes at the QB position during the year, but Mayfield has been much better under Sean McVay than what we’ve seen from him during his past two seasons. While it’s an extremely small sample size, Mayfield has the highest completion rate of his career with the Rams. Right now, he’s campaigning for an unlikely starting gig in 2023, but prior to his Rams performances, Mayfield was likely looking at a backup role when he enters free agency this offseason.
19. Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Sam Darnold stats | 7/1 | 1,100 (8.8 YPA) | 61.6% | 68.4 |
It turns out, the Carolina Panthers may not have needed to trade for Baker Mayfield after all. Sam Darnold hasn’t received many opportunities this season for the Panthers, but in hindsight, his performance across five starts has been respectable. Having turned the ball over just once this season while taking shots downfield, Darnold is boosting his stock as of late.
18. Mac Jones, New England Patriots
Jones’ sophomore campaign has not gone as he had hoped. The struggling signal-caller has thrown 11 touchdowns against eight interceptions on the season. He’s found himself at odds with the Patriots’ offensive coaching staff and is now in the news for all of the wrong reasons following an ugly play back in Week 16.
The good news? This former first-round pick is showing signs of turning it around for the Pats. He’s thrown just one interception in his past eight starts after starting the season looking like a turnover machine. Next up will be a tough test against a top-five Buffalo passing defense with New England’s playoff hopes on the line.
Related: 4 moves the New England Patriots must make to return to NFL Playoffs
17. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Brock Purdy stats | 10/4 | 1,196 (8.0 YPA) | 66% | 74.4 |
Alright, so maybe Mr. Irrelevant is relevant after all. When Jimmy Garoppolo went down, many counted the 49ers out, but credit to their locker room, who never had a doubt that the seventh-round rookie in Purdy could hold his own. He’s done that and then some through five games. Not even Deebo Samuel’s injury can slow him down.
Purdy’s held his own so far, scoring 21 or more points in each of his five starts. He should be just fine against a bottom-tier Cardinals defense as the 49ers hope to secure the second seed in the NFC, if not the first, with a bit of help.
16. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Justin Fields stats | 17/11 | 2,242 1,143 (8 TD rush) |
60.4% (7.1 YPA) | 70.2 |
Now that the Chicago Bears are empowering their young second-year QB by allowing him to use his mobility to his advantage, Fields has flourished. With the adjustment, Fields quickly broke an NFL record for the most rushing yards by a QB in a single game in Week 9, and he’s now just the third quarterback ever to post a 1,000-yard rushing season.
We were also witnessing him step up as a passer, completing 67.7% of his passes in his last seven starts before posting a dud, completing just 33% against a bottom-rate Lions defense. Fields has quickly emerged as possibly the best running QB in football, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store once he gets a better cast of receivers and a more consistent line up front.
Related: 2023 NFL mock draft: 3 QBs in top 10, latest NFL Draft projection
15. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Dak Prescott stats | 22/14 | 2,732 (7.7 YPA) | 69.2% | 75.8 |
Prescott caught fire against Minnesota, finishing with a near career-best 88% completion rate while posting 40 points on the board. Two weeks later, Prescott’s Cowboys put up an NFL-high 52 points against a top-10 Colts passing defense. He’s led the Cowboys to 24 or more points in nine of his ten starts. Yet he’s been far from perfect, tossing ten interceptions in his past six appearances. He should be safer against Washington, who’s picked off just eight passes all season.
Related: NFL coaching candidates: Best head coach, coordinator and GM candidates in 2023
14. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Daniel Jones stats | 15/5 | 3,205 708 (7 TD rush) |
67.2% (6.8 YPA) | 76.7 |
Despite facing less-than-ideal MetLife winds, yet playing the worst defense in football, Danny Dimes posted a 390-yard day in Week 12. He kept up that strong effort by putting up 271 yards against Washington, but there weren’t enough touchdowns to get either win.
We’d love to see Jones with a viable No. 1 receiver, but despite the obstacles in his way, he managed to post the highest passer rating of any other NFL QB this season (153.3) in the win over Houston. Jones has drastically cut down on his turnovers this season, and it’s resulted in the Giants’ first playoff appearance since 2016. He’ll have his work cut out for him next week against a top-ranked Philadelphia pass D.
Related: Daniel Jones’ Week 17 performance likely forces the Giants to shell out a large contract
13. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Lamar Jackson stats | 17/7 | 2,242 764 (3 TD rush) |
62.3% (6.9 YPA) | 85.2 |
One of the most dangerous running QB threats in football, Jackson was on track for another fantastic season on the ground prior to his Week 13 injury. He hasn’t been as explosive as a passer, where his completion percentage has taken a slight hit. But he’s also pretty much all the Ravens have on offense, aside from Mark Andrews, who’s been banged up as well. When healthy, Jackson’s been good but not quite MVP-level great in 2022.
12. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
| TD:INT | Passing yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Aaron Rodgers stats | 25/11 | 3,490 (6.8 YPA) | 64.7% | 78.7 |
Defending his MVP award has not gone well for Rodgers. The Green Bay quarterback hasn’t been on the same page with his receivers, but even then, aside from Christian Watson’s emergence, his pass-catchers aren’t as explosive as Davante Adams was. Rodgers is on pace for new career lows in passing yardage, but that’s more a product of their desire to establish their ground attack. Rodgers suddenly has the Packers on track for the playoffs, where they feel like a dangerous unit coming in with momentum.
11. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Jared Goff stats | 29/7 | 4,214 (7.6 YPA) | 64.9% | 70.6 |
Goff has had his usual ups and downs, but he’s been up as of late. The former No. 1 overall pick hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 9 and has won seven of his past nine starts. Playing some of the best football of his career, Goff now takes on a top-five Packers pass defense, which could bring back the turnover woes as the Lions take aim at reaching the postseason.
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Top 10 NFL QB Rankings
10. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Kirk Cousins stats | 28/14 | 4,322 (6.9 YPA) | 65.3% | 76 |
It’s a new year, but the story stays the same. Kirko Chains, Kirk Thuggins — whatever you want to call him, has been up and down in 2022. When he’s not facing constant pressure, Cousins has mostly been on point in the North Star state, helping form a dynamite duo with Justin Jefferson, who’s accounted for 40% of Cousins’ yardage total this season.
After posting back-to-back 400-yard games, leading the largest comeback in NFL history, Captain Kirk once again relied on T.J. Hockenson and Jefferson to carry the way vs the G-Men. Then came the frozen tundra at Lambeau Field. The Packers came in motivated with a chance to boost their playoff odds, and Cousins was atrocious, turning the ball over four times while giving the Vikings no chance at moving the ball. Next week doesn’t really matter, they’ll end up with the three or four seed, but he should be able to rebound with a big day at Soldier Field.
Related: Overpaid or underrated: 2022 outlook for Vikings QB Kirk Cousins
9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Trevor Lawrence stats | 24/8 | 3,901 (7.1 YPA) | 66.5% | 77.3 |
Just 23 years old, Lawrence started the year strong, appearing to make major strides in his second NFL season. Lawrence came back down to earth in the weeks that followed, but he then began trending back up, completing 76.8% of his passes from Weeks 9-12.
It’s not hard to see the Jaguars QB learning with each start, and his comeback win against Baltimore just might be his best performance yet as a pro. He’s on the brink of becoming great, and if Lawrence can become more consistent, he might just earn that elite label.
8. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Don’t count out Brady just yet. Even at 45, he’s still doing his thing. Brady is far from posting video game numbers, but that’s never been his style.
Brady couldn’t handle the pressure of heading back home, taking on the NFL’s best defense, and it led to his fewest yards per attempt (4.6) of the season. With his back against the ropes, Brady couldn’t fare much better against Cincinnati, turning the ball over four times, which he’s done just eight times in his career.
He then rallied his team for another OT comeback win against Arizona and followed that performance up with his best game of the season in a 432-yard effort, proving his arm isn’t cooked.
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Justin Herbert stats | 23/10 | 4,466 (6.7 YPA) | 68.3% | 77.4 |
In the midst of his third season, Herbert leads the NFL in 50+ yard air distance completions since 2020, meaning even if you have the Chargers backed up, defenders can never relax because the next one might sail over your head.
The Chargers have beaten just two teams that are .500 or better in 2022, but more importantly, Herbert has finally clinched a playoff spot. Next up is another test against an 11th-ranked Denver defense that has managed to snag 15 interceptions this season.
Check out our latest fantasy football rankings
6. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Tua Tagovailoa stats | 25/8 | 3,548 (8.9 YPA) | 64.8% | 81.9 |
Playing in a high-powered offense that features two 1,000-yard receivers and another in Mike Gesicki, who’s not far behind in ability, Tagovailoa will have no trouble staying a top-ranked NFL QB.
But his effort against San Francisco didn’t help, where Tagovailoa completed a season-low 54.6% of his passes and had multiple turnovers (three) for just the second time this season. He followed that performance up with another dud against Los Angeles, completing a career-low 35.7% of his passes in his worst start of the season. It wasn’t any better against Green Bay, where Tagovailoa threw three picks. Tagovailoa hasn’t been spectacular as of late, and we may not see him again this season after suffering another concussion.
Related: Tua Tagovailoa talks about his ‘deep balls’ growing a lot in 2022
5. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Geno Smith stats | 29/9 | 4,069 (7.5 YPA) | 70.2% | 81.5 |
One of the biggest surprises of the 2022 NFL season, sure, Smith is a former second-round pick, but he’s never played like one. Until now. Smith’s leading the NFL in completion rate, with the Seahawks performing as a top-ten offense.
Smith has come back down to earth as of late, losing five of his past seven starts. He should be able to get back on track with a win to close out the regular season against the Rams, but he’ll need a lot more help to crack the postseason.
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Joe Burrow stats | 34/12 | 4,260 (7.6 YPA) | 69% | 90.5 |
Not only has Burrow’s offensive line been inconsistent, he had to manage without his top receiver for four weeks with Ja’Marr Chase sidelined. But Joe Cool responded well, putting 35 or more points on the board in two of the three wins. When the Bengals are clicking, there are few quarterbacks better than the former LSU superstar.
Burrow has led seven consecutive wins, but Week 17 won’t be so easy, taking on a top-five Bills D, that ranks as an average pass defense. Burrow can have a big day, but he’ll need to cut down on the turnovers to get the W.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Josh Allen stats | 32/13 | 4,029 746 (7 TD rush) |
63.4% (7.5 YPA) | 90.4 |
Leading the way for several weeks, Allen slipped in our NFL QB rankings thanks to a string of red zone interceptions. At his best, there may not be a better-combined runner/passer in football. While his decision-making at times could improve, the Buffalo QB still has an elite skill set.
Next up is a must-watch duel with Joe Burrow and a top-ten Cincinnati defense in what may be a playoff preview of two top teams in the AFC. Expect Allen to be at his best, being that their pass defense is vulnerable, as an average, at best unit.
See where Josh Allen ranks in our NFL top 100 player rankings
2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Jalen Hurts stats | 22/5 | 3,472 747 (13 TD rush) |
67.3% (8.2 YPA) | 88.6 |
Hurts went from a quarterback who needed to prove he was capable of holding down the gig to establishing himself as a Pro Bowl talent in his second full season as a starter. A second-round pick in 2020, the Eagles struck gold with the Alabama quarterback, but no one ever expected Hurts to be a top-ranked QB in the NFL.
Before getting injured, Hurts’ season in 2022 was reminiscent of Jackson’s MVP year in 2019. Most importantly, the Eagles are still on track for a first-round bye in the playoffs. Hurts has seen his MVP chances disappear, but all that matters now is a chance at the Super Bowl.
Related: Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts ‘ready to go’ for Week 18
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
| TD:INT | Pass yards | Comp rate | PFF grade | |
| Patrick Mahomes stats | 41/12 | 5,250 (8.1 YPA) | 67.1% | 91.0 |
Even when he’s not doing his best Air Jordan impression, Mahomes is simply magical. The former MVP has the ability to put up 400-yard performances on a weekly basis. He may not have broken the NFL’s single-season passing yardage record this season, but he’s the biggest threat to Drew Brees’ mark. Mahomes has done enough to win his second career MVP award and could add a Super Bowl to that trophy case later this year.
Check out our latest NFL defense rankings and how they impact fantasy QBs
This article was originally published on Sportsnaut.com and is republished here with permission.
