Week 15 saw a changing of the guard at the top spot of the QB power rankings, with Dak Prescott reigning supreme but for merely a week. Unfortunately for him, his stay on the throne was a disappointingly short one. With a new week comes a new top dog as well as others making their case on the field to rise in the rankings.
2023 QB Power Rankings
While we don’t want to be rash in our decisions about how we view these NFL quarterbacks in the macro, a “power ranking” is about the micro. They’re more about the here and now. While perceived talent remains important, performance so far in 2023 will be weighed heavier.
32) Easton Stick, Los Angeles Chargers
Easton Stick had about as bad a first start as you could ever imagine. Not only did the Chargers get humiliated by their division rival on a national stage, but it was also the final straw for head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco.
There wasn’t much positive to be taken from the outing other than the fact that the Chargers can now turn the page as a franchise.
31) Mitchell Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 15 may have ended a very short-lived potential Mitchell Trubisky comeback story. Trubisky made his second start of the season against the Indianapolis Colts this past Saturday, yet did not make it to the end of the contest before being pulled.
It looks as if the Steelers will turn to old friend Mason Rudolph, while Trubisky will again find himself on the bench.
30) Nick Mullens, Minnesota Vikings
Speaking of comeback stories that will not pan out, the Nick Mullens experience in Minnesota was not a great one on Saturday. While he was able to throw for over 300 yards and completed over 78% of his passes, the untimely and unthinkable turnovers will haunt him after this one as the Vikings lost in overtime to Jake Browning and the Bengals.
29) Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
In what was some nasty weather, Bryce Young was quietly efficient against the Falcons in Week 15 as the Panthers found a way to squeak out their second win of the year at home.
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Despite the win, Young still defaults to some bad habits at times when he finds himself uncomfortable and has a lot of growing to do in these final three games of his rookie year. Overall, it’s an uptick for him and certainly something to build on at a time when the franchise is looking for any positives they can get.
28) Zach Wilson, New York Jets
Zach Wilson gave the Jets faithful a glimmer of hope with his Week 14 performance, but Week 15 is a stark reminder of what his career has mostly resembled.
While it seems that Week 14 was more of a mirage than reality, Wilson’s career story is not finished. However, it has been the consistent lack of consistency that has plagued him throughout his career and struck once again this week.
27) Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
Just about everything went right for Aidan O’Connell and the Raiders on Thursday. A four-touchdown, 120.7 passer rating night is not a bad day at the office against a division rival.
While there are some things that O’Connell and Co. would like to clean up mechanically, Week 15 was a positive step in the right direction for the young QB with workable traits.
26) Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots
The Patriots were outmanned by the Chiefs on Sunday, but despite the expected outcome, Bailey Zappe performed well during the game.
Zappe completed over 74% of his passes and posted his second-best rating of the season (85.4). A competitive game that still keeps their draft position in place is about all you can ask for as a Patriots fan right now.
25) Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons
In conditions that were not conducive to an offensive field day, Desmond Ridder struggled at times, and the team suffered as a result.
While no one lit the stat sheet up in this one, the fact Ridder wasn’t able to find a way to will his team to victory against a one-win Panthers team is a concerning trend for a playoff-hopeful Falcons team.
24) Tommy DeVito, New York Giants
Tommy Cutlets is taking the league by storm. One of the more fun stories in the NFL season continues to win as he is now 3-1 since taking over under center for the Giants. DeVito has found a way to rally a Giants team that hasn’t had much to celebrate this year, and he’s doing it his way.
DeVito’s ability to escape the pocket, make a throw, and keep a play alive has been fun to watch. Just what the future holds for him is unknown, but what he’s providing here and now seems to be exactly what the Giants need.
23) Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks
Did Drew Lock resurrect a career on Monday night? In what was his second start of the season for the Seattle Seahawks, Lock was able to orchestrate a game-winning drive against a reeling Philadelphia Eagles team desperately needing a win.
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Lock showed some of the best qualities he has that made scouts think so highly of him. In the process, he kept the Seahawks’ playoff hopes alive for another week.
22) Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
Who comes off the couch to throw for over 300 yards in two of his first three games of the season? The answer is Joe Flacco. The veteran has just continued to find a way to help this elite Browns defense do enough to win games.
Cleveland is 9-5 and winners of two in a row, which is in part thanks to Flacco’s ability to make a play when needed and complement one of the NFL’s best defensive units without making costly mistakes.
21) Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
Sam Howell and the Commanders are reeling right now. They suffered their 10th loss of the season on Sunday, and it seems to be a calamity of errors in the nation’s capital.
Even so, Howell has shown the ability to be a gunslinger who can make all the throws and is not afraid to do so. However, the Commanders just do not have the horses in the barn right now to accentuate him and his ability.
The 2023 season is just another tough one for the Washington franchise.
20) Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr is fighting for his life every Sunday at this point. The Saints are in the thick of things for a division title, but right now, Carr is taking a beating while trying to do so.
New Orleans may find a way to snatch up the NFC South when it’s all said and done, but Carr may be limping on his way to getting there.
19) Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts
Minshew Magic is real. Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts are just finding a way right now, and it’s fun to watch. Just when you think they’re down and out, Minshew pulls them back in somehow, some way.
The AFC South is not out of the question, and if the Colts are going to find a way to unseat Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud to do so, they’re going to need to see some more Minshew Magic.
18) Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Despite the conversation circulating around the Chicago Bears and what they will do with their potential No. 1 overall pick, Justin Fields is scrapping and clawing trying to find a way to prove he’s still their guy of the future.
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Fields and the Bears lost a close one against a good Browns team, and while it didn’t result in a win, there were some positives to take away from Fields’ play and his response to a defense of that caliber.
17) Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Will Levis is about as tough as they come. He went toe-to-toe with the Texans in Week 15, and while they didn’t come out on top, there were encouraging signs from him throughout the game.
Levis’ ability to extend plays, take a beating and get back up, and continue to fight through adversity are all things the Titans are happy to see from their quarterback.
16) Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals
Jake Browning made a statement during and after the Bengals’ big win against the Vikings. A man who has been called upon to do the impossible task of trying to keep a Joe Burrow-led offense from falling off a cliff production-wise.
Browning isn’t Burrow, but he doesn’t need to be. Nevertheless, he’s making plays, playing tough, and embodying the identity of what Zac Taylor wants this offense to be. Browning’s ability to step in and step up is what’s helping to keep Cincinnati’s season alive.
15) Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray is still working back from the knee injury he suffered last year, so that needs to be taken into consideration. He hasn’t played badly, but it’s not as clean as one would hope for a guy who is fighting for his future.
The Cardinals have a talent deficiency, and if you don’t believe that, at least we can all agree they have a consistency issue. Murray is middle of the pack right now, and with every week being like an audition for him, these next three weeks are crucial.
14) Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love has done good things this year, and the Green Bay Packers should feel good about the fact that they may have another QB to build around for years to come. With that said, Sunday was a disappointment for him and his team.
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The Bucs are beatable, and that was a winnable game for a Packers team that has found ways to overachieve and make believers this year. At 6-8, it’s an uphill battle for a playoff spot, and the Week 15 loss could do irreparable damage to those odds.
13) Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield is a gritty dude, man. His M.O. at this point is to just find a way. It’s not pretty right now in the pursuit of the NFC South crown, but Mayfield has his boys in pole position for the division title.
You can never count Mayfield out, and no matter where he goes, he can bring a little bit of his swagger to an organization — which is exactly what he’s done for Tampa in the post-Brady era.
12) Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
Every time you want to become a believer in Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos, something like Saturday night happens to stop you in your tracks.
Wilson has always shown his ability but has had problems over the last couple of years doing so consistently. Saturday night served as another reminder of that.
11) Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff and the Lions turned what was supposed to be a good Saturday night matchup into a dog walk. Goff and the offense look good, and if someone wants to call him a game manager, he’s one of the upper-echelon ones.
Detroit is poised to be a dangerous playoff team. And with the chance to host a playoff game for a playoff-starved fan base, it certainly won’t be a welcoming environment for whoever gets the privilege to walk in there.
10) Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence is a tough dude. He suffered what very well could’ve been a multi-week ankle injury two weeks ago, and he didn’t miss a start after the fact.
Unfortunately, Lawrence got banged up once again on Sunday, this time for a potential concussion. It’s something worth monitoring as the Jaguars head into Week 16 fighting for their playoff lives.
As long as Lawrence is on the field, the Jags have a fighting chance, but just how much Lawrence can take is something no one on that team wants to find out.
9) C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Stroud did not play in Week 15 due to injury, but his absence was felt. The Texans’ offense has been a top unit in the NFL this year under him, and although they were able to pull out a win with backup Case Keenum under center, the difference was evident.
8) Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts has been puzzling this season. An obvious talent and leader of men, but 2023 does not look at all like what 2022 was for the veteran signal-caller.
Turnovers have been a problem, and although the Eagles are a 10-win team, they have done so this year with largely a bend-but-don’t-break style of play.
The only problem with that is there has been a lot of breakage over the last three weeks, having lost three in a row. Things need to change quickly in the City of Brotherly Love, or they will continue down a bad path for an admittedly talented team.
7) Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams are scary right now. As it stands, they’re penciled into the seventh seed in the NFC playoffs, and it’s not unreasonable to suggest that not many teams want to see them right now.
Stafford is doing what he’s always done — just be unafraid of getting the ball out there for his receivers to make a play. He’s playing good football, yet it’s not out of the question to assume that the best is still to come this year, even if we’re in the last month of the season.
6) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen didn’t have to do much on Sunday en route to a dismantling of the Dallas Cowboys. However, what he did do was more than enough to bump him up two spots in this week’s rankings.
Allen played smart, protected the football, and was able to still be him during the process.
He has had a good year statistically, with stats that include having the most touchdowns in the NFL. All while that even includes the turnovers that have seemed to plague him this year. If Allen has that figured out, no one will want to play Buffalo.
5) Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa had to show what this offense looks like without their big-play weapon Tyreek Hill in the lineup, and Miami did not disappoint. While some wrongfully continue to doubt Tua, there should be no doubt about the fact that he’s now ascending with a chance to take his play to another level.
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Next up is a tough test versus an opportunistic Cowboys defense looking to shake off a rough outing. If Tagovailoa can keep checking boxes every week, he’ll continue to rise in the rankings with the sky only being the limit.
4) Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson is just special. His unique ability is so rare and is a real treat for fans to watch. The way he can move around the pocket, use his legs, and buy time before hitting a shot deep downfield is truly unique.
No one should be questioning Jackson’s undisputed place comfortably inside the top five in all rankings right now.
3) Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes is still Patrick Mahomes, and on Sunday against a bad Patriots team that has a surprisingly stout defense, he went out there and did what he was supposed to do.
2023 has been the most frustrating year of Mahomes’ career, but his talent and ability to lift those around him cannot be ignored. The Chiefs will still be in the mix for everything we expect them to be, it will just be harder than what we’re accustomed to seeing for them.
2) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
One bad game does not discredit a body of work. All those things that were said about Dak Prescott before Week 15 are still true. He’s still playing the QB position at a high level and is elevating this Cowboys offense as he demonstrates his comfortability in Mike McCarthy’s scheme.
However, sometimes you run into a buzz saw. The Bills smacked the Cowboys in the mouth, serving them a wake-up call that even if things feel like they’re grooving for you, things can change in the blink of an eye.
With that, Dak loses his spot at the top of the charts this week. And with the way Brock Purdy is playing, it may be tough to dethrone.
1) Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
How can anybody try and discredit Purdy at this point? The clear front-runner for the MVP award just simply makes plays. With the cast of weapons at his disposal and the offensive line in front of him, Purdy can just sit back in the pocket and dissect a defense like he’s reading a paper with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning.
Not only is Purdy perfect for this Kyle Shannahan offense, he’s simply doing everything they could and want from him right now. No one after 15 weeks is playing the QB position better than Purdy.
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