More injuries weaken the 2023 QB Power Rankings. However, there were a few outstanding performances from last week that shifted the power structure. Unsurprisingly, Patrick Mahomes remains at the top of our list.
Even with 32 starters healthy, the sport struggles to provide competent QB play from top to bottom. While some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL continue to prove it, even the best have off days. Week 9 was one to forget for a few stud quarterbacks, but a promising outing for rising stars. Where do they rank after a half-season?
2023 QB Power Rankings
While we don’t want to be rash in our decisions about how we view these 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) Tommy DeVito, New York Giants
It’s a crying shame that young men like Tommy DeVito and Clayton Tune are forced into a baptism of fire when they are not ready for the moment. DeVito never stood a chance behind the Giants offensive line.
31) Clayton Tune, Arizona Cardinals
See previous entry. The only difference is that DeVito faced a bad Raiders defense, and Tune went up against the modern-day version of the ’85 Bears.
30) Brett Rypien, Los Angeles Rams
There is a cutoff for arm talent necessary for the NFL level. Brett Rypien doesn’t have the requisite physical ability to be a productive professional QB. The Rams’ offense is built on completions to the intermediate areas of the field and Matthew Stafford’s ability to create. Rypien doesn’t have that ability.
29) Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
Tyson Bagent threw three interceptions and lost a fumble against the Saints, but he also made some impressive throws as well. Bagent is young and certainly not ready to take on a starting role, but he’s shown some chutzpah in his few NFL starts.
His level of athleticism makes him a menace when the pocket breaks down, and the defense is in man coverage. If he can continue to grow in the shadows, he could end up being one of the “fun” backups who can come in and win a few games in relief while playing for a decade.
28) Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Speaking of turnovers, Bryce Young, everybody! Like Bagent, Young isn’t ready for the rigors of being an NFL starter. Unfortunately, being the first-overall pick in the NFL Draft forces your hand, and he’ll have to learn on the fly.
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Yes, he threw two pick-sixes to Kenny Moore II. The first was an awful decision and an unimpressive throw. The second was a fine decision on a screen, but the throw was about a 10-foot throw that ended up sailing about two feet too high.
But Young also made some impressive throws under pressure. The bones are there, but the situation must improve drastically before his production follows suit.
27) Zach Wilson, New York Jets
Zach Wilson has been the worst starting quarterback in the NFL once again in 2023. The difference this season just so happens to be that a lot of guys who shouldn’t be seeing the field have been playing because of injuries.
We thought maybe Wilson was turning the corner after an impressive performance against the Chiefs’, but it was fairy dust. The Wilson progression isn’t real, which is unfortunate because the Jets are a playoff team with any semblance of legitimate quarterbacking.
26) Taylor Heinicke, Atlanta Falcons
We usually get a bit of Fitzmagic with Taylor Heinicke. Typically, folks were wondering why Heinicke wasn’t always the starter for a few weeks. And sure, maybe things were a bit cleaner than with Desmond Ridder under center, but it certainly wasn’t good.
25) Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts
Gardner Minshew and the Colts’ passing attack have now gone consecutive games without completing a pass of 20 or more air yards. Minshew didn’t even attempt one against the Panthers.
The Colts offense has been completely unimpressive over the past two games with Minshew. And it’s been completely out-of-character play from him. He’s been composed against pressure and taken care of the ball throughout his career, to a fault at times. But he’s turning it over and panicking under pressure too often this season.
24) Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers’ offense is a complete mess. They are undisciplined and understaffed, but Pittsburgh continues to win games somehow.
Kenny Pickett makes some nice plays with his legs and his arm from time to time, but there are far too many wide misses from the second-year quarterback. His processing remains slow relative to other starting QBs, and the lack of high-end arm talent keeps him low in the rankings. There are too many plays left on the field.
23) Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
When the Packers’ offense provides answers to the defensive test consistently, the best version of Jordan Love appears. His ball placement remains a touchy subject, but his general accuracy was outstanding against the Rams.
The game against Los Angeles was proof of how important the environment is for a young QB. Good protection goes a long way, and Love was comfortable quite often against the Rams — he rewarded Packers’ fans with his performance.
22) Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
Sam Howell’s spray charts remain a weekly highlight. He still has a lot to learn in this league, but we are assured that he will always sling it. Now, being aggressive isn’t always the answer, but explosive plays are the best indicator of success on a drive. Howell attempted 10 throws past 20 yards in the air against New England.
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And he was only sacked three times against New England! That means he’s only been taken to the ground four times in his past 101 dropbacks, meaning we likely won’t see our first 100-sack player.
21) Mac Jones, New England Patriots
There are still too many misses from Mac Jones, but it’s also clear that he has practically zero help on the offensive side of the ball. He can’t miss Tyquan Thornton the way he did on fourth down, but Jones also can’t have receivers dropping passes he fit into a window that a cat could barely crawl into.
20) Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
It’s always fun to see passing charts at the end of the week because it becomes clear how differently coaches attack depending on the opponent. The right side of the field was No Man’s Land for Aidan O’Connell and the Raiders’ passing attack against New York, and the majority of his work came under 10 yards. In fact, he only completed one pass past 10 yards downfield.
But the Raiders didn’t need to push anything because Daniel Jones struggled before his unfortunate injury, and DeVito … well …
19) Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
The Bills are very injured at the moment, and it has their defense reeling. But games against the Vikings and Browns will provide a fantastic barometer for what we may expect from Russell Wilson and the Broncos’ passing attack in the second half of the season.
18) Joshua Dobbs, Minnesota Vikings
Joshua Dobbs is the man. He’s such a boss that he shows up to the airport 20 minutes before his flight boards, all for the sake of being as efficient as humanly possible. A normal human would crumble under that pressure. Dobbs invites it.
That’s probably why despite turning the ball over twice and taking a safety, Dobbs was collected enough to lead Minnesota to victory before he even learned the names of his teammates. His athleticism made the difference in this game.
17) Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
If Deshaun Watson can remain healthy and play the way he has in his last two full games, he will make the Browns an incredibly dangerous team in January.
We need to see him performing consistently over a multi-week stretch, but his rapport with Amari Cooper is clear. The Browns’ offense didn’t ask much of him in Week 9. He only attempted six passes of more than 10 air yards, and most of his completions came within five yards to the offense’s right.
16) Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Is Will Levis a top-16 QB under normal circumstances? Absolutely not. He’s played in two NFL games, and although he was impressive in the first contest, he struggled a lot with the pictures Pittsburgh painted him defensively.
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Levis is talented, but he has a long way to go before we can count on him consistently making the right decision with the ball.
15) Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy is still making big-time throws with relative consistency. And he’s never been shy about testing tight windows. At times, he has lost linebackers and safeties who have simply dropped interceptions. Those players are not dropping those passes anymore.
Getting a week off from it all may have cleared his head. However, a game against the Jaguars’ defense could prove difficult for the struggling QB.
14) Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield was very good against the Texans, particularly in the fourth quarter when the game became a shootout. His performance against Houston was one of the cleanest games played by a QB during the week. He did everything in his power late in that game to put Tampa Bay over the top, but his defense could not return the favor.
13) Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr had a decent day at the office against Chicago. Yet, the jokes about him playing like there are six downs instead of four will persist. He didn’t attempt a single pass over 20 yards and only attempted one past 15 yards. If you drew a three-point line on the field, all of Carr’s attempts would be the length of an elbow jumper.
12) Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
The Ravens trounced the Seahawks, and Geno Smith did not have a good day. It was by far his worst performance since becoming the Seahawks’ starter. Perhaps it’s important to note that Lamar Jackson refuses to lose to NFC opponents, and the Ravens’ defense is unbelievable.
11) Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Like many great quarterbacks facing the Jets’ defense, Justin Herbert looked mortal. Even though Herbert hasn’t played particularly well over the last few weeks, he still ranks inside of the top 10 in QBR for 2023.
Yet, he hasn’t been sharp since injuring his non-throwing hand a few weeks ago.
10) Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars’ offense is limited. Trevor Lawrence is forced to get through one or maybe two reads before having to take off and use his legs, and there’s a distinct lack of downfield options. At least his pocket navigation remains sublime.
9) C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud had an absolute banger of a game against the Buccaneers. Although Tampa Bay’s defense hasn’t been as strong as we’re used to seeing, they got Vita Vea back for this game, and the secondary still got diced up.
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Stroud threw for a ridiculous 470 yards and five TDs, and his film might be even more impressive than the stat sheet. He’s years beyond most rookie quarterbacks in comfort and snap decision-making. He’s throwing with outrageous anticipation, and his ball placement has been spectacular this season.
8) Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Because he’s a whip-smart veteran and the Lions have leaned into having a dominant offensive line, Jared Goff’s able to produce at an incredibly high level. When playing in rhythm and attacking the middle of the field, few are better.
7) Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Shiesty is back, and that’s a dangerous proposition for the rest of the league. The Bills’ defense is struggling at the moment, but it’s clear that Burrow is back to playing at an elite level.
Although he’s one of the quickest quarterbacks in the league from a processing perspective, his mobility within the pocket has always been what made him truly special. Having that mobility back adds a layer to the passing attack that makes them exponentially more explosive.
6) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL all season. His performance from Weeks 2-8 was the best in the league, and there’s no shame in having an off week, especially against a Lou Anarumo-coached defense.
The Bills’ offense is very good, but they need to be good and take care of the ball because their defense cannot match up the way it could just a few short weeks ago.
Cam Taylor-Britt baited Allen into a holeshot throw that led to an ugly interception, but Allen wouldn’t be Allen if he wasn’t showing that sort of arm arrogance. It’s what makes him special.
5) Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
The anticipation Tua Tagovailoa throws with, particularly over the middle, is unmatched. He throws into windows that do not exist in the real world. But he plays for the Dolphins, who have Tyreek Hill, who appears from out of nowhere to snatch those passes between four defenders.
Tua makes an anticipation throw between four defenders to Hill pic.twitter.com/6BOCoNJU0V
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) November 6, 2023
Steve Spagnuolo is one of the best defensive coordinators in the game, and his pressure packages befuddled the Dolphins’ dismantled offensive line with ease. Even so, Tagovailoa is still playing outstanding football.
4) Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts was magnificent against the Cowboys. On a day when he was already less than 100% physically, his leg was bent the wrong way on a dropback, and it looked like he may be done for the game.
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Instead, he was back out on the field on the next play, and a few of the throws he made after getting banged up were gorgeous. His ball placement was terrific all night, and the trust he shows in his receivers to make plays helps maximize the Eagles’ offense.
3) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
As good as Hurts was against Dallas, Dak Prescott was even better against Philadelphia. The veteran passer has been using his legs way more over the past three weeks, and he’s been incredibly efficient on the hoof.
Although there’s no guarantee that Dallas wins the game if Prescott doesn’t land out of bounds before reaching the end zone on the two-point conversion or Luke Schoonmaker isn’t tackled at the half-yard line, it shows just how potent the Cowboys’ offense was.
Prescott has been spreading the ball out recently, and the Dallas offense has been impressive since coming out of the week off.
2) Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
The game flow didn’t dictate much aggressiveness from the Ravens’ passing attack on Sunday. They ran all over the Seahawks’ defense, and the passing game was used as a complement to that run game. Lamar Jackson completed 21 of 26 passes on the day.
1) Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Until Patrick Mahomes has completely fallen off a cliff, he will remain in the top spot.
Despite participating in a relatively “down” season, the Chiefs’ QB remains third in QBR for the year. He doesn’t have the same kind of help we’re used to seeing, and it simply proves that even an alien-like Mahomes cannot do it by himself.
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