NFL Quarterback Rankings: Ranking the Top 10 QBs Through Week 6
NFL Quarterback Rankings: Ranking the Top 10 QBs Through Week 6
We're starting to get into the thick of the season. Six weeks of action have come and gone, giving us a solid sample of games with which to evaluate players. Specifically, I'm taking a look at my top 10 NFL quarterbacks thus far. It has not been the best year for QB play — outside of the obvious top choices, few have distinguished themselves as difference-makers. Nevertheless, let's go through my list.
NFL Quarterback Rankings
1. Josh Allen - BUF
I struggled to choose between Allen and Mahomes for the top spot, but I opted to go with the quarterback who won the head-to-head matchup last week. Allen has had an excellent start to the season — he leads the league in QBR and passer rating (among QBs who have not missed time with injury), while he is tied for first with 17 touchdown passes. He has also added value on the ground, rushing for over 30 yards in five of his six games. If the season ended today, Allen would be my pick for MVP.
2. Patrick Mahomes - KC
To be clear, none of my comments about Allen are meant to take away from the form of Patrick Mahomes. He has been brilliant, throwing for 17 touchdown passes with just 4 interceptions to go along with them. His QBR and passer rating ranks second and third in the league, respectively. He has also averaged 289.3 passing yards per game, demonstrating the continued prowess of the KC aerial attack despite the loss of Tyreek Hill. Mahomes should remain squarely in the MVP conversation.
3. Lamar Jackson - BAL
The Ravens are a mediocre 3-3, which may be the reason that Lamar's play has flown under the radar. He has struggled in spots, no doubt. His abysmal decision to heave a pass following a botched snap was one of the main reasons that the Ravens dropped a winnable game to the Giants last Sunday. Overall, though, Lamar has been stellar. He has thrown 13 touchdowns to 6 interceptions while also rushing for 75.2 yards per game. When considering both his improved productivity as a passer and his elite rushing ability, one can begin to understand how valuable he is to Baltimore's offense.
4. Jalen Hurts - PHI
The Eagles are the last remaining undefeated team in the NFL, and Hurts deserves ample credit for that feat. The pieces around him are excellent, no doubt — Philadelphia has arguably the best offensive line in football, and A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert make up a fantastic core of aerial weapons. Hurts has elevated them, though, running the offense with borderline-elite efficiency. He ranks in the top seven by most passing metrics, and he has also stood out as a rusher (48.8 YPG). His improvement as a passer has been instrumental to Philly's rise; if he sustains this level of play, the Eagles have a legitimate chance to win 14+ games.
5. Justin Herbert - LAC
Herbert has had an up-and-down year, but we've seen more ups than downs of late. His season appeared to be derailed when he fractured his rib cartilage some weeks ago. Somehow, he has been able to play through the pain and produce at a high level. On the year, he has thrown for 10 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and 286 yards per game. The Chargers have not been consistently good on either side of the ball, but that has a lot more to do with a devastating number of injuries to starters than it does Herbert. That being said, he may need to put the team on his back if they want to remain in the mix in a competitive AFC.
6. Tua Tagovailoa - MIA
I was unsure where to put Tua on this list, given that he has missed the last 2+ games with a concussion. When he did play in Weeks 1-4, he was excellent, executing first-year head coach Mike McDaniel's system to a tee. Of course, it probably didn't hurt that Tua had two elite burners at receiver in Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle to target, but he does deserve credit for his passing efficiency. If Tua returns from injury and returns to the level of play that he reached the start of the year, he has the potential to shoot up the rankings.
7. Geno Smith - SEA
Geno Smith has been the most pleasant surprise at the quarterback position this year, and it is not close. No one and I mean no one, expected to be uttering those words before the season started. Smith has the third-highest QBR in the league, and his passer rating is actually the second-highest. However, those statistics are, in this case, a tad bit misleading. Specifically, they are skewed upward by an unsustainably high completion percentage. On top of that, Seattle's offense has not been consistently sharp — the unit has gone through long stretches where they have struggled to get into the end zone, such as last Sunday against Arizona. One could certainly argue that Smith should be higher on the list, but this is where he lands for me.
8. Derek Carr - LV
The Raiders are a lot better than their 1-4 record implies, partially because Carr has been producing at a high level in spite of the losses. Case in point: on Monday night two weeks ago, the Raiders lost to the Chiefs despite the fact that Carr threw for two touchdowns, no picks, and 241 yards. Likewise, against the Cardinals in Week 2, Carr put the Raiders in a prime position to win in overtime; a shock fumble return for an Arizona touchdown quashed that effort. Carr has not been elite, but he is not the reason for Las Vegas' struggles.
9. Trevor Lawrence - JAX
Lawrence's Jaguars are 2-4, but — similar to Carr — Lawrence is (for the most part) not culpable for his team's record. The most glaring example came last week against the desultory Colts, who scored a whopping 34 points on Jacksonville's defense despite the fact that the Colts offense has been among the worst in the league all season. Lawrence completed 91% of his passes in the game and led the offense to 27 points, but the aforementioned defensive collapse spoiled his outing.
10. Joe Burrow - CIN
Rounding out the top 10, we have the quarterback who, by his own doing or not, represented the AFC in the Super Bowl last February. Burrow had a rough two games to open the 2022 season, but he has since turned it around. The Bengals have won three of their last four, and much of that is because of Burrow's play. Indeed, over the stretch, he has thrown for 9 touchdowns, just 1 interception, and 269.8 yards per game. He is another quarterback who has the potential to rise up the ranks if he maintains his current form.