NFL Quarterback Rankings: Ranking the Top 10 QBs Through Week 7

NFL Quarterback Rankings: Ranking the Top 10 QBs Through Week 7

This list is solely based on this year's play—quarterback performances from past seasons are not considered. Here are my top 10 NFL quarterbacks as we dive into Week 8 action.

NFL Quarterback Rankings

1. Josh Allen - BUF

The Bills were on bye in Week 7, but nothing has changed with respect to Josh Allen's body of work. Allen leads the league in passing yards per game and ranks top 2 in passer rating, QB rating, and TD passes. Buffalo is sitting in first place in the AFC, which is because of Allen's superb play. He is the deserving MVP frontrunner.

2. Patrick Mahomes - KC

Mahomes has been excellent in his own right—he holds the top passer rating and QB rating in the NFL and has led the Chiefs to an AFC West-leading 5-2 record. Kansas City's offense turned in a particularly dominant performance in Week 7, hanging 44 points on one of the best defenses in the league (SF). Mahomes was clinical, completing 25 of 34 pass attempts for 423 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. If he outperforms Allen in Week 8, I may have to take a hard look at moving him up to the top spot.

3. Jalen Hurts - PHI

Hurts, like Josh Allen was on a bye in Week 7. In his first six games, though, Hurts was remarkably effective, leading the fourth-highest-scoring offense in the NFL on a points-per-game basis. Hurts has contributed 12 touchdowns—through the air and on the ground—and 301.1 yards per game. The Eagles are a perfect 6-0, the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. Hurts deserves his fair share of credit for that feat; I'm putting him third on the list.

4. Lamar Jackson - BAL

Lamar started the season on a red-hot run, throwing 10 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions through his first three games. Since then, he has cooled off, quickly logging his four worst games of the season. He will be playing on Thursday night against Tampa Bay, so we will see whether he can reverse his recent trend of mediocre play. He lands fourth on the list because his entire body of work is still quite good—he ranks top six in passing touchdowns and quarterback rating, and the Ravens are leading their division.

5. Geno Smith - SEA

It's time for Geno Smith to receive his due praise. I was hesitant to put him this high in past editions of this list, but I cannot justify leaving him out of the top 5 any longer. Smith has been a revelation through seven weeks—he ranks third in passer rating, fourth in QB rating, and sixth in passing touchdowns. Buoyed by Smith's play and a strong run game, the Seahawks are, shockingly, in first place in the NFC West. I'm not sure whether Smith will manage to sustain this level of play for the rest of the season, but his form is undoubtedly worth enjoying while it lasts.

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6. Tua Tagovailoa - MIA

Tua Tagovailoa returned from a month-long injury absence last week, leading the Dolphins to a 16-10 win over the Steelers. Tua was good if unspectacular, completing 21 of 35 pass attempts for 261 yards and a score. His year-to-date statistics are excellent, but I'm hesitant to rank him higher due to the fact that those statistics are heavily skewed upward by one wild game against the Ravens. He will be bumped up if Tua continues to play like a top-5 quarterback.

7. Joe Burrow - CIN

Burrow is a quarterback whose stock has risen by virtue of strong play amidst a middling QB landscape. In his last two games, he has led Cincinnati's offense to 65 total points by throwing for 781 yards, 6 touchdowns, and no interceptions. That brings his year-long touchdown pass total to 15, which ranks third in the NFL. His efficiency metrics are a bit lacking, but they will catch up if he continues to air it out successfully.

8. Daniel Jones - NYG

This is Daniel Jones' first appearance on my weekly quarterback rankings, but it is well-deserved. Jones has led a solid offense despite having perhaps the worst supporting cast of receivers of any quarterback in the entire league. His leading receiver is Richie James—Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Kadarius Toney have all missed extensive time to injury. Despite that, Jones has taken a major step forward under the Giants' new coaching staff—his quarterback rating of 63.0 ranks fifth in the NFL.

9. Justin Herbert - LAC

Herbert is a difficult player to rank, largely due to his shaky situation. The Chargers have been decimated by injuries this season, including losing both starting offensive tackles and star receiver Keenan Allen for long stretches. Herbert still grades out well—my model has him as the 10th-best quarterback through Week 7. I moved him up a spot from there because it's impossible to fully account for the effect of bad play-calling and a weak supporting cast on his production.

10. Derek Carr - LV

To round out the top 10, we have a quarterback whose team has fared poorly despite strong offensive play. The Raiders are 2-4, but that has far more to do with a desultory defense than it does Carr. He has the seventh-highest QB rating in the NFL, demonstrating his significant contribution on offense. In fact, the Raiders have scored the third-most points per game at 27.2, trailing just the Bills and the Chiefs. Las Vegas's defense has sunk them, and we should not hold that against Carr when evaluating him.