This is the inaugural list of the Top 15 NFL QBs of 2024. As the most important player on the field, a quarterback’s performance can make or break a team’s season. A skilled quarterback can elevate the performance of the entire offense, making receivers more productive and creating opportunities for running backs through the threat of the pass.
The quarterback’s leadership role extends beyond the field. They often serve as the face of the franchise, setting the tone for team culture and morale. A quarterback’s poise under pressure and ability to rally the team can be crucial in close games and high-stakes situations
PATRICK MAHOMES
Patrick Mahomes is a talent. Whether you believe the Chiefs have alot of help from the refs or not, Mahomes ability to extend plays, exceptional arm, and performance under pressure have him at the top of many QB lists.
Mahomes had a statistically down year in 2023 and looked average at best during the first six weeks of the season. The Kansas City Chiefs hope that signing ‘Hollywood’ Brown and drafting Xavier Worthy will bolster their well coached, below average WR core. If so, Mahomes is well-positioned to lead the Chiefs to another deep playoff run this season.
JOSH ALLEN
Josh Allen is undeniably near the top of everyone’s QB list. And rightfully so. It’s scary to think where the Bills would be without Josh Allen. Would they have had five straight winning seasons? While the Bills have not made the Super Bowl since the Jim Kelly era, the Bills playoffs games are some of the most entertaining games the NFL televises all year.
In the 2024 season, Allen will be adjusting to the loss of star receiver Stefon Diggs. It remains to be seen how much that will affect him. Despite the personnel changes, Allen can be trusted to lead the Bills on another deep playoff run and potentially secure the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.
AARON RODGERS
Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and Super bowl winner that has consistently been performing at an elite level for nearly 15 years. Rodgers signed with the Jets last offseason and they instantly become playoff contenders.
Unfortunately, his 2023 season was cut short when he suffered an achilles tendon injury just four plays into the Jets opener against the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers comes into a better situation than Green Bay, with a top RB in Breece Hall and better defensive unit coached by former 49ers DC Robert Saleh.
If Rodgers can survive playing on the turf at Metlife Stadum he is a sneaky MvP candidate.
BROCK PURDY
Brock Purdy has quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s most promising talents. The young quarterbacks meteoric rise has been nothing short of remarkable. In 2023, he led the league in several key metrics, including touchdown rate, yards per attempt, and passer rating. His impressive stat line – 4,280 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions in 16 games – was among tops in the league.
Purdy is one of the most accurate passers in the league but the number of “almost” interceptions is something to worry about. After a breakout 2023 season that saw him finish fourth in MVP voting, Purdy is poised for another strong year in 2024.
JALEN HURTS
Jalen Hurts was the leading MvP candidate last year until an epic midseason meltdown saw the Eagles go from a 10-1 team to barely making the Wild Card round, which they lost. Despite that, Hurts led the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance in 2022, which also happened to be his last fully healthy season. If Hurts is healthy and cuts down on the interceptions, people may quickly remember that he led the Eagles to a 24-2 record in the regular season going into Week 11 of last year and not the questionable coaching that followed. Hurts has been a Top 3 fantasy quarterback the past couple of seasons and their is no reason to believe he won’t be one again this year with the addition of Tiki Barber.
JOE BURROW
Joe Burrow has exceptional talent. But at some point the injuries and age are going to have an effect, or already are. Last season the 27 year old tore tore ligaments in his right wrist causing him to miss the remaining seven games. What’s worse is that Burrow was not looking like the MvP candidate he was once considered in the games he did start. If Joe Cool comes back to form then the Bengals will be an X-Factor in the AFC and Burrow is a possible MvP candidate.
mATHEW STAFFORD
Matthew Stafford has a proven track record of success and ability to elevate his team’s performance. After spending 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Stafford joined the Rams in 2021 and immediately led them to a Super Bowl victory. His arm strength, accuracy, and experience have made him a Top QB in the NFL for over a decade.
However, Matthew Stafford is 36 years old now and at some point father time will win. Whether that will be this year or four years from now is debatable. Stafford still has the tools to win games for the Rams. Good receivers. Good coaching. But Aaron Donald is retired and 2021 feels like along time ago.
LAMAR JACKSON
Lamar Jackson is regarded as the top running QB in the NFL. Jackson’s passing statistics from the 2023 season were 3,678 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, which are solid but not league-leading numbers. It was Lamar’s best season since 2019 and good enough to rank him number four in terms of fantasy football.
Lamar Jacksons lack of pocket presence is offset by his ability to rush for 1k yards. His running quarterback style threatens his long-term durability. In 2022, he missed the final five regular season games and a wildcard playoff game due to a knee injury, Jacksons biggest injury so far.
If Jackson can stay healthy, he is the Ravens best option at QB and with an elite Ravens defense keeping the team in every game, it’s no wonder many are picking the Ravens to make the playoffs this year.
DAK PRESCOTT
Dak Prescott is coming off a career year for the Cowboys. Prescott completed 69.5% of his passes for 4,516 yards and an NFL-leading 36 touchdowns, earning him a second-place finish in MVP voting. An award he probably should have won.
While Dak is great in the regular season, he consistently falters in high pressure games. The Cowboys’ recent playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, where Prescott threw two early interceptions, was possibly the worst playoff loss ever. With a playoff record of 2-4, Dak will need to level up before he moves up on my list.
JUSTIN HERBERT
Justin Herbert is widely regarded as a top QB in the NFL. He showed promise in his rookie campaign. Then he stunned everyone with a breakout 2021 season throwing for over 5000 yards and 38 touchdowns, good enough for the number two fantasy quarterback. Over the last two seasons Herbert has failed to produced the same success.
Herbert is recovering from a finger injury that limited his effectiveness and caused him to miss seven games last season. Herbert will need to build chemistry with new receivers, as the Chargers let star WR Keenan Allen go in the offseason. Furthermore, Jim Harbaugh is bringing in a new system that will likely be more run happy than the previous administration, hurting Herbert’s passing numbers.
jARROD GOFF
Jared Goff has experienced a career resurgence in Detroit, leading the Lions to the NFC Championship Game last season and posting impressive numbers, including a career-best completion rate of 67.3%, 4,575 passing yards, and 30 touchdowns in 2023.
Despite these accomplishments, Goff often finds himself overlooked in top quarterback rankings. This is partly due to his struggles under pressure and outside of structured plays, which have been persistent concerns throughout his career.
TUA
Tua Tagovailoa had an impressive regular-season performance in 2023, leading the league in passing yards and guiding the Dolphins to the playoffs. Despite Miami’s disappointing end to the season, Miami is looking playoff bound again if they can stay healthy.
Tua obviously benefits from having Tyreek Hill and good coaching, just as Patrick Mahomes did and does. The issue with Tua is durability. Can he stay healthy? It seems like Tua is just one concussion away from possibly retirement. If he can stay healthy, win a playoff game or three, and put up 2023 numbers consistently then he’s going to jump high up this list rather quickly.
CJ STROUD
C.J. Stroud had an impressive rookie season, setting several NFL rookie records, including the most passing yards in a single game by a rookie (470) and the most passing attempts without an interception to start a career (191).
Stroud’s also threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns in his rookie campaign and he was instrumental in the Texans’ turnaround from a 3-13-1 record in 2022 to a playoff berth in 2023. The Texans looked elite in their 45-14 butchering of the Cleveland Browns but were stifled in a 34-10 loss to the Ravens.
Stroud was arguably a top 10 QB last season but the jury is out on whether he’s a one-hit wonder or someone that can consistently produce. One thing is for sure, the Texans got scary better in the offseason. By adding star WR Stefon Diggs and RB Joe Mixon into the mix, they could potentially jump that Ravens hurdle in the playoffs.
kIRK COUSINS
Kirk Cousins is 36 years old coming off of a torn achilles injury. He signed a new three year deal with a new team who turned around and drafted a rookie quarterback with the number 8 pick in the NFL draft. So the Falcons are obviously playing it safe here and if Kirk Cousins were to retire tomorrow he ranks highly in several all-time passing categories, including touchdowns (23rd), passing yards (28th), passer rating (8th), and completion percentage (6th).
Cousins isn’t regularly mentioned among the top quarterbacks in the league primarily because he’s never been considered truly elite. While he consistently puts up strong numbers, the perception that he benefits from a quarterback-friendly era is there because Cousins hasn’t shown the ability to elevate his team in crucial moments.
jORDAN LOVE
Jordan Love overcame a slow start to lead the Packers to a playoff berth in 2023. In his first season as a starter, he showed significant improvement as the season progressed, particularly from Week 11 through the Divisional Round, throwing for 2,616 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only three interceptions during that stretch.
That was enough for the Packers who, despite only starting for one season, signed Love to a huge $220M contract extension in the offseason, making him one of the highest paid players in NFL history.
