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Brant Henson ranks all 32 starting NFL quarterbacks for Week 1 of the 2024 season. From Patrick Mahomes to Bo Nix, see where your favorite quarterback falls.
We’ve finally made it. Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season is here and after a long spring and summer, your favorite team is ready to break your heart yet again.
The quarterback landscape will be interesting this season with a few old faces in new places (Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson) and three rookies lining up to start in Week 1. Up-and-coming stars like Jordan Love, Anthony Richardson, and C.J. Stroud are set to build on a big 2023, while longtime franchise players like Dak Prescott have a lot to play for heading into a contract year.
This first installment of the 2024 quarterback power rankings is more of a look into where things stand in the league rather than a projection. You will see unproven players like Caleb Williams and Anthony Richardson ranked low, but that is solely because we have not seen it yet from them. As the season progresses, these rankings will shake up.
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1. Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs
The back-to-back Super Bowl champ starts on top of the power rankings, and quite frankly any power ranking that doesn’t have him first is wrong. Mahomes is this generation’s Tom Brady -- he is the greatest in the game and there is no feasible way to rank another quarterback ahead of him. While last season’s statistics were down, Mahomes should be set for a bounce-back season with Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy added to the receiving corps.
2. Lamar Jackson - Baltimore Ravens
Last year’s MVP is set for another big season entering Year 2 in Todd Monken’s offense. Baltimore should look fairly similar to last season’s successful team, and as long as Jackson remains healthy, he should again be in the mix for the MVP.
3. Joe Burrow - Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow is back after missing the back end of the season with a thumb injury. The 27-year-old will look to impress in the season opener against the New England Patriots.
Joe Burrow is determined to stay healthy this season and trained his mind and body this offseason! The Cincinnati Bengals QB explained how he added 10 pounds of muscle ahead of the NFL season.https://t.co/UY10mEt0M5 pic.twitter.com/zdJoyanSk1
— GENERATION IRON (@GenerationIron) September 5, 2024
4. Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
This is a prove-it year for Josh Allen after losing Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, who was replaced by rookie Keon Coleman and journeymen Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins. The receiving corps is largely unproven and Allen will be tasked with carrying the offense.
5. C.J. Stroud - Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud’s impressive rookie season, which included a playoff win, is now in the past. Houston fans have high expectations for the team in 2024 after making a few key offseason additions, including star receiver Stefon Diggs. Stroud should be in the MVP mix in his second season.
6. Jalen Hurts - Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts’ play tapered off significantly at the end of the 2023 season, but the Eagles brought in Kellen Moore to run the offense along with a shiny new weapon in running back Saquon Barkley. Hurts will look to start hot on Friday night against the Packers.
7. Tua Tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa’s offseason included a large contract extension, cementing him as the franchise guy in Miami. He and the Dolphins open up Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Which QB are you taking over the next 5 years?
🔁 Jaguars' QB Trevor Lawrence
❤️ Dolphins' QB Tua Tagovailoa pic.twitter.com/UqhgtvWhjs— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 4, 2024
8. Brock Purdy - San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy had some inconsistent play during the preseason, but Brandon Aiyuk is now back with the team after signing an extension. Purdy will kick his season off in prime time on Monday night against the Jets.
9. Kirk Cousins - Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins’ whirlwind of an offseason included signing a massive contract with Atlanta, healing up a torn Achilles, and then watching his successor be drafted before he even took his first snap as a Falcon. Cousins is entrenched as the starter in Atlanta for now, but rookie Michael Penix Jr. may not be as far away from him as some think.
10. Dak Prescott - Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott’s play will be closely monitored not only by Dallas but also by other teams around the league given that he could hit the open market after this season. Prescott faces a tough test in Week 1 as the Cowboys travel to Cleveland to take on a strong Browns defense.
11. Matthew Stafford - Los Angeles Rams
The Super Bowl LVI champion is pitted against his former team again in Week 1 after falling to the Detroit Lions on Wild Card weekend last season. Stafford should be set up for success with Cooper Kupp back healthy alongside Puka Nacua.
12. Jordan Love - Green Bay Packers
An up-and-down start to his reign as Green Bay’s franchise quarterback ended mainly on a high note as Love torched opposing defenses down the stretch and snuck the Packers into the playoffs, where they pounded the Cowboys in Dallas and nearly upset the San Francisco 49ers.
#Packers quarterback Jordan Love practicing behind the back passes in Brazil
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 5, 2024
Love was rewarded with a big-time contract extension, solidifying him as the next man up for the foreseeable future in Green Bay.
13. Jared Goff - Detroit Lions
Jared Goff led the Detroit Lions to their second NFC Championship appearance in 2023, narrowly falling to San Francisco. Goff will look to get his 2024 season off on the right note in prime time on Sunday night in a rematch with the Los Angeles Rams, his former team.
14. Baker Mayfield - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield had one of the most impressive 2023 campaigns and was rewarded with a long-term contract as Tom Brady’s successor in Tampa Bay after upsetting the Eagles in the playoffs. The former first-overall pick’s team is once again the favorite to win the lowly NFC South, and he will look to get out to a hot start against the new-look Washington Commanders in Week 1.
15. Kyler Murray - Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray is fully healthy after returning late in the season last year from a torn ACL and although the Cardinals’ season was not salvageable upon his return, he still showed flashes that once made him the top pick in the 2019 draft.
Murray was one of the biggest winners of the 2024 draft, as he now has a true WR1 in Marvin Harrison Jr. The Cardinals open up with the Bills in an intriguing potential shootout.
16. Trevor Lawrence - Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence regressed from his impressive sophomore campaign as Jacksonville missed the playoffs, but was still rewarded with a mega contract extension this offseason. Lawrence’s receiving corps underwent an overhaul, as Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones exited and were replaced by Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis.
Jacksonville is no longer the favorite in the AFC South with Houston impressing and Indianapolis surging upward, but Lawrence himself has high expectations after being solidified as the franchise man.
17. Justin Herbert - Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert has seen a drastic drop-off in standing amongst the league’s quarterbacks over the past few seasons after once being regarded as a face-of-the-league-caliber player. Herbert regressed in 2022 and his 2023 campaign was marred with injuries.
He now no longer has Keenan Allen and Mike Williams to throw to and has an entire new coaching staff headlined by Jim Harbaugh. It’s a new era of Herbert-ball, and it remains to be seen if Harbaugh can coach him out of his slump.
18. Aaron Rodgers - New York Jets
Aaron Rodgers is undoubtedly one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever step on a field, but he is 40 years old and has not played football in over a year. He may also not have the locker room on his side, which could end up being a disaster in New York.
If Rodgers returns to form, the Jets are an instant Super Bowl contender. If he doesn’t, they might be looking for a new quarterback in a few months.
19. Caleb Williams - Chicago Bears
The top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has already been named the captain of his team. After wowing in limited preseason action, Caleb Williams will make his NFL debut on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. All eyes will be on the rookie, who has one of the league’s best receiving trios at his disposal.
Montez Sweat on what’s special about Caleb Williams: “His poise. Most rookie quarterbacks are nervous. He doesn’t have that factor… Don’t see him panic.” @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/8tilJtALGs
— Matt Zahn (@mattzahnsports) September 5, 2024
20. Deshaun Watson - Cleveland Browns
There is real concern around Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has hardly played football the past three seasons due to both on and off-the-field concerns. Watson should be full-go in Week 1 against Dallas, and all Browns fans will keep an eye on his shoulder in hopes that it is not completely shot.
21. Russell Wilson - Pittsburgh Steelers
Russell Wilson held off Justin Fields to earn the Week 1 nod for Pittsburgh against Atlanta, but he knows his leash is tight. The former Super Bowl champ looked relatively shaky in the preseason and it may only be a matter of time before Fields is under center if Wilson does not improve from what we’ve seen.
22. Geno Smith - Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith regressed from his miraculous 2022 campaign but is still firmly entrenched as the starter in Seattle. With a new play-caller in Ryan Grubb, he will look to bounce back this season starting in Week 1 against Denver.
23. Jayden Daniels - Washington Commanders
Hopes are high in Washington for the 2023 Heisman winner. Jayden Daniels was very impressive in the preseason and looks like he is the real deal. He will see his first test against the Buccaneers in the 4:25 EDT slate on Sunday.
24. Will Levis - Tennessee Titans
Tennessee did all it could this offseason to set its 2023 second-round pick up for success. From bolstering the offensive line in the draft to swinging big trades for defensive pieces to signing proven offensive weapons in free agency, it should find out quickly if Will Levis is the real deal or not.
Week 1 against Chicago should be very interesting for the second-year quarterback, who flashed at times last season.
25. Anthony Richardson - Indianapolis Colts
People are very high on the second-year quarterback out of Florida even though he only completed two full games as a rookie. Anthony Richardson has the arm talent and athletic ability to be compared to prime Cam Newton, but we have not seen enough out of him to know how good or bad he truly is as a quarterback.
Anthony Richardson is my 2024 MVP Pick and fantasy QB1 https://t.co/mIo2SLBgZN pic.twitter.com/KZmZseSnGg
— Lawrence Jackson Jr. 🃏 (@LordDontLose) September 5, 2024
Decision-making has always been my knock on him -- he threw 15 interceptions in just 14 career starts in college -- and that is still a concern of mine after seeing a thrown ball that was intercepted for six against the Bengals’ third-stringers in the preseason.
26. Gardner Minshew II - Las Vegas Raiders
The man who replaced Anthony Richardson a season ago and earned a Pro Bowl berth, Gardner Minshew II is now the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders. Minshew is a great fit for Antonio Pierce’s gritty team and will make his Vegas debut against the Chargers in Week 1.
27. Derek Carr - New Orleans Saints
Year 1 of Derek Carr in New Orleans went poorly, but the veteran played a lot better down the back stretch of the season. With a new offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak, Carr will look to improve upon his 2023 play and should be able to sneak out a win in Week 1 against Carolina.
28. Jacoby Brissett - New England Patriots
The New England Patriots opted to roll with Jacoby Brissett as their Week 1 starter over rookie Drake Maye, smartly allowing the rookie to ease into the league. Brissett has proven to be a great bridge quarterback and played well for Washington in the few games he started last season. Sunday’s matchup with the Bengals should tell us if Brissett can help this team compete, or if it is still far from being a competitive team.
29. Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young’s rookie season was not pretty, but the former first-overall pick should be set up for more success in Year 2 with the addition of coach Dave Canales and receiver Diontae Johnson. Week 1 is not an easy matchup against New Orleans, but we should be able to tell pretty quickly if Young is going to take a step up in his second professional season.
30. Sam Darnold - Minnesota Vikings
Signed as a bridge quarterback into the J.J. McCarthy era, Sam Darnold is now the de facto Minnesota Vikings quarterback after McCarthy’s torn meniscus. The former first-rounder keeps getting more opportunities to carve out a career as an NFL quarterback, and he continues to show flashes at times.
On paper, this is a throwaway year for Minnesota, but it is also an opportunity for Darnold to pull off a Baker Mayfield-level comeback.
31. Daniel Jones - New York Giants
The jury is out on Daniel Jones, who was playing horrible football last season before tearing his ACL in November. Jones again looked shaky in the preseason, and the expectations are on the floor for the former first-rounder who earned a contract extension in 2023.
32. Bo Nix - Denver Broncos
Tabbed as Sean Payton’s guy, Bo Nix will be starting in Week 1 after defeating Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson in Denver’s quarterback battle. Nix was a surprise first-round selection in the 2024 draft and after a solid preseason, we will get to see the rookie in his debut Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
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