There is no position in any sport that affects winning as much as quarterback. There’s a reason they can take up 20% of a team’s salary cap — meant to be distributed among 53 players — and a reason why NFL franchises are betting their futures on any potential top-10 pass rusher. Sometimes they get Matthew StaffordThe 2021 season and the Super Bowl. Sometimes they get Russell WilsonIt’s 2022 and the future is uncertain. This is an inherent risk.
FOX Sports’ NFL writers have joined forces to rank the league’s best quarterbacks. Our writers have listed their top 10 based on their confidence in each QB when he takes the field for next week’s game. A first place vote earned 10 points in our methodology, dropping to one point for 10th place. We then combined the scores to determine our ranking. Forward!
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Jeff Schwartz: While I think Josh Allen will win the MVP this season, he is no better than Mahomes. No quarterback in the NFL is quite like Mahomes. He would be the first pick in any draft in the league.
Eric D. Williams: The Chiefs are still making explosive plays without Tyreek Hill and Mahomes leads the league in touchdown passes with 20.
Henry McKenna: I’d say Patrick Mahomes is better at avoiding costly losses in big games. But Mahames was guilty of one thing against the Bills. Allen is the best QB on the planet right now, with his otherworldly arm strength and unique physicality as a runner.
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3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Ben Arthur: After a rough start to 2022, Burrow continued his ascent to the NFL’s elite. He has completed at least 75% of his passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns in consecutive games. He is now hissing.
Schwartz: After a slow start this season, it’s time to acknowledge that Burrow is in the NFL’s top quarterback class.
4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Carmen Vital: His toughness is second to none and his pure talent makes me think he could play for anyone. (And maybe he should, considering the Chargers can’t seem to get the most out of him.)
5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Ralph Vaciano: He showed he can be a big pass rusher, but with the way the Eagles run, they don’t need him. Hurts no longer has a hole in the game. He is good in the pocket and on the outside and can hit his targets all over the field. And his QB steals are unstoppable.
Vital: Hurts is potentially the most complete back on this list, especially with where NFL offenses are going. He ranks in the top 10 in completion percentage and has the sixth-ranked quarterback in the league this season. It feels like the only reason he lacks passing touchdowns is because he can run them just as easily.
David Helman: Hurts plays much, much better football than Brady and Rodgers, but I can’t bring myself to put him above two guys with that much equipment. Rest assured, if he continues this level of play, that will change.
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6. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Arthur: Say what you will about the former league MVP, but he’s fourth in passing touchdowns and continued his dynamic kicking game after missing five games last season with an injury.
McKenna: Jackson has so much ability to beat you as a runner and passer. That, to me, makes him better than all but two players on this list (Allen and Mahomes).
7. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Helman: I fully understand that neither Brady nor Rodgers are having a great season, but I can’t bring myself to believe that both guys lost it out of the blue. I need to see a lot more before I rule any guy off a list like this.
Vital: I’m following the lead of Rodgers quarterback coach Tom Clements, who gave the 18-year-vet a season-best mark against Washington: It is desirable. There’s too much historical evidence to stack against Rodgers (look at 2016 if you need evidence), and given his body of work, you simply can’t leave him out of the top 10 quarterback list.
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8. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Arthur: The greatest of all time doesn’t look like himself for a struggling Bucs team. Brady leads the league with an interception rate of 0.3% while throwing over 40 times per game, but has just eight touchdown passes in seven games.
9. Gena Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Helman: We’ll see how he performs over the course of a full season, but Geno deserves credit for the way he’s started the year. The Seahawks were written off and everyone outside of that building thought they would be one of the worst teams in the league. Smith is a big reason why they’re ranked No. 1.
Vakyan: Seeing Smith with Jet planes, I can’t believe it’s on this list. But he was everything he was once meant to be. He has a strong arm, makes smart decisions and doesn’t turn the ball over (just three interceptions). He came of age at the age of 32.
10. Tua Tagavailoa, Miami Dolphins
Vakyan: The concussion put a bit of a damper on what should have been a great season. But his accuracy is terrific, he throws very deep despite concerns about his arm strength, and he’s terrific outside the pocket. The only question is whether he can pick up where he left off before he got hurt.
Just missed:
Duck Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
This preview was compiled by:
AFC South reporter Ben Arthur (@benyarthur)
Dallas Cowboys reporter David Helman (@davidhelman_)
AFC East reporter Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis)
NFL and betting analyst Jeff Schwartz (@GeoffSchwartz)
NFC West reporter Eric D. Williams (@eric_d_williams)
NFC East reporter Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano)
NFC North reporter Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV)
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