The Best NFL Quarterbacks Through Week 16

Updated Dec. 24

No player in professional sports carries more responsibility than a quarterback. The leader of the offense — and often the face of a franchise in the biggest league in American sports — quarterbacks can transcend the field to become celebrities.

Of course, the QB isn’t alone out there. They’re protected by an offensive line and surrounded by a supporting cast, but a team’s success and Super Bowl dreams often hinge on the quarterback’s performance.

As we head down the final stretch of the season, let’s see what QBs are among the league’s best.

Don’t forget: You can watch all of the NFL action on the gridiron with DIRECTV.

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2025’s Top NFL Quarterbacks by QBR

Total QBR is a proprietary ESPN stat that evaluates a QB’s overall impact per game on a scale of 0-100.

Brock Purdy – San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy continues his stellar play since returning from injury. Entering Week 16’s matchup against Indianapolis with a 4-0 record, Purdy was fresh off of 295 yards and three touchdowns against Tennessee.

He outdid himself.

Purdy once again delivered 295 yards, this time with five touchdowns as he picked apart the Indianapolis Colts in a commanding 48-27 win.

The 49ers offense came out firing with three straight touchdown drives to open the game. They never let up. They racked up 28 first downs and 444 total yards. Despite turning it over once, it was an otherwise pristine game from Purdy.

The win keeps the 49ers within striking distance of the NFC West. Currently the 5th seed, they’re just one game behind Seattle.

San Francisco hosts Chicago next, who have won seven of their last eight games. They wrap up the season against the very Seahawks they need to beat. A win in Chicago would realistically set up a Week 18 matchup with Seattle for the division and the number one seed.

Drake Maye – New England Patriots

Drake Maye and the Patriots responded to a tough division loss against Buffalo in Week 15 with a thrilling comeback win against the Ravens on Sunday Night Football.

After a relatively subdued day against Buffalo’s defense, where the run game took over early, Maye set a new career high with 380 passing yards in a game that brings him right back into the MVP conversation.

Despite losing a fumble and throwing an interception, Maye made dozens of big plays to win this game for New England. Maye repeatedly connected with Stefon Diggs for big plays. Diggs finished with nine catches for 138 yards. Mack Hollins hauled in seven catches. Maye delivered a brilliant 37-yard touchdown throw to Kyle Williams

This was another playoff-caliber test for the Patriots, and more specifically for Maye, who’s playing his first competitive late-season NFL action.

Winning out will assure the Patriots the AFC East title. They get a favorable schedule to close it out, traveling to New York to take on the Jets, who have lost three straight. Then they host the Dolphins in Week 18.

Dak Prescott – Dallas Cowboys

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys entered Sunday with their season on the line. Already up against steep odds of getting into the playoffs, they needed to win out. They didn’t.

Dallas could only muster 17 points against the Chargers defense—the fewest points they’ve scored since Week 9 in Arizona. Prescott went 21-30 for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns, but the Chargers effectively shut down the Dallas run game and controlled the clock.

With Dallas eliminated, it’s unclear if Dak will start for the rest of the season or possibly sit Week 18 to avoid injury going into next year.

The record won’t show it, but it was a great year from Prescott. Recently named to his fourth Pro Bowl, with no one attempting or completing more passes. His passer rating and QBR are among the best seasons he’s had as a pro and he set a career high for fourth quarter comebacks.

Jordan Love – Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love exited Week 16’s game against Chicago with a concussion. Before leaving, he was 8-13 for 77 yards in a critical game the Packers would eventually lose.

Malik Willis filled in admirably, going 9-11 for 121 yards and a touchdown with another 44 yards on the ground. However, a critical missed snap in overtime proved to be the difference.

Ahead of Week 17, Love is practicing but remains in concussion protocol after being taken out in the first half. Malik Willis gave the breakdown, saying simply: “He’s chillin’.”

Matthew Stafford – Los Angeles Rams

Matthew Stafford was exceptional against the Seahawks in Week 16, throwing for a season-high 457 yards to go along with three touchdowns. He and Puka Nacua were once again locked in. Nacua reeled in 12 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns.

This game came down to three crucial drives in the third quarter. After Stafford and the offense scored to make it 30-14, they had three consecutive clock-stopping three-and-outs. A punt return touchdown suddenly made it a one-score game. Seattle’s defense cracked some sort of code, getting key stops to allow their offense to tie it and ultimately win in overtime.

In the loss, Stafford and the Rams lost their grip on the top spot of the NFC West and the NFC conference itself. They now slide down to the sixth seed where their ultimate destiny is not in their hands. Their best bet is to win out for the rest of the year and hope other games break their way. Otherwise, they’re looking at a road matchup in the wild card round.

Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen struggled against the Cleveland defense on Sunday in a 23-21 Buffalo win. Buffalo’s offense was limited to just three second-half points.

Allen was 12-19 for 130 yards and took two huge sacks, including one for 21 yards. Cleveland is one of the better defensive units in the league, and it was an overall forgettable day for Allen.

Ugly as it was, the win keeps them within reach of the AFC East. They’ll need a New England loss in the final two weeks to help them get there, but they’ll also need to win out themselves.

That starts with a home matchup against Philadelphia in Week 17, followed by a home matchup against the Jets in the last week of the season.

C.J. Stroud – Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud struggled against a Raiders defense, completing 23-35 passes for just 187 yards and a touchdown. Houston repeatedly had drives stall just after crossing midfield and settled for three field goals that helped keep this game close.

It was one of Stroud’s lowest yards-per-attempt games of the season, which is when this offense is at its worst.

With the Chargers on deck, it’s possible this Raiders game was nearly a trap game. Stroud and the offense need a better performance against a much better LA defense. Houston is all but assured a playoff spot, but they haven’t clinched yet. A win in Week 16 gets them in, but they also get a chance to punch their ticket against the only team that could overtake them: the Colts.

Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens

Jackson left Sunday’s night game loss to New England in the first half with a back injury and never returned. Jackson was 7-10 for 101 yards before he left and his status for Week 17 remains in question.

The Ravens no longer control their own destiny, but they do need to win out at minimum to make the playoffs. Their first win needs to come against Green Bay on Saturday night. Their second win needs to come against Pittsburgh in Week 18. Though if the Steelers win in Week 17, they’ll clinch the division and make Week 18 an exhibition game.

Justin Herbert – Los Angeles Chargers

Since fracturing a bone in his non-throwing hand and undergoing surgery, every Justin Herbert drop back and scramble leads to a collective wince for Chargers fans.

But one thing that’s helpful when you’re working your way back from injury as a quarterback is facing a defense like the Cowboys.

Herbert, with a fractured left hand, made it look easy. He completed 23-29 passes for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also added a 34-yard run and a rushing touchdown on the day. On the other side, the Chargers defense shut down the fourth-ranked Dallas offense.

With the win, the Chargers continue to breathe down the neck of the Denver Broncos, who they face in Week 18. Should those two teams have the same record–or even if Los Angeles trails by a game–that game will decide the division.

But before that excitement, they have to host the Houston Texans, winners of seven straight and possessors of the best defense in football.

Sam Darnold – Seattle Seahawks

In the first half of Thursday night’s game against the Rams, it looked like Sam Darnold was seeing ghosts again. He had been picked off by the Rams defense two more times, making it six interceptions on the season. Seattle was down 16 and the Rams were rolling.

Then everything changed. Three straight three-and-outs forced by the Seattle defense and a punt return touchdown completely swung the momentum. Then Darnold snapped out of it.

The Seattle offense came alive in the second half and overtime. Darnold delivered one of the biggest plays of the game with a 26-yard touchdown pass to AJ Barner on a beautifully designed play.

Darnold wasn’t perfect. His two interceptions and four sacks put Seattle in a hole they needed to claw their way out of. But claw they did, and they were rewarded with first place in the NFC West and the number one seed in the NFC.

The rest of Seattle’s schedule remains ruthless. They first travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers who are now the leaders of the NFC South. Then in Week 18, they face the 49ers. If they have the same record as the San Fran, or even lead by a game, the outcome will decide the division and probably the number one seed in the NFC.

Here’s how every QB ranks by QBR through Week 16:

Rk	Player	Team	QBR	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Rate
1	Brock Purdy	San Francisco 49ers	75.8	68.8	1737	17	102.1
2	Drake Maye	New England Patriots	73.4	70.9	3947	25	108.5
3	Dak Prescott	Dallas Cowboys	73.1	68.5	4175	28	100.0
4	Jordan Love	Green Bay Packers	72.9	66.3	3381	23	101.2
5	Matthew Stafford	Los Angeles Rams	71.8	65.7	4179	40	112.1
6	Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City Chiefs	68.5	62.7	3587	22	89.6
7	Josh Allen	Buffalo Bills	65.4	69.6	3406	25	103.3
8	Daniel Jones	Indianapolis Colts	63.8	68.0	3101	19	100.2
9	Mac Jones	San Francisco 49ers	63.6	69.6	2151	13	97.4
10	C.J. Stroud	Houston Texans	63.0	65.3	2628	16	93.6
11	Lamar Jackson	Baltimore Ravens	62.7	63.7	2311	18	101.4
12	Justin Herbert	Los Angeles Chargers	61.5	66.5	3491	25	94.7
13	Sam Darnold	Seattle Seahawks	60.8	67.2	3703	24	100.6
14	Baker Mayfield	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	59.9	61.6	3144	23	90.0
15	Jared Goff	Detroit Lions	59.3	68.6	4036	32	109.4
16	Bo Nix	Denver Broncos	57.0	63.2	3608	24	89.0
17	Michael Penix	Atlanta Falcons	56.8	60.1	1982	9	88.5
18	Caleb Williams	Chicago Bears	56.7	57.8	3400	23	89.5
19	Jaxson Dart	New York Giants	56.1	62.1	1835	13	89.6
20	Jalen Hurts	Philadelphia Eagles	56.0	65.8	3114	24	100.2
21	Trevor Lawrence	Jacksonville Jaguars	55.0	60.0	3489	26	89.9
22	Bryce Young	Carolina Panthers	50.3	63.5	2691	21	89.5
23	Spencer Rattler	New Orleans Saints	49.8	67.7	1586	8	86.5
24	Marcus Mariota	Washington Commanders	49.7	61.2	1695	10	86.1
25	Kirk Cousins	Atlanta Falcons	49.3	62.2	1415	8	85.7
26	Aaron Rodgers	Pittsburgh Steelers	44.3	66.7	2860	23	98.2
27	Tyler Shough	New Orleans Saints	43.5	66.4	1792	7	86.5
28	Jacoby Brissett	Arizona Cardinals	42.3	65.2	2911	19	93.7
29	Tua Tagovailoa	Miami Dolphins	37.2	67.7	2660	20	88.5
30	Geno Smith	Las Vegas Raiders	34.4	67.1	2849	18	85.7
31	J.J. McCarthy	Minnesota Vikings	33.9	57.3	1450	11	71.2
32	Cam Ward	Tennessee Titans	30.6	60.2	2866	13	79.1

Top Quarterbacks by passer rating

QBR takes into account a lot more than passing, but throwing the ball is a big part of any quarterback’s job. That’s where passer rating comes into play.

Rk	Player	Team	Rate
1	Matthew Stafford	Los Angeles Rams	112.1
2	Jared Goff	Detroit Lions	109.4
3	Drake Maye	New England Patriots	108.5
4	Josh Allen	Buffalo Bills	103.3
5	Brock Purdy	San Francisco 49ers	102.1
6	Lamar Jackson	Baltimore Ravens	101.4
7	Jordan Love	Green Bay Packers	101.2
8	Sam Darnold	Seattle Seahawks	100.6
9	Daniel Jones	Indianapolis Colts	100.2
10	Jalen Hurts	Philadelphia Eagles	100.2
11	Dak Prescott	Dallas Cowboys	100.0
12	Aaron Rodgers	Pittsburgh Steelers	98.2
13	Mac Jones	San Francisco 49ers	97.4
14	Justin Herbert	Los Angeles Chargers	94.7
15	Jacoby Brissett	Arizona Cardinals	93.7
16	C.J. Stroud	Houston Texans	93.6
17	Baker Mayfield	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	90.0
18	Trevor Lawrence	Jacksonville Jaguars	89.9
19	Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City Chiefs	89.6
20	Jaxson Dart	New York Giants	89.6
21	Caleb Williams	Chicago Bears	89.5
22	Bryce Young	Carolina Panthers	89.5
23	Bo Nix	Denver Broncos	89.0
24	Michael Penix	Atlanta Falcons	88.5
25	Tua Tagovailoa	Miami Dolphins	88.5
26	Spencer Rattler	New Orleans Saints	86.5
27	Tyler Shough	New Orleans Saints	86.5
28	Marcus Mariota	Washington Commanders	86.1
29	Kirk Cousins	Atlanta Falcons	85.7
30	Geno Smith	Las Vegas Raiders	85.7
31	Cam Ward	Tennessee Titans	79.1
32	J.J. McCarthy	Minnesota Vikings	71.2

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