We are bringing back the QB rankings for the 2nd straight season. These will look pretty close to the final rankings from last season because, of course, there hasn’t been any football played since the end of last season.
One important note: even though there are four QBs that have played games so far in 2026, their performances are not taken into account in these rankings. We will update these rankings at the 25%, 50%, 75%, and, of course, end-of-season junctures of the season.
Just a reminder as
to how we came to these numbers. Their history comes into play. Yes, their current play is heavily weighted (otherwise Aaron Rodgers would be a lot higher), but their past plays into it. Josh Allen played better than Patrick Mahomes in 2025, but Mahomes’ history still gives him the top spot on the list.
Without further ado, here are the 2026 preseason NFL QB Rankings.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
The king still has the top spot, but he’s clinging to it at this point. If Allen starts off hot and Mahomes is slow to recover from his ACL injury, there’s a good chance that Allen grabs the top spot when we update this list after 4 games.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
He has the gaudy numbers. He has the highlight plays. He has an MVP. He needs some playoff success, including a Super Bowl championship, if he wants to start being discussed as an all-time great.
3. Matthew Stafford, LA Rams
Coming to the Rams has been great for Stafford’s career image. No, Dan Orlovsky, if the Rams win a Super Bowl this year, Stafford will not be a top 5 QB, but he will definitely be top 20, and possibly top 15.
4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson is poised to have a big bounce-back year with Declan Doyle. His relationship with John Harbaugh always seemed strained, and some fresh coaching faces should do him good.
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Burrow needs to start playing more games. He averages missing almost 4 games per season. If he played more games, he could be as high as two on this list.
6. Justin Herbert, LA Chargers
Herbert really needs some postseason success to have his image start to change. Right now, he’s a regular season warrior and a postseason dud.
7. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
See Justin Herbert. The only difference is Herbert gets the ball more often than Dak. A lot of experts think the Cowboys will be back in the playoffs this year, and if they are right, Dak can really change his image.
8. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
It is really hard for me to accept Sam Darnold as a top-10 QB. Most of the offseason rankings didn’t have him up there, but he won the Super Bowl, played well in the postseason, and has had two excellent regular seasons in a row. You have to give the man some respect.
9. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Maye peaked as high as 6 on the list last year, but his playoff performance has to ding him a little. He was certainly a bum slayer off that weak schedule, but tougher opponents made him look a lot more pedestrian (and no, the performance on the season opener was not considered into this yet).
10. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
To me, right now 7 QBs are the best in the league, and there is going to be a lot of variance between 8 and 15 or so. Goff is still holding this spot, but it’ll be interesting to see how he plays this year with a weaker offensive line.
11. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
I really wanted to slide him into the top 10, but I can’t do it yet. If he plays well out of the gate this year, he will firmly plant his flag as a top-10 QB in the league.
12. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
This is a big year for Jalen Hurts. He needs to play well without AJ Brown and with a new OC; he needs to attack the middle of the field and show that he’s still a field General.
13. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Love is a good quarterback. Some people want to put him a notch above that, and I don’t think the numbers and performances back that up.
14. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence has had a really bumpy start to his career but looked much better under Liam Coen. If he can have another strong season, he should be able to climb this list a little.
15. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy just gets the job done. If he was drafted in the 2nd round instead of the 7th round, people would probably speak better of him. But as a 7th-round pick, he can’t possibly be that good, right? (Wrong)
16. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker earned himself another extension in Tampa after a solid season. But Mayfield definitely faded towards the end of the year last year, and he needs to play more like he did the first half of the season if the Bucs are going to win a very winnable division this year.
17. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Daniels was probably considered a top-10 QB after his rookie season, but an injury-plagued season with some mediocre performances bumped him down several notches. He needs to stay much healthier and look more like the QB from 2024 to climb back up the list.
18. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
If Broncos fans find this list, they won’t be happy. But Nix needs to show a little more to start pushing towards the top 10. I think his game is limited.
19. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
The Texans have a phenomenal defense and a handful of weapons on offense. Stroud is basically out of excuses. He needs to put that playoff performance behind him and start playing better, or he won’t be on the Texans much longer.
20. Jaxson Dart, NY Giants
A new coach that Dart might listen to will hopefully help with his reckless play. He has definitely shown flashes, but he needs his play to even out and be more consistent and make better decisions with the football in his hands and not just lower his head.
21. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Jones was having a career year before the injury. Can he do it again this year? I have my doubts, but he has much of the same support and coaching staff around him.
22. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Young has improved from where he was a couple of years ago, but he still isn’t playing nearly well enough to get a contract extension. The Panthers punted that decision for at least a year by picking up the 5th-year option, but it’s possible they may not even make that decision for another two years and utilize the franchise tag if they must.
23. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Looked the part when he came in late in the year. If that continues this year, the Saints could win the division. If he regresses a little, they won’t manage to surprise many teams.
24. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Out of respect for his career, I bumped him back up a few more spots. Rodgers’ playoff performance was dreadful, and he certainly ran out of steam at the end of the year. Hard to figure out at his age whether he can improve at this point.
25. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Ward definitely showed improvement during the second half of the season last year, but there are still plenty of questions about Ward and if he can run an offense. It should make for an interesting year with Brian Daboll.
26. Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
Willis has looked outstanding as the Packers QB2 the last couple of years, and that has given him an opportunity to start this year in Miami. This will be his chance to prove he’s more than a backup QB.
27. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
Murray fell out of good graces in Arizona and lost his job to Jacoby Brissett, but he has a fresh start in Minneapolis with plenty of elite players around him, including Justin Jefferson. If Murray fails here, his career will tank, but this will be a great opportunity with KOC to bounce back.
28. Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
He’s the best QB2 in the league, but he’s not as good as Brock Purdy, but the step down when Purdy is out is far less than other teams.
29. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Brissett played pretty well last year when Kyler Murray was pushed aside. Brissett is far better suited as a QB2, but he should be able to make the offense look competent as the Cardinals try to tank and get a top-5 pick and land a QB next season.
30. Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals
Flacco has really embraced the QB2 role and has stepped in for Burrow and looked pretty darn sharp. If Burrow goes down again, you can count on Flacco to keep the offense scoring points.
31. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
You would have to assume this is Cousins’ last chance to start when he eventually loses his job to Mendoza. He did not look good in limited opportunities in Atlanta.
32. Geno Smith, New York Jets
He’s been a great story thanks to his late blooming and solid seasons in Seattle, but that really unraveled in Las Vegas last year. Smith has a chance to bounce back and show that last season was a blip or tell the world he’s cooked.
33. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
Mariota has become a really solid QB2 for Washington. He can definitely keep the offense functioning when Daniels is hurt.
34. Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
He’s probably worse than this, if we’re being honest.
35. Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
I don’t think he’s great, but I do think he’s the best chance Cleveland has.
36. Michael Penix, Atlanta Falcons
Not sure how many more injuries this man can suffer and keep playing football.
37. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Looks the part of a competent backup. Doesn’t look like he has the chops to be a starter, though.
38. Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
Number one overall pick gets a decent position, but we don’t really know how good he is at this level.
39. Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings
Looked decent in his spurt last year before his arm fell off. Beat out McCarthy for the QB2 role, so he keeps himself in the top 40.
40. Davis Mills, Houston Texans
Another solid backup QB option. He’s been in Houston a long time now.
41. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Last year, I never even bothered to rank him in the top 50, and I don’t even know if he’s one of the two best QBs on Cleveland, but they are going to start him, and I don’t expect it to go well.
42. Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens
Huntley is another solid backup QB. He can win the Ravens games if Lamar is out.
43. Justin Fields, Kansas City Chiefs
Fields is on his 4th team in four years. Will Andy Reid finally get something out of him? If he can’t, this might be curtains.
44. Jameis Winston, NY Giants
The personality is better than the skill, but who doesn’t love a good Jameis quote?
45. Tyrod Taylor, Green Bay Packers
Tyrod has been an outstanding QB2 for a lot of years but didn’t look good last year. We will see if it was just Jet stink or if he’s finally fading.
46. Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
Ben Johnson loves him, and therefore the league is intrigued by him.
47. Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland Browns
Felt he was drafted to be a QB2. Unfortunately, he might be closer to a QB3.
48. Mitch Trubisky, Buffalo Bills
Mitch has embraced the QB2 role and has done well with it. He’s the good-vibes backup and a solid teammate that can keep an offense functioning.
49. Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks
Lock has shown throughout his career that he can do what he needs to if called upon.
50. JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Probably shouldn’t be here, but we will let him cling to this spot until someone surpasses him when we update this in a month.
