NFL QB Rankings are a great way to kick off the season and get a look at what’s going on around the league. This list will go over the ten best quarterbacks in the NFL entering the 2026 season. Some players will be too low, some will be too high, some will be excluded completely. That’s the way these things go. Let’s take a look at where we sit right now.
Jalen Hurts continues to be one of the most disrespected QBs in the NFL. He has received countless criticisms for things that can be solely placed back onto the offensive scheme. A new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion, could boost him back to the player who won Super Bowl MVP just a few seasons ago.
Baker Mayfield is playing out his contract and will become a free agent following the 2026 NFL season. If he actually hits the open market, he would be the best free-agent QB available in years. Some team will give him way more than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were offering.
Justin Herbert is now in a great position to finally reach his full potential. Mike McDaniel might be the perfect offensive mind who can get the best out of Herbert. He should have a very strong 2026 season.
Drake Maye has climbed into the top ten after a fantastic sophomore season that featured a Super Bowl appearance for the New England Patriots. The addition of AJ Brown will only make Maye’s life easier; should be another good year for the young QB.
Caleb Williams is one of the quarterbacks I am most excited to watch next season. This ranking may appear to be high at the moment, but I can confidently say that he will be a top six QB by the end of the season, if not even higher. The Chicago Bears should be a lot of fun this season.
Lamar Jackson has consistently found himself much higher than fifth in QB rankings, but that’s no longer the case. The NFL ranked him as the 69th best player in the league. I wouldn’t go that far, but he definitely has to show he can be at the top of the league again. Is there a chance he comes out in 2026 and wins another MVP? Absolutely.
Patrick Mahomes will appear low on this NFL QB rankings list, but hear me out. The injury didn’t give him a full season to show what he can do, and even before that, he wasn’t producing at his typical level. If he comes back and shows he’s still got it, obviously he’ll reclaim a spot in the top three. For now, he sits at four.
Joe Burrow has always had all the talent in the world; he just can’t stay on the field. If he is able to play a full season, his talent would be on full display. He absolutely is a top-three QB in the NFL, and a healthy 2026 season will show that.
Josh Allen has always been battling for the number one spot; he just never seems to reach that peak. He had another fantastic season last year, but the interceptions did jump up into double digits again. He will need to get that under control to get number one next year.
Matthew Stafford is coming off one of the best seasons a QB has had. He led the league with 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns. He won the MVP last season, pushing himself above Allen, Burrow, and Mahomes in the rankings this year.
It’s almost impossible to get these rankings perfect at the start of the season, but we will see where this goes. There are tons of variables that go into these decisions, but nothing beats on-field production. Let’s see how these guys perform to start the season before making too many adjustments.
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