Before the NFL season started, we here at ClutchPoints ranked the 32 starting quarterbacks for the 2023 season. A lot has changed since then, and we are now nearing the mid-way point in the season. We decided to look back at that list and see what has changed. This ranking will take into account both player's performances this season and how we viewed them coming into the year since the season still has a long way to go. For example, Joe Burrow ranked number two in our preseason ranking. While his disappointing performance this season will cause him to be lowered on this ranking, he won't fall too far, as he still has a track record of being one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
32. Zach Wilson, New York Jets
Zach Wilson was not supposed to be the New York Jets starting quarterback. That honor was supposed to go to Aaron Rodgers. Wilson was thrust into action after Rodgers tore his Achilles only four snaps into his Jets career. Wilson's play since replacing Rodgers has only confirmed why the team found his replacement. If there is any silver lining, it is that Wilson has been moderately better over the last few weeks as the Jets have climbed to 4-3. On top of that, Rodgers hasn't ruled out a return this season.
31. Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons
Desmond Ridder ranked as the third-worst quarterback in our preseason rankings, and he hasn't done anything to exceed expectations. Ridder has six touchdowns to six interceptions, but more importantly, he has struggled to get his playmakers the ball. The Atlanta Falcons have surrounded the quarterback with talent, but Ridder has not made the most of it. He seems like a prime target to get replaced sooner rather than later.
30. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Ryan Tannehill has had a solid NFL career, but his days as a starter appear to be coming to a close. Tannehill only has two touchdowns all season. Will Levis stepped in as the starter in Week 8 for the Tennessee Titans and threw four touchdowns in just one game. Levis is the future of the franchise, and it is likely the team will give him the keys to the offense on a full-time basis soon.
29. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Rookie quarterbacks struggle, and that is to be expected. The concerning part of Bryce Young's career has been that his biggest criticisms as a draft prospect have been validated so far. The number one overall pick is small in stature, and it has made things hard for him early. On top of that, the Carolina Panthers have not surrounded their rookie with good players. Adam Thielen has had a big year, but there are few other weapons in Carolina.
Still, Young has shown potential, and it is far too early to say he won't live up to being the top choice from the 2023 NFL Draft. He led the Panthers to their first victory of the season in Week 8, and it was over C.J. Stroud – the rookie quarterback that has outplayed him this season – and the Houston Texans. Young seemed motivated by the critics in the game, and perhaps he can carry that momentum going forward. The Panthers have no need to lose games as they don't control their first-round pick this year.
28. Joshua Dobbs, Arizona Cardinals
Joshua Dobbs was a surprising Week 1 starter, but it seemed inevitable that he would eventually lose his job. That has come to fruition now, and Dobbs was just demoted to the bench. Dobbs and the Cardinals actually have exceeded everyone's expectations, but his run as a starter in 2023 has seemingly come to a close. Dobbs had 1,569 yards and eight touchdowns through the year before being moved to the bench.
27. Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson was the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback coming into the year, and he was electric when he was on the field. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury shut his season down prematurely. Luckily for the Colts, they brought in Gardner Minshew in the offseason. Minshew is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league, and he has kept the Colts' season afloat. Even though he was the backup, Minshew has played in all eight of the Colts' games this season. He has only started four games, and he still has more passing yards (1,400) than Zach Wilson, a player who has played almost all of the snaps in every game this season.
26. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Things haven't been pretty for the New York Giants this season in any facet of the game of football. Daniel Jones has contributed to the Giants' failures, but he also hasn't had much help either. The Giants' pass protection is arguably the worst in football, and it has led to Jones fighting for his life and having limited time to make reads and throws. Regardless of what the excuses are, Jones' production has been bad. By only throwing for 884 yards and two touchdowns (with six interceptions), Jones was destined to fall down the rankings of the best starting quarterbacks in the NFL.
25. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny Pickett's career is still young, but it already feels like he is on the path of mediocrity (or worse). He lacks much arm strength, and his numbers have been unimpressive. He has 1,330 yards and five touchdowns through the air this season.
24. Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas Raiders
For years, Jimmy Garoppolo won a lot of games because he did just enough to let a great defense carry the load. Now, he doesn't have a great team around him, and his limitations have become more obvious. The Las Vegas Raiders' quarterback only has 1,205 passing yards, and he has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns. To make matters worse, his injury red flags have remained prevalent. Garoppolo has one of the best receivers in the game in Davante Adams, but he has struggled to get him the ball.
23. Mac Jones, New England Patriots
Mac Jones is a solid quarterback who typically doesn't make too many mistakes. Unfortunately, this is his undoing as well. Jones is a game manager who lacks big-play ability. His turnover numbers are up this season as well. He has nine touchdowns to eight interceptions. For being a game manager with a supposed high floor and low ceiling, Jones' season has been very up and down.
22. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers fans have been blessed. They went from one Hall of Famer (Brett Favre) to a future Hall of Famer (Aaron Rodgers). Now, Jordan Love is the man behind center. He hasn't looked quite like a future Hall of Famer yet, but he still has a long career ahead of him. Love started the season as one of the best touchdown passers in the league, but the completions and yardage didn't make it seem like the touchdown production was sustainable. That has proved true over the last few weeks. Love has had plenty of encouraging moments, though, and it seems more than possible that the Packers have found another long-term quarterback solution.
21. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield was nearly out of the league, but he has made the most of his opportunity as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback. Mayfield is far from a perfect player, but he is a competitor, and he always seems to make big plays. The former number-one overall pick has 1,600 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and only four interceptions.
20. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson was once a surefire top-1o quarterback in the NFL, but that was years ago. Despite signing a contract with the largest cap hit ever, Watson's tenure with the Cleveland Browns has been a disaster. The quarterback was suspended for the first 10 games of last season, and he has only played in four games this year. When he has been on the field, the results have not been pretty. Watson was a stud in 2020 with the Houston Texans, and he is still only 28 years old, so there is a chance he will return to form. If he doesn't soon, though, he will plummet even further down the ranking of the best NFL quarterbacks than he already has.
19. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Justin Fields has been one of the hardest players to evaluate this year. Expectations were high for the Chicago Bears quarterback coming into the year, and he immediately disappointed. Fields only had 2,326 yards and three passing touchdowns in the first game, including a 99-yard outing against the Kansas City Chiefs. The catastrophic start had Bears fans eyeing Caleb Williams. After the putrid start, though, Fields bounced back in a big way. He threw four touchdowns in each of his next two games. He even set a franchise record with 16 straight completions against the Denver Broncos.
However, right when things were looking up, Fields suffered a thumb injury that has kept him out of the last two contests and will hold him out of next week's matchup as well. When he returns, Fields has the potential to climb these rankings quickly. He has always been elite at rushing the ball, but his throwing has been inconsistent at best. Fans hope that his last two complete games will be a sign of what is to come.
18. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr has had some good moments in his career. For years, Carr was among the best fourth-quarter quarterbacks, an important trait for a quarterback to possess. He almost added another comeback drive to his resume a few weeks ago, but Foster Moreau dropped his pass in the end zone. Even with that said, Carr has always been a middle of the pack quarterback. Therefore, he ranks in the middle-of-the-pack for the best quarterbacks in the NFL now.
17. Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
Sam Howell has been one of the biggest surprises of the NFL season, and if he continues on the trajectory that he is on, then he will continue to climb the ranks. Howell was expected to be one of the worst quarterbacks this season. Instead, he is sixth in passing yards (2,146) and sixth in touchdown passes (13). Howell is still flying under the radar, and that might help him in continuing to catch defenses off guard.
16. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford did his job. He brought a Super Bowl championship to the Los Angeles Rams. Paired with Cooper Kupp, that 2021 year was special for the Rams offense. Results were less pretty in 2022, but Stafford has done what he does best in 2023, and that is get the ball in his superstar's hands. On the Detroit Lions, he did this with Calvin Johnson. Cooper Kupp won the triple-crown because of this. Now, Puka Nacua has emerged as a future star. With how well Nacua and Kupp have played this season, it is a surprise that Stafford's numbers don't look better. He has thrown the ball down the field (2,070 passing yards), but it hasn't led to touchdown scoring, and the Rams are only 3-5.
15. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
For years, Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys have had an impressive offense, but it didn't lead to playoff success. The Cowboys are an impressive 5-2 this year, but it has been the defense that has carried the burden. Prescott has 1,637 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.
14. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
The Russell Wilson trade is an interesting one to look back on. Wilson's replacement, Geno Smith, completely outproduced Wilson last season. Smith has still been effective this year, but he hasn't been as special as he was last year. He ranks 16th in passing yards, 19th in passing touchdowns, and 21st in completions. Smith has seemingly fallen back into mediocrity, but his Seahawks are also 5-2. There is clearly a reason Smith was a backup for six straight seasons prior to last year, but the former Jet has also proven that he is a deserving starting quarterback in the NFL.
13. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson had a disastrous 2022 season, but he has bounced back in a big way in 2023. So much so that he has thrown the fourth most passing touchdowns (16) this season. This year has been far from perfect for Wilson, though. His Broncos started off 1-5, and Wilson has struggled to put together a complete game, usually dominating the first half before struggling in the second half. His statistics might even be inflated because of Denver's lack of a running game, but that is also something that has made it harder on the quarterback.
Wilson has improved greatly under Sean Payton, and he has reminded everyone why he was a perennial top-10 quarterback for the better part of a decade. The Broncos have won two games in a row, including a win over the Kansas City Chiefs that ended a 16-game losing streak. It remains to be seen if Wilson will be the quarterback of the future in Denver, but he has flashed enough to give Broncos fans hope that he is returning to form.
12. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Rookie quarterbacks usually struggle in their first season, but that has not been the case for C.J. Stroud. The second-overall pick has been much better than his rookie peers, and he has emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the league overall. The rookie entered elite territory when he became only the sixth quarterback ever to throw for at least 1,200 yards without an interception in their first four games. He also set a rookie record for consecutive passes without an interception. The ability to take care of the football is a special and rare trait for a young signal-caller.
11. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy has already done a lot of winning in his young NFL career. In fact, until Week 6, Purdy had never lost a game as the San Francisco 49ers starter. Purdy has fallen back to Earth since then, losing each of his last three games. Still, the start of his career was unprecedented. Purdy may not be known as a statistic darling, but his numbers are better than what you may expect. He ranks in the top 10 for both passing yards (2,033) and passing touchdowns (12). Purdy takes what the defense gives him and does what his team needs of him. Purdy is never rattled in the pocket, and it is likely he will get the Niners back on track soon.
10. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence has been good since entering the NFL as the number-one overall pick, but it is fair to say he hasn't even lived up to expectations. The Clemson product was viewed as one of the best draft prospects ever, so you would prefer if his numbers jumped off of the page a little bit more. Lawrence has 1,935 passing yards and nine touchdowns. The yardage is ranked 10th, and the touchdowns are middle of the pack. Lawrence still ranks in the top 10 because the quarterback position is thin league-wide, and it is tough to even find above-average players at the position.
9. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff has found new life since joining the Detroit Lions, and that has carried over into 2023. After leading the Lions to become the fifth highest-scoring team in 2022, Goff now has 2,134 passing yards in 2023, the fourth most in the league. Goff's Lions are a high-octane offense, and the quarterback has a once disgraceful franchise at 6-2 for the year. The Lions are legit contenders, and Goff is a big reason why.
8. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
For years, Kirk Cousins was viewed as a mediocre quarterback. It wasn't until this year that people started to talk about Cousins as a top-10 quarterback. Cousins has always put up big numbers, and that was on full display this year. Despite Justin Jefferson missing time, Cousins is tied for the league lead with 18 touchdown passes. He also has 2,331 passing yards, the second most in the NFL. Unfortunately, Cousins suffered a torn Achilles in Week 8. Cousins' season won't continue, but his first-half production was impressive enough to warrant a spot in the top 10 of NFL quarterbacks.
7. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson is a former MVP winner and one of the best-running quarterbacks of all time. His problem the last few seasons is he has struggled with injuries, largely due in part because of his running tendencies. Jackson has countered that this year by vastly improving as a pocket passer. His 70.5% completion rate is not only by far the best of his career, but it is also the third best of any NFL starter this year; not bad for a guy who critics have called a running back.
6. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL. He shattered records as a rookie/sophomore, and while he has remained uber-skilled, he hasn't done as much winning as many would like. The Chargers still don't have a playoff win with Herbert under center, and they have started off the 2023 season with a 3-4 record. Still, there is no denying the talent.
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow had a terrible start to the 2023 season, but that can largely be attributed to him playing through injury. He came out of the gates with only two touchdowns and 728 yards in the first four games. Since then, though, Burrow has reminded fans why many (including me) were calling him the best quarterback in the NFL not named Mahomes. The quarterback has eight passing touchdowns over the last three games, and he appears to be back on track and ready to return to his dominant form for the rest of the season.
4. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
The biggest question marks with Tua Tagovailoa have always been about health. This year, he has been protected well behind a much improved Miami Dolphins offensive line, and it has led to him staying healthy all season. The results have made him an MVP favorite. Tagovailoa leads the highest-powered offense in football. The Dolphins have the number one scoring offense. Their 36 total touchdowns are nine more than the next-best team. Tagovailoa has definitely held up his side of the bargain. The fourth-year thrower has the most passing yards (4,416) in the NFL, and he is tied for the lead in passing touchdowns (18). Having a now deadly rushing attack to go along with arguably the best receding duo in the league has made life easy for Tagovailoa, and his offense hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
The “tush push” has taken over professional football, and no one does it better than Jalen Hurts. He once again leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback because of it, but Hurts is much more than just a running quarterback. Hurts has 2,140 passing yards and 13 passing touchdowns, both numbers that rank in the top in the NFL. Furthermore, Hurts is a great leader and is determined to win it all after losing in the Super Bowl last season. The 7-1 Philadelphia Eagles are a scary team right now, and Hurts is a big reason why.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen has all of the physical traits in the world, and he puts that on display nearly on a weekly basis. Allen runs over defenders with ease, he has unmatched arm strength, and his big play ability is top-tier. In 2023, Allen has the fifth-most passing yards (2,165), fourth-most completions (205), and the third-most passing touchdowns (17). He has done that while leading the league in completion percentage (71.7%). He even has five rushing touchdowns. Allen is, without a doubt, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but Burrow can easily reclaim the number two position in these rankings. Allen will need to step it up in the postseason this year.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes always does Patrick Mahomes things. The two-time MVP winner and undisputed best quarterback in the NFL is once again the favorite to be crowned MVP. His Kansas City Chiefs are also the favorites to win the Super Bowl yet again. Mahomes' heroics have become expected around the NFL. His arm strength, accuracy, and ability to extend plays are all traits that are better than most of his peers. Mahomes is currently third in passing yards (2,258), second in completion (209), and fifth in touchdowns (15). The league's best player has a couple of unusual interceptions, but other than that, he has been nearly flawless. Mahomes has shined despite having the worst receiving core of his career. He doesn't have a big-name receiver to throw to (Travis Kelce is a tight end), and his receivers have struggled with dropped passes this season.
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