Week 3 QB Power Rankings: Who is No. 1? Where does Patrick Mahomes fall?

Kim O'Reilly, CBS Sports

Quarterbacks. They make the NFL go 'round.

If money talks, then the league's biggest contracts confirm it: This position is easily the most integral in every team's hunt for a championship. The truth is a bit more complex: Every signal-caller is often only as good as his setup and situation, though a select few register as transcendent talents.

No matter how you slice it, the guys who touch the ball on just about every play make a difference.

So which NFL teams are best equipped to make a run thanks to what they've got under center? Which ones boast either the game's most gifted or most fortunate passers at this moment? And which others might be in dire need of a change? We're taking stock of all 32 starters right here.

These rankings will change as the season unfolds; they're built to tell the story of each quarterback's respective rise and/or fall. Now where do the big names stack up at this juncture, going into Week 3?

We present our third 2025 edition of Quarterback Power Rankings:

NFL QB Power Rankings

1	Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens QB
In truth, he and Josh Allen probably deserve to share top billing. After cruising all over the field with his legs in Week 1, Jackson was back to launching perfect deep strikes to rout the Browns. This man is a walking highlight reel. (+1)
2	Josh Allen Buffalo Bills QB
He did the reverse Lamar Jackson to guide the Bills' 2-0 start, opening the year with heroic situational passing, then turning on the jets as a scrambler to rout the Jets. He and Jackson always make the top of the AFC must-see TV. (-1)
3	Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers QB
Hello, MVP candidate. Herbert looks as composed as ever while threading the rock downfield to an improved Quentin Johnston. If he keeps it up, Jim Harbaugh's Chargers will be real candidates to dethrone the Chiefs in the AFC West. (+1)
4	Jordan Love Green Bay Packers QB
The Packers haven't even been remotely challenged in their first two games. That's partly a testament to their rejuvenated defensive front. But Love's effortless gunslinging paces Matt LaFleur's attack. He's averaging 9.1 yards per throw. (+1)
5	Jalen Hurts Philadelphia Eagles QB
All the Eagles do is win with Hurts at the helm. As was the case for the 2024 title push, he and the passing attack aren't necessarily wowing opponents with splash plays. But you can trust him to make the necessary plays when it matters. (-2)
6	Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams QB
After a streakier start to the year, Stafford fully unlocked his gifted receiving duo of Davante Adams and Puka Nacua against the rebuilding Titans. A big test awaits in a rematch of last year's hard-fought playoff game in Philly. (+2)
7	Jared Goff Detroit Lions QB
Resilience has been the name of the game for Goff in Detroit. And Week 2 was just the latest example. Given a clean pocket, he picked apart the Bears with ease. It helps he's got the dynamic burst of Jameson Williams at his disposal. (+5)
8	Baker Mayfield Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
Do we give Mayfield his due? This man combined to throw 69 touchdowns in his first two years as the Bucs' gutsy leader. He's off to another hot start, building chemistry with rookie Emeka Egbuka and showing up as a clutch scrambler. (+1)
9	Jayden Daniels Washington Commanders QB
Technically considered day to day with a knee injury suffered in a Week 2 loss to the Packers, Daniels has to limit contact even if his slippery mobility is a top attribute. The pressure is suddenly on Washington's offense to stabilize. (-3)
10	Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys QB
The Cowboys feel like a circus of a mixed bag after a shootout with the Giants. But Prescott has quietly turned in some sharp pocket-passing displays so far, keeping both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens appropriately involved.
11	Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs QB
He's not getting a ton of help from an aging, inconsistent and banged-up crop of skill weapons, but the three-time champ might also be succumbing to pressure up front. At least he's showing persistence as a scrambler out of necessity. (-4)
12	Bo Nix Denver Broncos QB
The Broncos couldn't put away a winnable game against the Colts to improve to 2-0, but Nix actually took a step forward from a sloppy opener, helping Troy Franklin enjoy a breakout performance. His energy sets the tone for the offense. (+5)
13	Aaron Rodgers Pittsburgh Steelers QB
His home opener was spoiled by two picks, but only one was a true misfire. In some ways, Rodgers showcased even more impressive off-platform shots than in a four-touchdown Week 1 win. If only the Steelers could block for him, too. (+2)
14	Kyler Murray Arizona Cardinals QB
He and the Cardinals kind of sputtered out in Week 2, nearly losing a big fourth-quarter lead. But he's been efficient on the whole to start the year, hitting 70% of his throws and averaging 5 yards per carry as an always-shifty scrambler. (+7)
15	Drake Maye New England Patriots QB
His uneven Week 1 was troublesome. But Maye bounced back in a big way against the Dolphins, airing it out against a weak Miami secondary for two scores and a cool 82.6% completion rate. Give him time, and he'll toss a pretty ball. (+9)
16	Daniel Jones Indianapolis Colts QB
Two games into his stint as the Colts' starter, Indianapolis has yet to punt once. Sustainable? Maybe not. But he certainly looks more confident operating under Shane Steichen, electing also to push the ball downfield with solid accuracy. (+10)
17	Geno Smith Las Vegas Raiders QB
His aggressive approach paid off in Week 1 against a new-look Patriots defense, but he was none too fortunate hurling the ball into traffic against the Chargers. In fact, his three picks were an embodiment of the worst of his tendencies. (-6)
18	Michael Penix Jr. Atlanta Falcons QB
He finished with just 135 yards passing in a rout of the Vikings in Week 2, but he was fairly precise when called upon, setting up six scoring drives against Brian Flores' defense. His fundamentals from the pocket are clean and crisp. (+5)
19	Caleb Williams Chicago Bears QB
The former No. 1 pick was a bit steadier against the Lions than during his more dazzling, if volatile, opener against the Vikings. Still it didn't matter much thanks to the Bears' porous defense. Everyone's waiting for this all to click. (+1)
20	Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars QB
It feels like every Jaguars game and Lawrence start is a demonstration of this club's communication issues. In the wily veteran's defense, though, he kept fighting despite an uncharacteristically unreliable outing from Brian Thomas Jr. (+3)
21	Sam Darnold Seattle Seahawks QB
It was a tale of two halves for Darnold in his second Seahawks go-round. Two picks all but gifted the Steelers a victory ... until he kept firing to capitalize on Pittsburgh's own blunders. It's still obvious he can sling it. Consistency is key. (+3)
22	C.J. Stroud Houston Texans QB
At what point do we start voicing serious concern here? Stroud is once again saddled with a less-than-ideal setup in Houston, but the issues appear to be seeping into his own pace of play. He's got to find a way to fire it more quickly. (-4)
23	Russell Wilson New York Giants QB
After a totally flat debut in blue, Wilson turned into a showman of old against a gross Cowboys defense, launching one Malik Nabers bomb after another. Unfortunately, the magic didn't last until the buzzer thanks to his last deep shot. (+9)
24	Cam Ward Tennessee Titans QB
His acrobatics were maybe the one good thing to come from Tennessee's ugly Week 2 loss to the Rams, in which Brian Callahan's squad once again struggled to stay disciplined. Now if he can translate his rocket arm into efficiency. (+3)
25	Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins QB
For a little bit, Tagovailoa quieted critics in Week 2, reincorporating his speedy weapons with some important throws. The pendulum swung the other way by the end, with a fourth-quarter pick dooming Miami. Situational ball is a problem. (+3)
26	Carson Wentz Minnesota Vikings QB
Wentz's entry in place of the ailing J.J. McCarthy doubles as a chance for Minnesota to let the latter take a breather after an unexpectedly bumpy start. We know Wentz has an arm. Can he seize this opportunity to write a redemption story?
27	Jake Browning Cincinnati Bengals QB
Thrust under center for what figures to be the next three months as Joe Burrow recovers from turf toe, Browning's done this before; he went 4-3 as a fill-in back in 2023. Can he keep a level head behind Cincinnati's so-so front?
28	Spencer Rattler New Orleans Saints QB
The Saints fell to 0-2 thanks to their Week 2 matchup with the 49ers, but Rattler was a glimmer of hope, tossing three scores against Robert Saleh's defense. He's now kept New Orleans competitive in each of 2025's first two games. (+3)
29	Mac Jones San Francisco 49ers QB
Brock Purdy hasn't been ruled out while recovering from his own turf toe injury, but San Francisco figures to let its top quarterback rest after Jones successfully managed Kyle Shanahan's attack in Week 2. Can he keep it up?
30	Bryce Young Carolina Panthers QB
Should we put more stock into the grit Young showed in a near-comeback against Arizona, or the overmatched stretch that put Carolina in a hole in the first place? The Panthers still feel like they have to work so hard for any offense. (+1)
31	Tyrod Taylor New York Jets QB
Justin Fields' exit with a concussion leaves New York hoping for at least a modicum of stability from Taylor, 36, who's struggled to stay on the field even coming off the bench. He might offer a touch more pocket-passing poise, however.
32	Joe Flacco Cleveland Browns QB
He may be the seasoned vet of the Browns' quarterback room, but the 40-year-old had a major hand in Cleveland's big Week 2 loss to his old friends, the Ravens. He's already up to three interceptions in two games. (-3)