Week 9 NFL QB Power Rankings: Jordan Love rises, but is Packers QB underrated?

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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 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 9?

We present our latest edition of 2025 Quarterback Power Rankings:

Prisco's Week 9 NFL picks: Bills cool off red-hot Chiefs in classic shootout, Texans upset Broncos

Pete Prisco

NFL QB Power Rankings

1	Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs QB
The erratic start suddenly feels like a distant memory. Mahomes is now firing on all cylinders, remaining the Chiefs' most reliable chain-mover as both a scrambler and backyard-style distributor for Andy Reid's treasure trove of utility men. (+1)
2	Josh Allen Buffalo Bills QB
Allen won NFL MVP in 2024 by shepherding a more careful offense, so he's probably grinning after watching James Cook explode for 200 yards as run support. We know he can play Superman, but it's nice when he doesn't always have to. (-1)
3	Jared Goff Detroit Lions QB
Goff has long since built a reputation for accurate pocket passing when protected. But we don't give him enough credit for the degree of his precision; the ringleader of Dan Campbell's all-star offense is hitting almost 75% of his throws.
4	Jalen Hurts Philadelphia Eagles QB
Lost in the intermittent discourse about his ceiling as an explosive passer, Hurts isn't just controlling the ball better than just about anyone (he has just two turnovers); the champion also ranks second only to Mahomes in combined scores (20). (+4)
5	Jordan Love Green Bay Packers QB
Some weeks Love registers as a lesser component of Matt LaFleur's attack. Most weeks, however, he showcases arguably the most magical downfield ball placement in the NFL. He's averaging 8.4 yards per attempt as a deep-shot weapon. (+5)
6	Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens QB
After a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury, the former MVP is returning to the field at maybe just the right time, with Baltimore fresh off a surprise win and the AFC North looking increasingly muddled. Can he stay upright once back?
7	Drake Maye New England Patriots QB
Plenty expected a second-year leap from the 2024 first-rounder. Few expected such a dramatic one. His vision and touch on splash throws is nearly unmatched right now, hence the young man owning the NFL's best passer rating (118.7). (+1)
8	Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams QB
Even with Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell shuffling in and out of the lineup with injuries, Stafford is dealing as well as he did during his title-winning Rams debut. At the ripe age of 37, he currently leads the NFL in scoring throws per game. (-2)
9	Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys QB
Dak's been pretty lights out as both a tight-window thrower and big-play artist, fully capitalizing on the dynamic duo at his disposal out wide. His big hiccups have come in streaks, though, with four of his five picks occurring in two games. (-4)
10	Baker Mayfield Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
The zeal will never be questioned here, whether he's rifling a late-game throw into tight coverage or lowering his head for a rugged scramble. The concern is largely with his supporting cast, and whether he can carry such a banged-up bunch. (-3)
11	Jayden Daniels Washington Commanders QB
Marcus Mariota fared reasonably well in place of the injured Daniels in Washington's latest loss, as it was Dan Quinn's defense that truly faltered. Still, the Commanders could use a dose of No. 5's magic. Is he past the bumps and bruises?
12	Aaron Rodgers Pittsburgh Steelers QB
The Steelers couldn't best Rodgers' old team in their last outing, but it wasn't for a lack of top-end throws from the man himself. Is he confined to quicker-strike darts? Sure. But the issue in Pittsburgh isn't his touch; it's Mike Tomlin's defense.
13	Sam Darnold Seattle Seahawks QB
The one-time Vikings reclamation project is granting the Seahawks a loaded rifle with an eye for breakout target Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The challenge for Darnold will be maintaining this pace to keep his scrappy team atop the NFC West. (-2)
14	Daniel Jones Indianapolis Colts QB
It's tough to separate his sudden stardom from that of Jonathan Taylor, just as Jones also cruised alongside a splashy Saquon Barkley during his best Giants campaign. Efficiency is efficiency, though, and he's been sharp in the red area. (-1)
15	Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers QB
His play style and stats are probably a bit less polished than usual, but that's partially a result of the immense pressure he's faced behind a makeshift O-line. Herbert's prototypical physical tools always enable him to keep the Bolts in the mix. (-1)
16	Bo Nix Denver Broncos QB
It's not a big surprise that Nix isn't always pushing the ball, averaging just 6.3 yards per throw, in Sean Payton's offense. But this kid is the perfect temperamental match for his coach. He's now won 11 of his last 17 regular-season starts. (-1)
17	C.J. Stroud Houston Texans QB
An on-again, off-again performer for a Texans team frequently battling protection issues, Stroud could be in for a fuller, longer upswing if he keeps developing chemistry with rookie wideouts Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins.
18	Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars QB
We're only about halfway through 2025, but Liam Coen's arrival was supposed to spell the rejuvenation of Lawrence as "the guy." So far, it's been mostly more of the same all around: mercurial results, albeit with sloppy execution at each level.
19	Jaxson Dart New York Giants QB
Dart is just settling in as the energetic face of the offense, but already he feels like the last man standing in the wake of catastrophic injuries to both Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo. It's a good thing he functions as a dual threat.
20	Kyler Murray Arizona Cardinals QB
Absent for the Cardinals' last two games due to injury, Murray will face a new bit of pressure upon his return: reaching, let alone clearing, the bar set by Jacoby Brissett, who actually drove the ball down the field through the air from the pocket.
21	Caleb Williams Chicago Bears QB
We all know that what new Bears coach Ben Johnson loves is structure: aggression, yes, but in a calculated setup. Williams is still more streaky than stable as the signal-caller, though, completing fewer than 62% of his throws on the year. (-5)
22	Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins QB
Sometimes you have to hit a new low to climb back up. Tagovailoa was back to slinging tight spirals in a surprise rout of the Falcons. But can he finally string together sharp outings? The turnover bug has bitten him hard for volatile Miami. (+7)
23	Mac Jones San Francisco 49ers QB
Kyle Shanahan is leaving the door open for Brock Purdy's return after an extended absence, but caution has been the prevailing approach with the starter's lingering toe injury. Jones is doing a fine job in the meantime, going 4-2 as a fill-in. (-1)
24	Joe Flacco Cincinnati Bengals QB
Once the rental hero of the rival Browns, Flacco is capable of airing it out to Cincinnati's top weapons in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. But can he keep offsetting the Bengals' defensive woes? It's a big ask for an aging journeyman who is currently battling a shoulder injury. (-1)
25	Justin Fields New York Jets QB
Asked to reclaim the top gig in the absence of an injured Tyrod Taylor, Fields produced maybe his cleanest start of the year in the wake of Jets ownership also implying he was unfit for No. 1 duties. He's shown resilient character through it all.
26	Michael Penix Jr. Atlanta Falcons QB
Sidelined with a bone bruise in Week 8, Penix's Falcons standing might be even more secure after veteran Kirk Cousins floundered in his own return to the field. Still, Atlanta needs the youngster to sharpen his timing and decision-making.
27	J.J. McCarthy Minnesota Vikings QB
Welp, it's finally his time (again). The Vikings all but drove Carson Wentz into the ground as McCarthy's emergency fill-in. Now the pressure is on the second-year man to uplift a downtrodden team and prove he can still be a long-term hope.
28	Andy Dalton Carolina Panthers QB
The Panthers may or may not have Bryce Young back in the saddle after a one-game absence due to an ankle injury. It would probably be a boost if they do, for Young at least flashed late-game composure to guide a three-game win streak.
29	Geno Smith Las Vegas Raiders QB
At this point, what else is coach Pete Carroll supposed to do? Smith is the most polished arm in the Raiders' quarterback room, even if his worst tendencies as a boom-or-bust gunslinger have helped doom an aging Las Vegas roster. (+1)
30	Cam Ward Tennessee Titans QB
Ward isn't shy about blasting his own team's flaws, and he's flashed with his heroic arm on occasion. He's also been a big part of the roller coaster, completing just 57% of his throws with as many picks (5) as touchdowns during a 1-7 start. (+1)
31	Tyler Shough New Orleans Saints QB
After roughly a half-season of leaning upon a scrappy, if unspectacular, Spencer Rattler, new Saints coach Kellen Moore is finally turning to his handpicked project in Shough, who at 6-foot-5 literally gives New Orleans a bigger body under center.
32	Dillon Gabriel Cleveland Browns QB
Is it fair that some Browns fans are already irate Cleveland intends to keep Gabriel, a feisty but very uneven rookie, as the No. 1? Not necessarily. But his offense really does struggle to drive the ball; he's averaging just 4.9 yards per throw.