The AFC is quite loaded with competent quarterbacks, and the Denver Broncos have one. Obviously, in today's NFL, no team is going to sustain long-term success without having a stud quarterback.
And not only are there some legitimately great passers right now, but there are also some younger signal-callers who are trending in that direction. It would not be a shock if the AFC turned out to be filled with notable quarterbacks from top to bottom.
Let's power-rank the 16 projected starters at the position following OTAs and minicamp.
Updated AFC quarterback rankings following OTAs and minicamp in 2026
16. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Shedeur Sanders could very well start for the Cleveland Browns this year, but we'll slot in Deshaun Watson. He's the veteran in the room and should emerge as the better quarterback, but that is not saying much. Watson has been, to put it lightly, flat-out horrendous during his time with the Browns, and it feels like it's been a decade since he's played good football.
I believe he's a lot closer to being out of the league than some think, especially if 2026 goes off the rails.
15. Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
Malik Willis filled in quite nicely as Jordan Love's backup with the Green Bay Packers. He's now back in the AFC and inked a multi-year deal with the Miami Dolphins. I guess the Dolphins are hoping that Willis could emerge as the next reclamation project quarterback-turned competent starter, but he has such limited on-field experience that it's hard to rank him any higher.
14. Geno Smith, New York Jets
Geno Smith has been a below-average quarterback for multiple years now, but if nothing else, the New York Jets appear to have a much more stable personnel situation in 2026 than Las Vegas did in 2025. Smith isn't going to lead this team to a ton of wins, but I suppose he could be consistently below-average, which is actually better than the quarterback production the Jets got last year.
13. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward made some big-time throws down the stretch for the Tennessee Titans and could be a very logical breakout candidate in 2026. He's got all the tools and appears to have a solid coaching situation in place with Brian Daboll running the show on offense. Ward could rise in these rankings soon.
12. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins is definitely now of the 'high-end backup' variety, and the Raiders obviously did not sign him to start for multiple season and try to win a ton of games. He's going to take a backseat to Fernando Mendoza at some point, but Cousins has played enough football to not be a total disaster for Las Vegas this year.
11. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers' 2025 performance is a perfect example of the eye test. On paper, he was rather efficient, but the eye test tells us that he's an aging quarterback who really showed it during the 2025 campaign. He's now in his age-43 season and is going to take another step back in 2026.
10. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Daniel Jones was on fire during the first-half of the 2025 season, but only playing well half the time doesn't get you far in the NFL. The torn Achilles also did not help, and we're now suddenly in a situation where Jones and the Indianapolis Colts are having to redo this entire operation. Even right before the injury, Jones' play was getting sloppy.
9. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
CJ Stroud, since the start of the 2024 NFL Season, has thrown 39 touchdowns against 20 interceptions for an average 89.6 passer rating. This is the player he has been for two-thirds of his career. He's also played fewer than 17 games in two of his three NFL seasons.
8. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence played the best football of his life over the last month and a half of the regular season in 2025. Up until that point, he was a rather disappointing quarterback. Lawrence does have the potential to burst onto the scene as an elite passer in 2026, but we do have a very limited sample size of his playing great, so I am not sure a higher ranking is warranted here.
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
The most consistently solid quarterback in the NFL, Justin Herbert is No. 7 in our power rankings. Besides the regular season numbers, which are always modestly efficient, there isn't anything else present with Herbert. He's been a disaster in the playoffs and is just a good quarterback - nothing more.
I understand that people are infatuated with his massive arm strength and huge frame, but if Herbert was more of an average size, like 6-3 and 215lbs, would we think of him differently?
6. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Through two years in the NFL, Bo Nix has led the Denver Broncos into the playoffs both years, amassed 24 wins, and likely would have appeared in the Super Bowl had he not broken his ankle. That ankle really threw a wrench into things. Nix is on the mend and is going to be ready to roll soon.
He's got all the tools you want in a franchise player, and while the passing production on paper is not eye-popping, he has dealt with some below-average playmakers in each year of his career thus far.
5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson dealt with another year scarred by injuries. The health is always a concern with a true dual-threat player like him. Obviously, he's one of the very best players in the NFL when he is healthy and on the field, but his ranking takes a hit for 2026 unless he proves he can get back to his old ways.
4. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes was another elite quarterback that got hurt during the 2025 season. Even when Mahomes was healthy, the Kansas City Chiefs weren't a huge threat, and Mahomes' efficiency has certainly taken a hit these past couple of seasons. There has been a regression in this regard, and he's now having to deal with suffering a major knee injury, and is now also embarking on his age-31 season.
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow unfortunately cannot stay consistently healthy, and I say unfortunately because he's among the best in the NFL when on the field. The Cincinnati Bengals did improve the defense big-time this offseason, so there is reason to believe that Burrow's Bengals will get back into the playoffs.
A truly elite pocket passer and one of the best at winning from this pocket that the NFL has, Burrow comes in at No. 3 in our power rankings.
2. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Finishing second in MVP voting in 2025, Drake Maye is No. 2 in our power rankings. Maye has been in the league for just two seasons. We do only have one year of Maye playing this well, and with the New England Patriots seeing a much tougher schedule in 2026, a regression could be coming.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
I did have Drake Maye ranked first in the AFC for the longest time, but Josh Allen will take this spot. He's been consistently excellent for years and has helped lead the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs each year since 2019.
It is worth wondering how much longer Allen is going to be able to be a top-tier dual-threat passer, but there have not been any signs of regression. Allen and the Bills have been a staple atop the AFC for years. Yes, a Super Bowl run has evaded them, but the consistent success is legendary.
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