There are few more heated debates among NFL fan bases than which quarterback reigns supreme in the AFC West.
Over the past two seasons, it's become abundantly clear that Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix would rank #1 on any list of the most oddly disrespected quarterbacks in the NFL, but where does he rank among his peers in the AFC West?
Any list like this can be dangerously subjective, even though the Las Vegas Raiders objectively don't have a strong enough candidate (yet) to be considered in the mix for the top three. But each of the other starting quarterbacks in the AFC West might have a legitimate argument to be considered the best in the division, and arguments can be made that after last season, they could all be as low as 3rd as well. We're going to do our best to rank each starting quarterback in the division worst to best heading into 2026.
All four AFC West starting quarterbacks ranked worst to best
4. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
At this point, there's really no question that the Raiders take the last spot on this list, regardless if you want to include the presumptive starter in 2026 -- Kirk Cousins -- or the future of the franchise: Fernando Mendoza.
Cousins is past his prime, but is still capable of playing decent football. On the sinking ship that was the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins played some inspired ball down the stretch last season. Still, his effectiveness and ceiling are severely limited right now. He's not a statue in the pocket, but he's not exactly breaking ankles, either.
Cousins' last season as a full-time starter included a horrendous 16 interceptions and 13 fumbles in 14 starts. He cut down on the turnover-worthy plays last season, but at the age of 37 going on 38 in August, Cousins has a moderately high floor and a very low ceiling.
3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
If you were to rank the AFC West quarterbacks by pure talent, Justin Herbert would be on top of the list. Herbert is the most physically gifted quarterback in the division, but he's not without flaws.
Even though Herbert has built a god-like reputation for so many in the NFL analytics community, he has failed miserably in the biggest moments of his NFL career up to this point. Since being drafted in 2020, Herbert has played in three total playoff games. Here are his numbers from those games extrapolated to a 17-game season, to paint a picture of just how rough it has been in the postseason for Herbert:
- 3,819 yards
- 54.7 completion rate
- 12 TDs
- 22 INTs
- 73 sacks
Everyone knows Herbert is capable of making any and every throw. He's one of the best at getting out of the pocket and making plays. But at this stage of his career, it's fair to expect a lot more out of him.
2. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
To be fair here, there are plenty of arguments to be made against Bo Nix being the 2nd-best quarterback in the AFC West. You could also argue that he's the best in some ways, at least over the last two years.
Nix has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the history of the league over the first two years of his career. He has helped lead the Broncos to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, he led them to the AFC Championship Game last year, and he's undoubtedly one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL right now.
Including the playoffs, Nix has engineered a whopping 11 game-winning drives. He's one of the best dual threats at the position in the NFL. The issue everyone has with Nix is that he's not the most efficient down-to-down quarterback in the league, which is fair. Nix has to raise the floor this coming season when it comes to his overall efficiency.
But even with that in mind, he does whatever it takes to help his team win, and he's proven he can get it done against the best defenses in the NFL.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
The overall body of work for Patrick Mahomes is still easily the best in the AFC West heading into 2026. Even in down years for Mahomes, he's still been one of the toughest to beat around the league. He's had to do more with a lot less as Kansas City's offensive line play and quality of receivers have significantly diminished in recent years.
The running game has also been virtually non-existent, which is why the team went out and got Kenneth Walker in free agency.
Mahomes is a 3-time Super Bowl champion and has won multiple MVP awards already. He's established himself more than any other QB in the division, so even coming off of injury, he has to be considered the best.
His touchdown percentage has regressed to about 4.5 percent over the last three years, so that may simply be the new floor for him, but if you were to bet on any AFC West quarterback throwing 45 touchdown passes in a season, who is taking someone other than Mahomes?
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