1 - Josh Allen (BUF): 394 passing yards, 30 rushing yards, 4 total TDs, 0 INTs in 41-40 win vs BAL.
Josh Allen showed every skeptic exactly why he won the 2024 MVP award on Sunday night against the Ravens. Allen was dominant against a Ravens defence which ended 2024 as one of the best units in the league, earning a 112 passer rating with two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns to come back from 40-25 down late in the 4th quarter to win the game 41-40. The Bills signal caller has improved every year he has played and early on 2025 looks like no exception, with his accuracy and timing seemingly better again than ever before.
In defeating Lamar Jackson's Ravens and outperforming his rival statistically (even though both were excellent), Allen secures his spot as the best regular season quarterback in the league right now. After such a statistically dominant night, it is hard to see how he should not be the frontrunner to remain in pole position throughout the season, not only in these rankings but also in the race for MVP.
2 - Lamar Jackson (BAL): 209 passing yards, 70 rushing yards, 3 total TDs, 0 INTs in 40-41 loss vs BUF.
Lamar Jackson came out on the losing side of his heavyweight clash with Josh Allen in week one but this by no means dictates that he played poorly. In fact, the Ravens late collapse at Orchard Park on Sunday night really can't be blamed on Jackson at all, who up to that point looked like the best player on the field and finished with an exceptional 144.4 passer rating, the best across the NFL.
As usual, Jackson's dynamic athleticism allowed him to cause havoc to a Bills defence which seemed lost trying to cope with him, and it was Jackson's own defence and some questionable strategic decisions from head coach John Harbaugh which led to the Ravens falling short. Therefore, assuming Jackson's play remains at the same level, he should be expected to compete with Allen both for the MVP and for the top spot in these rankings as the season progresses.
3 - Patrick Mahomes (KC): 258 passing yards, 57 rushing yards, 2 total TDs, 0 INTs in 21-27 loss vs LAC.
Patrick Mahomes is not often outplayed by his opposite number but that was the case in week one against Justin Herbert. Mahomes' Chiefs had an air of inevitability about them in 2024, going undefeated in one-score games, but this came crashing down in Sāo Paulo, with Kansas City losing in the first week of the season for only the second time of the Mahomes' era.
In spite of the odd poor performance, Patrick Mahomes is somewhat unanimously viewed as the most talented quarterback in the NFL, so some may question his placement behind Allen and Jackson in these ranking. Whilst I agree that Mahomes still reigns as the NFL's best player overall, his regular season performances over the last two campaigns have not matched his usual quality, whilst he has still been able to rise to this level in the playoffs. Add this to his performance against the Chargers and his placement behind the two frontrunners for MVP feels fairly concrete, unless the 'playoff Mahomes' we are used to seeing in January can start making appearances throughout the Autumn.
4 - Joe Burrow (CIN): 113 passing yards, 3 rushing yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs in 17-16 win vs CLE.
If this ranking was based purely on week 1, Joe Burrow would be near the bottom of the league. However, this would be the case every year and Joe Burrow from weeks 2-17 is an unquestionable top 4 quarterback in the league. Whilst the reasoning behind his slow starts is something which continues to puzzle the NFL world, he has earned the benefit of the doubt that this one annual terrible performance to start each year can be excused.
That being said, this performance was still rough even by his own 'week one' standards. Burrow and his duo of elite receivers, Ja'marr Chase and Tee Higgins, struggled to break down a stubborn Cleveland Browns defence and relied on their own defence to come through and win the game. On the bright side, Cincinnati started 1-0, something that they hadn't done since they went to the Super bowl in 2021 and the curse of their slow starts seems to have passed without consequence this year. Therefore, as long as Burrow improves, Cincinnati should be in a good position to return to the playoffs.
5 - Jalen Hurts (PHI): 152 passing yards, 62 rushing yards, 2 total TDs, 0 INTs in 24-20 win vs DAL.
The opening night of the 2025 NFL Season was a rough one for Jalen Hurts' critics. Whilst the rest of his Eagles offence struggled against a surprisingly resilient Cowboys defence, Hurts looked head and shoulders the best player on the field, combining a few accurate deep shots down the field with a number of back-breaking scrambles to ensure the Eagles avoided a scare and started the year 1-0. Statistically his performance doesn't jump off the page and many of his receivers struggled to get touches (notably star wide-out AJ Brown who only recorded 1 catch for 8 yards), but Hurts did exactly what he needed to do for Philadelphia to win this game and no more - exactly the strategy which led to their Super Bowl championship last season.
6 - Justin Herbert (LAC): 318 passing yards, 32 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs in 27-21 win vs KC.
Justin Herbert finally showed up in a big game. For years now, Herbert has been a perennial 'what if', clearly demonstrating elite level talent but whenever he was under bright lights fading under the pressure. Albeit a week one game, his matchup in Brazil against Kansas City was certainly a pressure fixture, with the game featured in a primetime Friday night spot on Youtube TV and streamed for free around the world. Where previously Herbert would have struggled under the lights, he instead put forward one of the best games of his career, picking apart a Chiefs defence which has caused so many problems to others in recent years to finish with an exceptional 131.7 passer rating and a 74% completion rate.
Most impressive in Herbert's performance however was his ability to close the game out on the final drive, ending the game with an expert quick decision to scramble on 3rd down instead of attempt a contested pass downfield. If this is a sign of things to come, all the analysts that have been lauding over Herbert's potential for years now might finally be proven right.
7 - Jayden Daniels (WAS): 233 passing yards, 68 rushing yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs in 21-6 win vs NYG.
2024's rookie sensation Jayden Daniels' start to his sophomore season did not quite match many expectations for a year two jump but a number of reasons exist for this. Primarily, the Giants defence which he faced in week one projects to be one of the best in the NFL, especially up front, which heavily limited Daniels' time in the pocket. Despite that, Daniels showed his usual poise and accuracy by delivering an assured, mistake-free performance to do just enough to remain comfortable against a division opponent. The Giants should also be one of the tougher opponents he faces this season, although he will of course face them again in New York, so there will be better opportunities for Commanders fans to see any improvements. However, even if Daniels is exactly the same player he was as a rookie, his spot in this top 10 should be assured throughout the year.
8 - Baker Mayfield (TB): 167 passing yards, 39 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs in 23-20 win vs ATL.
Baker Mayfield is fast becoming one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL. Whenever the lights shine brightest, whenever the moment requires Baker to be at his absolute best, he is able to produce a moment of magic to meet the occasion. This last week was no different, with just over 2 minutes and only one timeout left in the game, Baker executed a beautiful game winning drive culminating in a 25-yard strike to rookie receiver Emeka Ebguka to close out the game.
While the rest of Baker's performance didn't stand out, with his 53.1% completion rate something he will definitely look to improve on going forward, the importance of his ability in the clutch cannot be overstated. Mayfield has something that so many of his competitors lack in his ability to consistently perform when it matters most. This is why he will always find his way into higher tiers of a quarterback ranking.
9 - Matthew Stafford (LAR): 245 passing yards, -2 rushing yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs in 14-9 win vs HOU.
Matthew Stafford was the biggest question mark of any of these quarterbacks going into the season, due mainly to his age and rumours of a persistent back injury. Whilst his performance against Houston didn't remind anyone of the Stafford of old, the veteran was able to do enough against one of the league's best young defences to come out on top. Whilst his connection with new star wide-out Davante Adams appeared a little rusty at times, as Stafford participates more in practice now his back appears to be recovered these differences should be ironed out, and his relationship with number one receiver Puka Nacua seemed as strong as ever. This should be the rustiest performance of Stafford's season and assuming he can avoid re-aggravating his back the Rams should be in for a good season.
10 - Dak Prescott (DAL): 188 passing yards, 3 rushing yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs in 20-24 loss vs PHI.
Dak Prescott might be this week's most controversial inclusion in the top 10 for those who weren't able to watch the season opener on Thursday night. After all, a performance with no touchdowns, less than 200 yards and passer rating of 76.6 hardly looks like one worthy of a top 10 spot for a quarterback many would have placed more around 15th before the season started. However, for those who watched Eagles vs Cowboys, they know just how good Dak was in week 1 and just how misleading these stats are.
Dak Prescott made every play possible for Dallas to defeat the defending Super Bowl champions. He was accurate, poised and surprisingly mobile, reminding everyone of just what a healthy Dak looks like having spent the majority of 2024 absent through injury. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Dak's receivers, namely Ceedee Lamb, could not match this level of production, with a number of key drops hurting both Prescott's stats and the Cowboys chances of winning the game. However, in spite of the loss, this performance from the Cowboys quarterback should bring optimism back to Dallas sports fans suffering in the wake of another star player (Micah Parsons) leaving their city - the Cowboys will never truly be bad as long as Dak is at the helm.
Honourable Mentions:
Jordan Love, CJ Stroud, Jared Goff, Aaron Rodgers