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Week 6 Rankings:
1 - Patrick Mahomes (KC): 257 passing yards, 32 rushing yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs in 30-17 win vs DET. (Week 5 - 2nd)
If there's one thing Patrick Mahomes knows how to do it's respond to criticism. Everyone across the league was willing to right the Chiefs off as a contender for the AFC's top seed after their third defeat of the season in Week 5, so Mahomes & Co. responded by dominating the Detroit Lions (4-1) to get right back on track. Since the second half in week 3, Mahomes' play has reached a level we haven't seen from him since his MVP season in 2022, finding himself back amongst the best in individual stats and finally finding the same form we see from him every postseason. This is likely because the 2025 Chiefs really need the best of him in order to stay competitive; whilst previous Kansas City sides were cruising to 12+ wins without Mahomes' best showings, this years team is still only 3-3. Despite this, the lack of a run-away favourite in the AFC is playing strongly into the Chiefs favour, and with their usual competitors in Buffalo faltering whilst Cincinnati and Baltimore are nowhere to be seen, Kansas City and Mahomes are still right where they need to be.
2 - Baker Mayfield (TB): 256 passing yards, 14 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs in 30-19 win vs SF. (Week 5 - 4th)
Baker Mayfield is defying logic every time he steps on to the field in 2025 and his efforts to carry his Buccaneers side to their 5-1 record in spite of their depleted roster have placed him firmly in contention to win his first MVP. Week 6 has come and gone without it's customary game winning drive from Tampa Bay's main man, but that's only because the Bucs were already out of sight by the time that final drive came around. Not only did Baker start this game without Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving (all pillars of the Buccaneers usual offensive attack), star rookie Emeka Egbuka also went out midway through the third quarter, leaving Mayfield with the task of dragging a group of backups past a staunch 49ers defence playing excellently behind returning coordinator Robert Salah. Not only was Mayfield up to the task, he never once looked stressed by it, stringing together unbelievable play after unbelievable play en route to yet another impressive win over a likely NFC playoff opponent.
3 - Josh Allen (BUF): 180 passing yards, 42 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs in 14-24 loss vs ATL. (Week 5 - 1st)
Josh Allen's superhuman powers appear to be fading, as the Bills have fallen to 4-2 after their undefeated start and have lost their grip on the AFC East and the AFC as a whole. Allen struggled against one of the league's most surprising defensive units in the Atlanta Falcons, throwing another 2 interceptions in what is becoming quite a turnover-happy spell in the signal caller's career. The Falcons excelled at putting Allen under pressure in this game, forcing him into rushed decisions and a number of uncharacteristically poor throws downfield. This result pushes the Bills out of first place in their division, with the revitalised Patriots suddenly emerging as a real challenger to the title Buffalo has taken in each of the last 5 seasons. That being said, it's still a little early for alarm bells, as the Bills should still have no trouble making the postseason, but in a year where they should have been nailed on favourites for the AFC's number one seed, this loss of form will certainly sting.
4 - Matthew Stafford (LAR): 181 passing yards, 1 rushing yard, 1 TD, 0 INTs in 17-3 win vs BAL. (Week 5 - 3rd)
Matt Stafford was considerably underwhelming in his week 6 showing against Baltimore, a defence which every quarterback to that point had feasted on statistically. The Rams never fully lost control of the game, in part due to Baltimore's offence being entirely incapable of moving the ball down the field, but their offensive showing left a lot to be desired, especially after an injury to star receiver Puka Nacua. This could well be the result of conservative play calling, as with the game never in doubt the risk of turnovers was the only path for the Rams to walk away with a defeat. On the other hand, it could be a sign that the Rams offense isn't as effective as we had once thought, and can't survive the absence of Nacua who will miss at least Week 7 through this injury.
5 - Dak Prescott (DAL): 261 passing yards, -1 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs in 27-30 loss vs CAR. (Week 5 - 5th)
Even Dak could not drag the Cowboys to a win against the Panthers in Week 6, with a catalog of defensive errors and a total inability to stop the run allowing Carolina to come away with a narrow victory, pushing Dallas back below .500. Sunday's game in Charlotte was always going to provide a great litmus test on just how competitive this Cowboys' roster could be, and this defeat is a sobering one for any Cowboys fan who had dreams this year of the postseason - while the 2025 Panthers might not be as bad as previously editions, a loss to this team is still a strong indicator that Dallas cannot be taken seriously.
6 - Justin Herbert (LAC): 264 passing yards, 2 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs in 29-27 win vs MIA. (Week 5 - 7th)
Justin Herbert had a mini bounce-back game in Week 6 against the Dolphins, finally halting the Chargers rapid sliding down the standings after their 3-0 with a crucial game-winning drive. Herbert didn't play fantastically, as he continues to look unsettled following the injuries to both of his star offensive tackles in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, but he did what he needed to do in the clutch, somehow finding Ladd McConkey for a huge gain down the field with less than a minute on the clock. Whilst LA has managed to move back to 4-2, signs are that the Chargers are faltering, as the fact that they need these Herbert heroics against a side as poor as the Dolphins is a bad indicator for the rest of their season, especially with a matchup against the 5-1 Colts in Week 7.
7 - Jayden Daniels (WAS): 211 passing yards, 52 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT in 24-25 loss vs CHI (Week 5 - 6th)
Jayden Daniels is far from suffering from the dreaded 'sophomore slump' but he definitely hasn't taken a step forward this year either. In the four games he's played either side of a short absence this year due to a knee injury, Daniels has exhibited much the same skill set that brought him so much attention as a rookie - excellent poise, superb pocket presence and great decision making. However, the last of these evaded him in Week 6, with two critical turnovers ultimately proving the difference as the Commanders fell to Caleb Williams and Chicago. There's no big reason for concern - turnovers happen and the rest of Jayden's performance was well up to his usual excellence - but this year's Commanders team might not be able to absorb these mistakes and keep rolling un-hindered. The race for the NFC playoffs this year looks like one of the most competitive in years and this loss gives Chicago a crucial tiebreaker over Washington which they will need to earn back.
8 - Jared Goff (DET): 203 passing yards, 7 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs in 17-30 loss vs KC. (Week 5 - 9th)
Jared Goff is an excellent player but his weaknesses were cruelly exposed in his Sunday night matchup with Kansas City and any momentum he had behind him in MVP discussions has quickly died down. Detroit has been good enough over the past few seasons that they nearly always play with a lead, even in games that are close the offence usually scores on it's first few possessions which allows the Lions to maintain a balance between the run and the pass. However, on the few occasions, like in week 6, where Detroit is forced to play whilst down multiple scores, this balance is shaken and the standard of Goff's play drops significantly, as he struggles against defences which can focus on defending his areal attack. This is not uncommon for quarterbacks, but the drop in Goff's play appears especially alarming, especially as it is what ended the Lions season last year against the Commanders. Whilst the Lions should be fine in the regular season, this game was not a positive omen for there chances of ending their Super Bowl draught come February.
9 - Sam Darnold (SEA): 295 passing yards, 2 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs in 20-12 win vs JAX. (Week 5 - 10th)
This is exactly the type of performance Sam Darnold needs to continue to silence those who doubt him. Ever since his career turnaround in Minnesota last year, Darnold has shown flashes of brilliance alongside flashes of his old self, leading some to believe this change in form was unsustainable and he would eventually return to the 'bust' status which he first 5 years earned him. However, in 2025 he has been far more consistent; while the highs have not quite reached his best from 2024, his lows are far above last year's worst, which to me shows he is consolidating his position as a franchise quarterback in this league. Week 6's matchup with the Jaguars was a great litmus test for both Darnold and his Seahawks team, with many viewing the two sides are evenly matched before the conquest, and Seattle surpassed any expectations.
10 - Drake Maye (NE): 261 passing yards, 28 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs in 25-19 win vs NO. (Week 5 - Not listed.)
Has the heir to Tom Brady arrived in New England? That's what Patriots fans will be hoping after Drake Maye's electric start to his sophomore year. Maye has revitalised the fanbase in New England, breathing life back into a franchise that was slowly falling back to irrelevance following their dominant start to the 21st century, and the hype around him is fully merited - this is the second year jump that every fan dreams their quarterback will take, and something we haven't really seen since Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. Maye's performance against the Saints in Week 6 marked the continuation of this incredible upward trajectory, with 3 Touchdown passes and a superb passer rating on deep throws down the field, something which has been a theme of his hot start to the season. With Buffalo faltering elsewhere in the division, the Patriots have a chance to shock the NFL world and stake a real claim to be contenders in the AFC once again.
Honourable Mentions:
Jalen Hurts (PHI), Jordan Love (GB), Daniel Jones (IND), Aaron Rodgers (PIT)