CLEVELAND, Ohio — There are a number of ways to do quarterback rankings. Usually, it’s based off the eye test, or how many team wins their play led to.
We’ll do things a little differently this time around.
We are going to rank the top 32 NFL starting quarterbacks based off how many turnover-worthy plays they record when not in play action.
Not turnover-worthy plays when in play action, but when in a different offensive set.
There’s a difference.
Play action is involved in one form or another in most NFL offenses, where a fake handoff to the back opens up opportunities downfield. Non-play action would relate to empty backfield, run-pass option (or RPO), or just a standard pass.
In other words, how well do these quarterbacks protect the football?
And what is a turnover-worthy play, you ask? It’s a Pro Football Focus statistic that tracks how high a percentage of a pass has to be intercepted, or just how poor a job a quarterback does in taking care of the ball and fumbling.
We’ll rank quarterbacks using PFF data, which tracks how many TWPs each quarterback records in a non-play action offensive set.
Note: Quarterbacks must have either started half or more of their team’s games through Week 11, or they’re the current starter, and are likely to remain the starter going forward.
QB rankings by Turnover-worthy plays
Ranking Quarterback TWP totals in non-play action
32. Tua Tagovailoa 16
31. Baker Mayfield 15
30. Joe Flacco 12
29. Trevor Lawrence 12
28. Spencer Rattler 11
27. Daniel Jones 11
26. Patrick Mahomes 11
25. Michael Penix Jr. 10
24. Mac Jones 10
23. Cam Ward 10
22. Drake Maye 10
21. Aaron Rodgers 9
20. Geno Smith 9
19. Dillon Gabriel 8
18. C.J. Stroud 8
17. Sam Darnold 8
16. Jordan Love 8
15. Bryce Young 8
14. Dak Prescott 8
13. J.J. McCarthy 7
12. Matthew Stafford 7
11 Bo Nix 7
10. Justin Herbert 7
9. Lamar Jackson 6
8. Jayden Daniels 6
7. Jaxson Dart 6
6. Jacoby Brissett 5
5. Justin Fields 5
4. Jared Goff 5
3. Josh Allen 5
2. Caleb Williams 5
1. Jalen Hurts 3
Commanders Dolphins Football
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) goes to pass the ball during the second half of an NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and the Miami Dolphins in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tua Tagovailoa
It hasn’t been the best season of protecting the football for Tagovailoa.
Not only does he tie with Geno Smith for the most interceptions (13), but Tagovailoa stands alone in the most non play-action TWPs recorded (16), per PFF.
There’s been some kind of disconnect between him and his offense, and his decision making has come into question.
For further proof, when in play-action, Tagovailoa has six touchdowns and zero interceptions. In non play-action, he has 11 touchdowns, but that’s came with 13 picks.
Add on his six fumbles, which ties for third in the NFL, and it’s chaos all around.
What makes this worse is we’re only going into Week 12, and he’s close to matching his career-mark.
Tagovailoa recorded a career-high 18 TWPs back in 2023, but he made up for that in leading the NFL in passing yards (4,624) and taking Miami to the playoffs.
Now, Miami has fallen at a rapid pace, and Tagovailoa is hurting the offense with his TWPs.
Arizona Cardinals v Dallas Cowboys - NFL 2025
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 03: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium on November 03, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)Getty Images
Dak Prescott
This is the 10th career season for Prescott, and yet he’s doing an even better job in making decisions and protecting the ball.
Prescott ties for 14th in fewest non play-action TWPs recorded (eight), in what’s been an impressive season of efficient play while leading his squad.
The only season on record where Prescott recorded a single-digit total in TWPs was in 2020, where he had eight. But a season-ending right ankle injury kept him to five games.
Even if Prescott doesn’t keep his TWP total in single digits, his protection of the football has helped keep Dallas in games that people didn’t foresee.
Bears Football
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looks on during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)AP
Caleb Williams
Chicago’s second-year quarterback has done well this season within keeping his team in the game.
They’ve won three games in a row, each becoming one-score games that went down to the wire, without a single turnover from Williams. And doing his job in a low rate of TWPs has been an integral factor.
Williams ties for second in fewest non play-action TWPs recorded (five), per PFF.
It’s a big improvement from his rookie year, in which his 16 non play-action TWPs tied for the fourth most.
This year, Williams has displayed a better sense of leading his offense, while not forcing anything in or outside of the pocket.
Lions Eagles Football
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) drops back to throw a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)AP
Jalen Hurts
The top quarterback with the fewest non play-action TWPs is also last season’s Super Bowl MVP.
Hurts may get flack for lack of deep passes, or passing yards for that matter, but keeping a low rate of plays that could become turnovers is evident.
Hurts’ three non play-action TWPs is the fewestamong all qualifying quarterbacks, per PFF.
It trickles over to his one interception this season, while 11 of his 16 touchdowns that have come in non-play action for Philadelphia tie for 11th most.
Keeping the ball away from the other team increases your team’s chances in winning, and no one understands that more than Hurts.
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