2022 NFL QB Power Rankings: Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson headline rise of the mobile QB in Week 3

Assessing every team's starting QB

Nothing steers NFL teams quite like quarterbacks. It's possible, not probable, to win in spite of them. It's preferable, not easy, to land the best of them. They are, more than anyone else, the ones who shape the football landscape, week in and week out.

That's why we're ranking all 32 starting signal-callers throughout the 2022 season: to take stock of the most important players in the game, sorting everyone from the bona fide superstars to the QBs who might be worth replacing.

Our weekly ranking factors in 1.) current status, 2.) past performance and 3.) future outlook, indicating which QBs we'd rather have both now and for the remainder of this season. That's why, for example, you'll find Aaron Rodgers ranked ahead of Tua Tagovailoa, even though the latter threw a whopping six touchdowns in Week 2. If you're looking purely for rankings of the best statistical QBs this year, feel free to peruse your nearest passer-rating leaderboard. If you're looking for informed but subjective rankings of the NFL's most reliable signal-callers, this is the place.

Now, without further ado, our Week 3 pecking order:

Week 3 QB Power Rankings

1	Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs QB
His gunslinging always makes him prone to potential picks, and that was especially the case in a close win over the Chargers. But he's still the standard for freestyling at the position, with an unbreakable knack for clutch, acrobatic throws.
2	Josh Allen Buffalo Bills QB
Every time he bulldozes for a first down, you worry about his big body getting badly bruised. But he's essentially a supersized, more run-inclined version of Mahomes, which is one of the reasons Buffalo looks like the contender we all expected. (+2)
3	Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers QB
Without Davante Adams, it's clear he must rely more on Matt LaFleur's two-headed ground game. But the pinpoint accuracy and unteachable feel for the game remain, as evidenced in the Packers' prime-time rout of the Bears.
4	Tom Brady Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
In a healthy lineup, Brady is still unmatched as a decisive point guard, and he's now come up clutch in back-to-back wins for the Bucs. Should his supporting cast take any more hits, however, he's not necessarily physically equipped to extend plays on his own. (-2)
5	Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers QB
Over two years in, Herbert feels like he's playing against his own team as often as his opponents, this time gutting through a rib injury in an oddly conservative game plan against the Chiefs. His tools as a pocket passer are elite; he needs more help from his staff.
6	Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens QB
An MVP has always lied inside of Jackson, whose flick-of-the-wrist deep touch and lightning-fast legs deserved a win against the Dolphins in Week 2.
7	Joe Burrow Cincinnati Bengals QB
Joe Cool and the Bengals are trapped in a cycle, the former pressing to offset his lack of protection. The hope is Burrow will play it a little safer as Cincy finds ways to get the ball out of his hands and into those of their play-makers.
8	Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams QB
This is probably where the next tier of QBs begins, as Stafford has been much more mercurial than miraculous to start year two in L.A. That's more in line with the rest of his career, which has always been gritty and flashy but prone to turnover sprees. (+2)
9	Kyler Murray Arizona Cardinals QB
The Cardinals are a weekly circus, and Murray is the headlining act, for better and worse. His frantic energy as a scrambler is representative of Arizona's failure to establish rhythm, but also keeps the team in it until the last minute. (+2)
10	Russell Wilson Denver Broncos QB
Maybe the toughest QB to rank, Wilson's first Broncos outings have been ugly and uninspired, even as his late-game deep balls have kept Denver in the mix. For now, he gets the benefit of the doubt as a proven leader, but you wonder if his magical touch is fading. (-2)
11	Jalen Hurts Philadelphia Eagles QB
Are we looking at the new Russell Wilson? Hurts still has a lot of season left to prove he can sustain his apparent growth as a passer, but his prime-time breakout against the Vikings was the total package, showcasing he's finally got the rhythmic throwing to go along with bruising elusiveness and unfazed confidence. (+2)
12	Kirk Cousins Minnesota Vikings QB
He'd be lower if Dak Prescott were healthy. Cousins' body of work is more impressive than he gets credit for, and he's generally reliable as a quick-strike thrower. Once again, however, the bright lights revealed his tendency for wacky decisions. (-2)
13	Derek Carr Las Vegas Raiders QB
The Josh McDaniels effect has yet to sink in, apparently. While Carr, like Cousins, is respectable enough as an efficient playoff-caliber arm, he's too often prone to turnovers when the going gets tough. (-1)
14	Jimmy Garoppolo San Francisco 49ers QB
Back in the saddle after Trey Lance's injury, Garoppolo probably raises the floor in San Francisco, giving Kyle Shanahan a trusted temperature-setter for a run-first attack. But we've seen before that he's got limitations when asked to shoulder a heavy aerial workload.
15	Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars QB
Two games into the Doug Pederson era, Lawrence is coming out of his shell as a more confident, decisive pocket passer. In the belittled AFC South, he's got a chance to quietly make a play for the division title. (+2)
16	Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins QB
He's clearly got buy-in from inside the Dolphins' organization, and his confidence should be rising after a chuck-it-up extravaganza against Baltimore. Best suited for quick strikes, let's see how he sizes up in a powerhouse showdown with the Bills in Week 3. (+2)
17	Ryan Tannehill Tennessee Titans QB
Malik Willis entered the Titans' Week 2 loss because it was a blowout, but how long until he enters for other reasons? Tannehill is the Garoppolo of the AFC, a respected vet who requires special support from his staff and supporting cast. (-2)
18	Carson Wentz Washington Commanders QB
The NFL's roller-coaster QB, Wentz is never unexciting, giving Washington both explosive gaffes and explosive success through the air. If you're a Commanders fan, you just keep hoping the big plays work in his team's favor. (-2)
19	Matt Ryan Indianapolis Colts QB
So much for the Colts steadying the ship at QB by swapping Wentz for Ryan. Truth is, the latter hasn't been a consistently above-average passer for years now, though his thin supporting cast out wide doesn't exactly help matters. (-5)
20	Mac Jones New England Patriots QB
The youngster embodies the current Patriots: technically sound with the potential to surprise, but just a little too old-school to inspire trust in today's NFL. (-1)
21	Jameis Winston New Orleans Saints QB
He's certainly an entertaining watch; he always has been. But Winston's track record should've told us coming into 2022 that he'd be a weekly gamble, always a little too lenient on his big arm. (-2)
22	Jared Goff Detroit Lions QB
The ridicule he's faced since his waning days in L.A. has been justified by iffy performances under pressure, but Goff also remains an underrated precision passer when all the other parts are clicking. Quietly, he's had Detroit moving the ball with ease. (+5)
23	Justin Fields Chicago Bears QB
The physical tools are apparent, but he's had awfully little to show for it. The Bears haven't exactly surrounded him with stars, but it's also concerning how little they trust him to even throw the ball. (-1)
24	Davis Mills Houston Texans QB
He's still getting points for standing tall as a youngster in imperfect circumstances, but at some point, he's gotta be able to move the ball reliably. (-1)
25	Baker Mayfield Carolina Panthers QB
So maybe moxie really does only get you so far as an NFL QB. Mayfield never quits, but that's part of the issue as he struggles to make plays under pressure. (-1)
26	Geno Smith Seattle Seahawks QB
After a poised Week 1 upset of Russell Wilson, Smith came back to Earth against the 49ers. He can complete all the passes for Pete Carroll, but when the offense is built to play it safe, his ceiling is limited.
27	Marcus Mariota Atlanta Falcons QB
He's shown a lot of fight for a team written off, and his athleticism makes him pesky, but the passing remains inconsistent. (+2)
28	Mitch Trubisky Pittsburgh Steelers QB
The ultra-conservative approach from offensive coordinator Matt Canada is theoretically saving Trubisky from himself, but isn't that an indictment on the QB's ability to elevate the team? (-3)
29	Joe Flacco New York Jets QB
Don't ask him to escape pressure or survive a slew of sacks, but at 37, Flacco's still got the vision and adequate arm talent to spoil another team's day. (+1)
30	Daniel Jones New York Giants QB
He's kind of just "there," as the Giants' QB, which is fine when New York's defense is owning the day. What happens when it's time for him to win a game on his own? (-2)
31	Cooper Rush Dallas Cowboys QB
Make that a 2-0 record for Rush when starting in place of Dak Prescott. Physically limited or not, he knows where to go with the ball. (+1)
32	Jacoby Brissett Cleveland Browns QB
He improved from Week 1 in a tight loss to the Jets, but he remains an ultra-conservative, not-terribly-accurate interim for a team that should be much better. (-1)