As goes the quarterback, so goes the team. It's not always true in the NFL, but it usually is. And it makes sense: In a passing league, the passers are like royalty -- the biggest influences on whether a team is destined more for a Super Bowl title or a No. 1 draft pick.
It's with that in mind that we come to you with the most important pecking order outside of traditional team power rankings: QB Power Rankings. Consider this your cut-and-dry guide to the best and worst of the NFL's signal-callers -- a weekly 1-to-32 rundown of every starter under center.
How are the QBs ranked? We try to factor in both current standing and future upside. So a long resume doesn't always guarantee an edge over untapped potential, just as a cold streak doesn't always erase a history of success. At the end of the day, we're simply trying to sort the QBs based on 2021 value, both now and in the near future.
Riser of the Week: Carson Wentz
Yes, he played the Texans, and yes, he completed just 11 passes in Week 6, but he also looks the most comfortable he's been in years. Wentz is probably best when kept in check by his own staff, but he proved in a 31-3 win over Houston that he's still got the arm and touch to be a big-play passer. The Colts can make the playoffs with this version of Wentz, and remember he's still coming off two ankle injuries. The arrow is pointing up.
***
Now, without further ado, let's get to the rest of our Week 6 rankings:
| 1 | 
Tom Brady
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
|
| It feels like ages ago now, but he picked the Eagles' defense apart with ease. Some have more talent, but no one is a better technician. | |
| 2 | 
Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers QB
|
| His numbers haven't been nearly as gaudy as those of other MVP candidates, but he's still coming up huge in crunch time. | |
| 3 | 
Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys QB
|
| He's still not getting the love he deserves. He takes full advantage of his weapons and does literally everything well inside the pocket. (+1) | |
| 4 | 
Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs QB
|
| His off-script acrobatics are still second to none, but his recklessness has reared its head several times this year. He needs to clean it up for the big games. (-1) | |
| 5 | 
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens QB
|
| MVP front-runner? He sure could be. Who does more for their offense on a play-by-play basis? As both a passer and a runner, he's only gotten more dangerous. (+1) | |
| 6 | 
Kyler Murray
Arizona Cardinals QB
|
| Speaking of MVP front-runners, Murray could easily be slotted ahead of Jackson here. He's been automatic through the air for the NFL's most explosive offense. (+2) | |
| 7 | 
Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills QB
|
| Don't mistake the drop for anything he's done; the other top-10 QBs are just too good. Allen is killing it as a deep-ball specialist, just chucking it up with regular success. (-2) | |
| 8 | 
Matthew Stafford
Los Angeles Rams QB
|
| The state of top QBs is so good that Stafford might've garnered the most MVP buzz just a few years ago. He's actually airing it out deeper than most anyone else. (+1) | |
| 9 | 
Justin Herbert
Los Angeles Chargers QB
|
| The Chargers aren't always doing him a ton of favors, but he's still producing at a high clip, save for an uncharacteristically bad loss to Baltimore. (-2) | |
| 10 | 
Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals QB
|
| Only Stafford is averaging more yards per attempt through six games. He and Ja'Marr Chase have been the real deal, and they might even make a playoff run in the North! | |
| 11 | 
Kirk Cousins
Minnesota Vikings QB
|
| Probably the most underappreciated QB on this list, if we're being frank. He's not just racking up yards but doing it when it matters, helping the team stay afloat in a ton of close games. | |
| 12 | 
Derek Carr
Las Vegas Raiders QB
|
| He looked more like his early-season self against Denver, heaving it up with authority. He has to keep it up if Vegas is gonna stay competitive under their interim coach. | |
| 13 | 
Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons QB
|
| He's had one of the quietest positive trajectories of any QB this year. Again, the Falcons may not be great, but he's improved each week under Arthur Smith. (+2) | |
| 14 | 
Ryan Tannehill
Tennessee Titans QB
|
| After nearly three poor quarters against the Bills on Monday night, he hit on some key throws before riding Derrick Henry to victory. That's kind of the tale of the season for him and Tennessee: uneven performances with some timely big plays. | |
| 15 | 
Carson Wentz
Indianapolis Colts QB
|
| Yes, he was playing Houston in Week 6, but he's looked more comfortable by the week. More importantly, his arm and touch as a big-play passer are very much intact. (+4) | |
| 16 | 
Baker Mayfield
Cleveland Browns QB
|
| Hurt or not, he's not exactly been Mr. Consistency as of late for an offense that needs him to be steady more than spectacular. Hopefully he doesn't further injure himself. (-3) | |
| 17 | 
Jameis Winston
New Orleans Saints QB
|
| Same story here: Boom or bust. With Carolina sliding, however, the Saints have a chance to unlock his big arm and surprise out of the South. | |
| 18 | 
Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco 49ers QB
|
| Trey Lance was certainly an upgrade on the ground, but now we know why Jimmy G opened the year under center. While he misses more routine shots than you'd expect, he's still a passable passer. (-1) | |
| 19 | 
Jalen Hurts
Philadelphia Eagles QB
|
| The Eagles are not calling plays according to his strengths, but he isn't doing enough little things right to overcome that. As always, the poise and legs are for real. But can he win as a thrower? (-1) | |
| 20 | 
Teddy Bridgewater
Denver Broncos QB
|
| The Broncos added Teddy to do one thing: control the football. He did not do that against Vegas. Anomaly? Sure. But his standard play is still serviceable, not special. (+1) | |
| 21 | 
Mac Jones
New England Patriots QB
|
| Give the kid credit for battling and generally throwing an accurate ball on a Patriots team struggling mightily to give him the coaching or defensive support he deserves. (+2) | |
| 22 | 
Sam Darnold
Carolina Panthers QB
|
| So maybe Adam Gase wasn't the only problem, after all? Darnold still has the wheels to keep plays alive, but his regression under pressure has been overt and concerning. (-2) | |
| 23 | 
Trevor Lawrence
Jacksonville Jaguars QB
|
| There's no doubt that this first win will give him a confidence boost. He's already got the skill set; now he's got proof he can do this at an NFL level. (+3) | |
| 24 | 
Justin Fields
Chicago Bears QB
|
| The athleticism is there, but the support from Bears staff and teammates is still so-so. He's also still getting a feel for when to extend a play and when to wait for the next one. | |
| 25 | 
Daniel Jones
New York Giants QB
|
| Did he start 2021 relatively well? Absolutely. Is he the answer in New York? Another turnover-littered day suggests that's far from the truth, even if the Giants helped him fail. (-3) | |
| 26 | 
Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers QB
|
| Contrary to popular opinion, his arm is still pretty much there. The lower body just isn't, making him off-target on typical layups. He'll only keep winning as long as the defense does. (+1) | |
| 27 | 
Tua Tagovailoa
Miami Dolphins QB
|
| He looked sharp out of the gate, we'll give him that. But things got quieter down the stretch -- against the Jaguars, of all teams. The jury remains out. | |
| 28 | 
Jared Goff
Detroit Lions QB
|
| Dan Campbell isn't happy with him, and understandably so. The circumstances aren't perfect, bue he's gotten more skittish and reckless in recent weeks. (-3) | |
| 29 | 
Geno Smith
Seattle Seahawks QB
|
| If Seattle ever lets him air it out, we might be able to judge him properly. Then again, there's surely a reason they're keeping him contained while filling in for Russell Wilson. (-1) | |
| 30 | 
Zach Wilson
New York Jets QB
|
| Let's see how he fares in Round Two against Bill Belichick. The Patriots have been wildly unpredictable on defense but dominated him last time. | |
| 31 | 
Taylor Heinicke
Washington Football Team QB
|
| Ryan Fitzpatrick is going to take his job back with no question at this rate. Yes, Heinicke is a fighter, but he's also been a big mistake waiting to happen. (-1) | |
| 32 | 
Davis Mills
Houston Texans QB
|
| He shouldn't be condemned as a prospect because of this abrupt run under center, but don't think for a minute they won't turn back to Tyrod Taylor if they can. | |
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