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.
Nothing evidenced the NFL's contemporary reliance on big-time QB play like Week 1 of the 2020 season, during which 13 different starters posted passer ratings above 100, another 10 completed more than 70 percent of their throws, and seven fired at least three touchdown passes. Each year the limits of aerial production are tested, and this season should be no exception.
It's with all 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? By considering their 1.) current standing and team situation, b.) overall reputation, and c.) projected upside. With each passing week, the first factor will receive more weight in the rankings. So, for example, while Tom Brady may best Gardner Minshew for the first quarter of the season in part because of his overall resume and supporting cast, it'll only be fair to put Minshew ahead of Brady if he outperforms him throughout the year.
Now, without further ado, let's get to the Week 2 rankings:
Week 2 QB Power Rankings
| 1 | 
Russell Wilson
Seattle Seahawks QB
|
| If you weren't expecting an MVP-caliber season from him, you should be now. He's got touch. He's got the deep ball. He's got legs. No one is more poised under center right now. Expectations were already high from Russ, but anything close to his Week 1 performance the rest of the way makes Seattle an early favorite for a title run. Last week: 3 | |
| 2 | 
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens QB
|
| Does anyone throw a more effortless-looking deep ball? His efficiency is still outrageous, and that's not even considering the constant threat of his legs. As long as he can stay healthy, the Ravens are bound for another big postseason run, with Jackson an obvious candidate to take over the playoffs a la Patrick Mahomes in 2019. Last week: 2 | |
| 3 | 
Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs QB
|
| It's not that Pat was bad in his opener; too many others were simply that good. Had Demarcus Robinson held on to some of his money throws, in fact, Mahomes might be leading the NFL in TD throws. (And he probably still will.) If you're going purely off arm acrobatics, he's still the clear No. 1. Last week: 1 | |
| 4 | 
Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers QB
|
| Shame on you and all your friends for thinking this man was washed. Spiteful Aaron Rodgers is alive and well, and he's ready to shred a defense even with a makeshift WR corps. The most telling sign that No. 12 is here to stay, by the way, wasn't the gaudy stat line but the way he produced it, unleashing both eye-opening bullets and touch throws for TDs against the Vikings. Last week: 11 | |
| 5 | 
Kyler Murray
Arizona Cardinals QB
|
| A big leap for Murray after just one week of the 2020 season, but there's no denying the singular impact he has on a game. Even when the passing numbers aren't gaudy, his quick feet make him a constant big-play threat. From a game-planning standpoint, he's already approaching Lamar Jackson in terms of opposing-team nightmares. Last week: 13 | |
| 6 | 
Drew Brees
New Orleans Saints QB
|
| It speaks volumes that Brees, at 41, can throw two TDs and zero INTs in a win against a rising defense and be docked for an "underwhelming" game. His supporting cast will help him rebound, and he's a sure bet to up his accuracy after an uncharacteristically inconsistent open to the year. Last week: 4 | |
| 7 | 
Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys QB
|
| He deserves some flak for second-half sputters in an upset loss to the Rams, but there are still few QBs who can match his steadiness. There's also the fact he's better primed than most passers to rebound in a big way, what with that deep WR corps at his disposal. Last week: 5 | |
| 8 | 
Deshaun Watson
Houston Texans QB
|
| The chemistry with the remade WR group should come, although he's surely missing DeAndre Hopkins right about now. Watson is still too much of a dual threat to ever take for granted. Last week: 7 | |
| 9 | 
Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons QB
|
| We might see a lot of Week 1-type stuff from Ryan this year -- big numbers despite an "L" in the standings. Still, you can always count on him to give his play-makers chances. Last week: 9 | |
| 10 | 
Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers QB
|
| After an incredibly shaky start against the Giants, Big Ben settled in and picked on New York with ease. Oh, and don't look now, but he's still got some mobility in those legs. Last week: 12 | |
| 11 | 
Carson Wentz
Philadelphia Eagles QB
|
| The big question is whether he'll ever learn/be capable of straddling that line between extending plays and making them worse. Some kind of rebound is in order. Last week: 8 | |
| 12 | 
Tom Brady
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
|
| The truth about TB12's condition probably lies between the extremes of, "He's finally declining!" and "He just needs more time to adapt!" His weapons guarantee he'll at least be serviceable. Last week: 6 | |
| 13 | 
Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills QB
|
| If only he could cut down on the untimely ball security issues. In peak form, Allen is comparable to a guy like Wentz, both in build and play-making upside, albeit with even more on the ground. Last week: 17 | |
| 14 | 
Jared Goff
Los Angeles Rams QB
|
| Yes, he can be scarily skittish under pressure, but boy, when he's got time, he throws pretty passes. He had a very underrated debut against Dallas. Last week: 19 | |
| 15 | 
Kirk Cousins
Minnesota Vikings QB
|
| The numbers say he was outstanding in a shootout loss to Green Bay, but there's growing concern about his unwillingness to break script in crunch time. Last week: 15 | |
| 16 | 
Matthew Stafford
Detroit Lions QB
|
| The arm talent is obviously still there, but he can't be forcing so many throws at this juncture in his career. How long will Matt Patricia be overseeing him? Last week: 10 | |
| 17 | 
Cam Newton
New England Patriots QB
|
| Big leap for the big man after a sterling, if subdued, passing debut for Cam in New England. He remains a formidable runner, but is that sustainable? Last week: 24 | |
| 18 | 
Derek Carr
Las Vegas Raiders QB
|
| After a nice showing against Carolina, including some pretty deep throws, he's got a chance to surge up the board. Still, can he be as threatening against real defenses? Last week: 20 | |
| 19 | 
Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco 49ers QB
|
| Like Cousins, Jimmy G doesn't struggle putting up respectable numbers for a run-first attack. But he could stand to sharpen up when he's actually needed in big moments. Last week: 14 | |
| 20 | 
Philip Rivers
Indianapolis Colts QB
|
| Week 1's upset loss to Jacksonville certainly wasn't all his fault, but you absolutely don't want to see two back-breaking INTs after his turnover spree in 2019. Last week: 16 | |
| 21 | 
Gardner Minshew
Jacksonville Jaguars QB
|
| There's no choice but to move him up. If he were playing for Dallas or Chicago, we'd be talking about him like a top-10 up-and-comer. Let's see if he can stay upright and keep it going. Last week: 29 | |
| 22 | 
Drew Lock
Denver Broncos QB
|
| Lots to like from the young gun after an up-and-down Monday night debut. Even if he's not fully there yet, he's got the guts to be a difference-maker. Last week: 23 | |
| 23 | 
Ryan Tannehill
Tennessee Titans QB
|
| His slight slide is more indicative of other QBs playing well than Tannehill playing poorly. It's hard, however, to declare his ceiling anything above mid-tier play in an offense so reliant on Derrick Henry. Last week: 21 | |
| 24 | 
Teddy Bridgewater
Carolina Panthers QB
|
| Teddy deserves props for a mostly smooth debut, and he might have an underrated supporting cast. But let's see him against a tougher defense. Last week: 27 | |
| 25 | 
Mitchell Trubisky
Chicago Bears QB
|
| Credit where credit is due. Troobs was nothing special for three quarters in Week 1, but he couldn't have been more clutch down the stretch. Now we need consistency. Last week: 32 | |
| 26 | 
Baker Mayfield
Cleveland Browns QB
|
| Man, we want so much to believe his rookie-year upside can still be unleashed. But it's awfully hard to watch him be so out of sync for so long. Last week: 18 | |
| 27 | 
Daniel Jones
New York Giants QB
|
| The few mistakes he made in Week 1 were killers. But don't fret too much, Giants fans. He still has the looks and confidence of a future franchise QB. Last week: 28 | |
| 28 | 
Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals QB
|
| Don't misinterpret the slide as an indictment on his debut, which was actually rather inspiring considering his lack of protection. He's just got a ways to go yet. Last week: 22 | |
| 29 | 
Dwayne Haskins
Washington Football Team QB
|
| The way he finished against the Eagles in Week 1 proved he's not easily rattled. That doesn't mean he's corrected some jarring accuracy/decision-making issues. Last week: 30 | |
| 30 | 
Tyrod Taylor
Los Angeles Chargers QB
|
| Look, his experience and locker-room leadership may be welcome, but what on Earth is he actually bringing to a passing offense in 2020? Last week: 25 | |
| 31 | 
Sam Darnold
New York Jets QB
|
| Blame Adam Gase, but this experiment seems to be fizzling out before our eyes. (Seriously, does anyone even talk about Darnold as a breakout candidate anymore?) Send help immediately. Last week: 31 | |
| 32 | 
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Miami Dolphins QB
|
| We all knew Fitz was bound to be a turnover machine, but at his age, he also needs to counter them with big plays. Is that Tua on the horizon? Last week: 26 | |
