NFL Analysis
11/27/24
15 min read
2024 NFL Week 13 QB Power Rankings: Tua Tagovailoa Continues Top-5 Play
Welcome to Week 13 of the quarterback rankings.
These are not your typical quarterback rankings, which is why you might see some differences from what you’d expect to see in a ranking system that was built off a box score or reputation.
As a reminder, our new grading system combines the skill set rankings (how good a quarterback is in a vacuum) and production (based on a composite of EPA per play and success rate from TruMedia) for the 2024 season.
The hope is that the mix of the skill set rankings and the production rankings will give a more complete picture of what is actually happening on the field during the 2024 season.
The skill set rankings are from me, watching and grading each quarterback in the individual categories. If you feel like I hate your favorite quarterback, those are the rankings you should be looking at and yelling at me for.
The skill score is then combined with the production score to get the full rankings.
The full rankings, including each individual skill set, will be at the bottom of this article. If you liked the old rankings, you can filter by Skill Score. If you're more interested in production, you can filter by that, too.
Each week, we’ll be ranking the league’s 32 starting quarterbacks. That means if a quarterback switch is made, it will be reflected in the rankings. With the production rankings, we’ll start ranking new quarterbacks after their first start or if an official move is made.
With that out of the way, here are the new quarterback rankings heading into Week 12. All stats provided by TruMedia unless noted otherwise.
Week 13 Quarterback Rankings
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens 
Skill Score: 9.70 | Production Score: 7.69 | Ranking Score: 8.70
Lamar Jackson’s night against the Chargers was wide-ranging. He finished with a 35.5 percent success rate, which was his lowest of the season, but had 0.55 EPA per play, his fourth-best figure.
Jackson was able to pull out a number of big plays, including a rushing touchdown and a deep touchdown to Rashod Bateman which was fit into an impossibly small window. He has a 10.5-yard average depth of target, which was also his highest for the season as he made an effort to air it out against the Chargers’ cornerbacks.
2. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Skill Score: 9.10 | Production Score: 7.94 | Ranking Score: 8.52
Jared Goff has had to do much individually during the past few weeks to have great production. A mix of weaker defenses and well-schemed plays have put the quarterback in a spot where he can deliver the ball to an open spot and expect a big play.
Against the Colts, he used play-action on 46 percent of dropbacks and had a 3.8-yard average depth of completion.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Skill Score: 9.66 | Production Score: 6.63 | Ranking Score: 8.15
Josh Allen was on a bye in Week 12.
4. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Skill Score: 9.74 | Production Score: 6.32 | Ranking Score: 8.03
Patrick Mahomes had his most productive game of the season by EPA per play. He was able to keep the ball moving on all downs, instead of just third down, which had been how the Chiefs have played offense this season.
He had his second-highest scramble rate of the season; one big scramble set up the game-winning field goal, but he also took at least seven hits for the fourth straight week.
5. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Skill Score: 9.22 | Production Score: 6.72 | Ranking Score: 7.97
The Miami offense is back since Tua Tagovailoa’s return. Tagovailoa has been more willing to get outside the pocket and extend plays. He’s managed to get production from a third receiver, Jonnu Smith, and that opened up a ton for Jaylen Waddle against New England.
Tagovailoa is also getting some extra passing production because the run game isn’t working. Near the end zone, Miami has worked passes in space to De’Von Achane to make up for it.
6. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Skill Score: 9.08 | Production Score: 6.61 | Ranking Score: 7.80
Baker Mayfield did whatever he wanted against the Giants. The Buccaneers worked the flats to the running backs and the left sideline.
There were 11 players with a reception in this game. Mayfield completed 80 percent of his passes, while his average time to throw was 2.42 seconds. He was barely pressured and didn’t face much of a challenge on Sunday.
7. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Skill Score: 9.38 | Production Score: 6.22 | Ranking Score: 7.80
Joe Burrow was on a bye in Week 12.
8. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Skill Score: 9.20 | Production Score: 6.32 | Ranking Score: 7.76
Across the first three quarters, Daniels averaged 0.46 EPA per play while completing 54.5 percent of his passes. He was in empty on 30.8 percent of those dropbacks but didn’t have the escapability that had lifted this offense earlier in the season. Through three quarters, he had a 3.8 percent scramble rate and was sacked on a third of his pressures while there were zeo explosive passes.
The Cowboys played man on 72.7 percent of third downs, and Washington did not have the answers or receiving talent to beat it. On third downs, Daniels went 0-for-7 as a passer and did not have a scramble.
He was better as a designed runner, finishing with 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but his willingness to take off on his own was still lacking. We’re now in concerning territory for whether Washington can flip the switch to improve with more answers going forward.
9. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Skill Score: 8.96 | Production Score: 6.42 | Ranking Score: 7.75
Jalen Hurts has been playing much better of late. His mobility has played a bigger role in the passing game, and he hasn’t been quite as reliant on hoping A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith can bail the offense out with a big play.
Against the Rams, Smith didn’t play, and Hurts still averaged 0.64 EPA per play, which was the highest mark of the week. Hurts has been more decisive and accurate with his passes, even when he’s extending plays, and that’s helped make the Philadelphia offense look like a more cohesive unit.
10. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Skill Score: 9.10 | Production Score: 6.26 | Ranking Score: 7.68
Brock Purdy did not play in Week 12, and his status for Week 13 is uncertain. In his absence, Brandon Allen averaged -0.61 EPA per play, the worst figure of the week.
11. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Skill Score: 9.38 | Production Score: 5.69 | Ranking Score: 7.54
Speed and some good run fits slowed down Kyler Murray against Seattle. He saw his highest pressure rate of the season (39 percent) and couldn’t do much with it. Murray had been the best quarterback under pressure this season but was the worst in Week 12, going 2-for-11 with five sacks.
His legs weren’t a factor, either, with just one designed run and a 2.3 percent scramble rate. Seattle didn’t allow for many open throws, and Murray was forced to throw more often without a running game to lean back on.
12. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Skill Score: 9.32 | Production Score: 5.53 | Ranking Score: 7.43
Jordan Love has become king of the explosive pass play during the past few weeks. He had a 12.2-yard aDOT and 26.1 percent of his passes traveled at least 20 air yards against the 49ers.
While not all of those have hit, there have been enough to make the effort with it. There have also been some plays left on the field, like the Christian Watson drop. Combine those big plays with a creative run game and the deadly short passing, like the Tucker Kraft touchdown, and the Packers are cruising.
13. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Skill Score: 9.52 | Production Score: 5.00 | Ranking Score: 7.26
Matthew Stafford played a good game against the Eagles, but some of the offensive line's struggles showed up. He got the ball out quickly, averaging 2.45 seconds to throw, but when the pressure came, it got home, with Stafford taking a sack on 38.5 percent of his pressures.
Still, Stafford’s 0.20 EPA per play was the seventh-highest of the week, but the margin for error continues to be smaller.
14. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Skill Score: 9.00 | Production Score: 5.16 | Ranking Score: 7.08
Kirk Cousins was on a bye in Week 12.
15. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Skill Score: 9.58 | Production Score: 4.05 | Ranking Score: 6.82
Monday night was a mixture of the two Justin Herbert seasons we’ve seen this year. He used his legs and scrambled to open up the offense, giving it a higher floor and ceiling.
Then, we also had him throwing absolute darts with receivers (namely Quentin Johnston) dropping the pass. Earlier in the year, this would have been a negative EPA game for Herbert, but there’s been enough growth with him and the offense to still have a productive night despite some errors.
16. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
Skill Score: 9.04 | Production Score: 4.35 | Ranking Score: 6.70
There are two things highlighting the development of Sam Darnold and the Minnesota offense. The Vikings are aware that Justin Jefferson is going to get so much attention, and they have allowed that to create targets for other players.
Darnold has also accepted that and isn’t forcing the ball to Jefferson when the window isn’t there, as tempting as it might be to throw everything to the best receiver in the league.
17. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Skill Score: 9.32 | Production Score: 4.01 | Ranking Score: 6.67
Geno Smith season has mostly remained the same. The pressure didn’t come as often against the Cardinals, but when it did, it came.
Smith was sacked on 45 percent of his pressures. Still, he completed 71 percent of his passes, and the offense has found the best ways to get Jaxon Smith-Njigba involved as a dynamic threat. The run game still puts the passing offense in bad situations behind the sticks, but there have been just enough answers to get by.
18. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
Skill Score: 8.86 | Production Score: 4.37 | Ranking Score: 6.62
Derek Carr was on a bye in Week 12.
19. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Skill Score: 9.58 | Production Score: 3.11 | Ranking Score: 6.35
Sunday’s game against Tennessee felt like a tipping point in the Houston offense, with C.J. Stroud looking like the weight of carrying the offense. There have been 18 games this season when a team posted a rushing success rate of 25 percent or lower. The Texans have four of them, and no other team has more than two. Against the Titans, it was 23.5 percent.
Stroud had a few big plays to Nico Collins but was often forcing passes, trying to be perfect, which led to interceptions and stepping out of the back of the end zone for a safety at the end of the game.
20. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Skill Score: 8.92 | Production Score: 3.40 | Ranking Score: 6.16
Russell Wilson was pressured on 51.5 percent of his dropbacks against the Browns on Thursday night. He hit some big plays down the field but had a 29.4 percent success rate under pressure.
The Steelers aren’t often going to live that way, and the Browns presented a unique threat along the line, but it did highlight some of the boom-or-bust tendencies of this Wilson offense since he’s become the starter.
21. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Skill Score: 9.14 | Production Score: 3.11 | Ranking Score: 6.13
This was the game where the Patriots’ offense line impacted Drake Maye the most.
The Dolphins were able to get to Maye in multiple ways, and he was pressured on 42.2 percent of his dropbacks. While trying to avoid the pressure, the lack of receiving talent also showed up with few easy, open throws to make while trying to extend plays.
22. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Skill Score: 8.96 | Production Score: 3.29 | Ranking Score: 6.13
Bo Nix had his best game under pressure against the Raiders, rarely panicking as he moved from the pocket and threw downfield effectively. He might be one of the league’s better and most willing seam throwers already, often hitting his receiver in that area.
The Raiders did have seven passes defensed, though none of them resulted in turnovers.
As Nix continues to improve one place where he’s consistently struggled this season is in empty, despite using it more often during the second half of the season. If he can unlock that — one would think he would with the ability to spread the ball around and throw quickly — there could be more unlocked in this offense.
23. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Skill Score: 9.16 | Production Score: 3.08 | Ranking Score: 6.12
Despite a loss, Caleb Williams was fantastic against the Vikings, putting up just the third positive EPA game against that defense this season.
There were some throws in the game that few other quarterbacks in the league could make. He’s clearly playing looser over the past two weeks, and it’s resulted in better decisions. We spent some time in 1st & 10 this week breaking down what Williams did against Minnesota.
24. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Skill Score: 8.92 | Production Score: 3.31 | Ranking Score: 6.12
Aaron Rodgers was on a bye in Week 12.
25. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
Skill Score: 8.78 | Production Score: 3.26 | Ranking Score: 6.02
Jameis Winston handled the snow conditions fairly well. He was pressured often but only took one sack, though it was a lost strip sack.
That drive was followed up by an interception that could have cost Cleveland the game, but Pittsburgh was held to a three-and-out. Winston is going to continue to play the high-leverage game of big plays vs turnover-worthy throws.
26. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Skill Score: 9.06 | Production Score: 2.30 | Ranking Score: 5.58
Another week of “Anthony Richardson’s play was not as bad as the stat line suggests, trust me.”
Richardson had a few nice throws in this game taken off the board because of an offensive penalty. Not only did those penalties take away a play that would make his production look better, but they also pushed the offense back, with Richardson feeling the need to make up for those yards with one throw.
One other aspect of Richardson is how well he gets away from sacks impacts his completion percentage. There are multiple plays per game when nearly any other quarterback in the league is taking a sack, but Richardson gets the ball away.
It goes down as an incompletion that other quarterbacks wouldn’t have, but it is a more positive play overall for the offense. Richardson was pressured on 43.3 percent of his dropbacks and did not take a sack.
27. Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
Skill Score: 8.52 | Production Score: 1.84 | Ranking Score: 5.18
Gardner Minshew broke his collarbone and will be out for the rest of the season, putting Aidan O’Connell back in as the starter.
O’Connell has said his hand is not 100 percent, but he was a full participant in practice and should be able to go on Friday against the Chiefs.
28. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Skill Score: 8.60 | Production Score: 1.58 | Ranking Score: 5.09
Will Levis had the most extreme Levis game at both ends of the spectrum. He was slinging the ball and had 11.6 yards per attempt, testing every area of the field against the Houston defense.
However, he also took eight sacks and threw a pick to a defender sitting on the pass. The game should have been in complete control for the Titans, but the negative Levis plays kept the Texans in it until the end.
29. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Skill Score: 8.74 | Production Score: 1.42| Ranking Score: 5.08
Bryce Young had what was likely his best game as a pro. Against the Chiefs, Young hung in the pocket, handled pressure, and made some confident throws that he wouldn’t have attempted in previous games.
His biggest improvement since his return has been managing the pocket, with one of the best pressure-to-sack rates since Week 8.
30. Tommy DeVito, New York Giants
Skill Score: 8.50 | Production Score: 1.51 | Ranking Score: 5.01
Tommy DeVito had a rough first start. He put up a 9.1 percent success rate in the first half against Tampa Bay before settling down once the game was no longer close.
DeVito also injured his forearm and was projected to be limited in practice, but he plans to play on Thursday.
31. Cooper Rush Dallas Cowboys
Skill Score: 8.56 | Production Score: 1.00 | Ranking Score: 4.78
Cooper Rush played decently against Washington, with a 54.1 percent success rate and a 75 percent completion rate.
The Cowboys really leaned into getting the ball out quickly, and Rush averaged 2.22 seconds to throw. But when he held the ball for at least 2.5 seconds, he was 7-of-10 for 105 yards and a touchdown with two sacks for 0.41 EPA per play.
32. Mac Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars
Skill Score: 8.62 | Production Score: -0.14 | Ranking Score: 4.24
Mac Jones was on a bye in Week 12. Trevor Lawrence returned to practice, but his game status is uncertain. We’ll leave Jones here until there’s confirmation Lawrence will return, given the initial reports of the injury suggested he could be out for the rest of the season.
Week 13 Full Quarterback Rankings
