Week 17 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings: Ranking All 14 QBs In The Playoff Hunt

There are only two weeks left until the 2025 NFL Playoffs and the race for this season’s best quarterback is down to the final stretch. As the season is nearly over, we are whittling down this week’s NFL Quarterback Power Rankings to only the quarterbacks who are either playoff bound or still in the hunt.

We can call this the Week 16 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings or the Week 17, it doesn’t really matter. Headed into Week 17 we have 16 weeks of data (and power rankings) to work with at this point, while we know there will be 14 teams in the NFL Playoffs so we are going with the 14 teams that are most likely to make the playoffs at this point.

Week 17 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings: Ranking All 14 NFL QBs In The Playoff Hunt

Currently, there are 10 NFL teams who have clinched spots in the Playoffs. Those 10 teams’ quarterbacks are included here by default. The other 4 are the QBs whose teams would make the playoffs if the season ended today, though these teams could change over the next two weeks. If you missed the last full (All 32) NFL Quarterback Power Rankings you can find Week 14’s there. Now let’s dive into it!

14. Bryce Young – Carolina Panthers (Prev. 12)

Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers are the only ones in the Power Rankings that currently have a below 50% chance to make the Playoffs. If the season ended today, they would be in. But NFL.com has their Playoffs odds at 43% while the Buccaneers have a 57% chance of making it. So things could change…

But as they stand, Bryce Young ranks 20th in the NFL this season in passing yards (2,691), 16th in passing TDs (21), and only 9 interceptions through 14 games. He got the best of the Buccaneers last weekend, throwing 2 TDs and 0 interceptions, and racking up 191 passing yards.

If (when?) the Carolina Panthers make the Playoffs, it is tough to say how they’ll match up. The top of the league is very strong this year while the bottom half of the Playoff teams are iffy on any given week.

13. C.J. Stroud – Houston Texans (Prev. 22)

C.J. Stroud nabs the #13 spot in this weeks NFL Quarterback Power Rankings. He and the Texans just barely beat the lowly Raiders last weekend, at home no less. Stroud was 23/35 passing for 187 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Call me crazy, but I don’t think the Texans are any better with Stroud than they were with his backup, Davis Mills.

In 12 games this season, C.J. Stroud has thrown for 2,628 yards. He has 16 touchdowns and 6 interceptions with a 65.3 completion percentage. He did fumble the ball on Sunday but they still beat the Raiders, so there’s that. Currently, the Texans have a 97% chance of making the Playoffs

12. Jordan Love – Green Bay Packers (Prev. 5)

Jordan Love sure cooled off over the month of December. On 12/7, he threw for 234 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception against the Chicago Bears. He would then end the month with a concussion against the Bears on 12/20 while only managing 77 yards and 0/0 TD/INT before the injury.

At this point, it remains to be seen how long Jordan Love will be out for. But the Packers have a 93% playoff probability and history would suggest Love will be back within the month.

11. Jalen Hurts – Philadelphia Eagles (Prev. 14)

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles easily dispatched of the Commanders in Week 16, winning 29-18 on the road. Jalen Hurts comes in at #11 in the NFL Quarterback Power Rankings ‘Playoff Picture’ edition after throwing for 185 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. He also had 40 rushing yards and a fumble.

Since his 0 TD / 4 INT game on 12/8, Jalen Hurts has been more conservative. He has failed to eclipse the 200 yards/game passing mark since but he also hasn’t coughed up any turnovers.

The Eagles have clinched their spot in the Playoffs and Jalen Hurts has a lot of post season experience at this point which will serve him well in the days ahead. So far this season, Jalen Hurts ranks 14th in the NFL with 3,114 passing yards. He has thrown for 24 TDs and 6 INTs.

10. Aaron Rodgers – Pittsburgh Steelers (Prev. 20)

Aaron Rodgers holds down the #10 spot in the ‘Playoff Hunt’ NFL Quarterback Power Rankings after a huge win in Week 16 over the Lions. Rogers threw for 266 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions as the Steelers won 29-24 on the road in Detroit.

The 9-6 Steelers are currently 1st in the AFC North but still have a 91% playoff probability as the Ravens aren’t out of it yet. This season, Aaron Rodgers ranks 18th in passing yards (2,860) and has thrown 23 TDs to 7 interceptions. Not bad for a QB the Jets cut last season.

9. Bo Nix – Denver Broncos (Prev. 17)

Box Nix and the Broncos got beat at home by the Jaguars in Week 16, losing 34-20. Nix was 27/47 passing for 1 touchdown and 1 interception with a massive 352 yards through the air and 1 lost fumble.

Nix has been a key figure in the Broncos’ 12-3 record (7-1 at home). He ranks 6th in the NFL this season with 3,608 passing yards but 24th in completion percentage (63.2). Bo Nix will need to work on his accuracy to take things to the next level.

8. Trevor Lawrence – Jacksonville Jaguars (Prev. 11)

At 8th in the NFL Quarterback Power Rankings ‘Playoff Hunt’ edition is Jacksonville Jaguars franchise QB Trevor Lawrence who just picked up a gritty road win over the 12-3 Broncos on the road. The 11-4 Jaguars are 1st in the AFC South and have locked up their spot in the playoffs.

In Week 16, Trevor was 23/36 passing for 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions with 279 yards. He also had a rushing TD in the game. And through 16 weeks, Trevor ranks 9th in the NFL with 3,489 passing yards and has 26 passing TDs to 11 interceptions.

7. Caleb Williams – Chicago Bears (Prev. 10)

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams is having a career revival season. He ranks 11th in the NFL in passing yards (3,400), and has thrown 23 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions. The 11-4 Bears are 1st in the NFC North and have locked up their spot in the Playoffs.

Caleb Williams comes in at 7th in the ‘Playoff Hunt’ NFL Quarterback Power Rankings after throwing for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Packers in a 22-16 win at home.

6. Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills (Prev. 4)

The 2024 NFL MVP, Josh Allen, ranks 6th in the NFL Quarterback Power Rankings ‘Playoff Hunt’ edition after a week where he nearly lost to the Browns. Allen completed 12 of 19 pass attempts for 130 yards and 0/0 TD/INT. He has 17 yards on the ground and no touchdown contributions.

This has been a true Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde season for Josh Allen. One week he’ll ball out like the MVP he is/was and the next week he looks like he should get benched. Josh Allen ranks 10th in passing yards (3,406) and has thrown 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions so far this season.

5. Justin Herbert – Los Angeles Chargers (Prev. 13)

At 5th in this weeks NFL QB Power Rankings is Justin Herbert who ranks 8th this season in passing yards with 3,491. The 11-4 Chargers are 2nd in the AFC West but have locked up their Playoffs spot already. Herbert has thrown 25/12 TDs/INTs this season.

This week, he threw for an even 300 yards against the Dallas Cowboys on the road and had 3 touchdowns to 0 interceptions. Herbert at his best looks incredible but he was struggling through the latter half of November so there are some lingering question marks.

4. Sam Darnold – Seattle Seahawks (Prev. 9)

At #4 in the NFL Quarterback Power Rankings heading into the Playoffs is Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold. The Seahawks are 1st in the NFC West at 12-3 and in the driver’s seat at the moment.

So far this season, Darnold ranks 5th in passing yards (3,703) and has thrown 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In Week 16, against Stafford and the Rams, Darnold was 22/34 passing for 270 yards and 2/2 TD/INT. It was arguably the best Thursday Night Football game in years as the Seahawks beat the Rams 38-37 at home in a barn burner.

3. Brock Purdy – San Francisco 49ers (Prev. 18)

With the best performance of any QB in Week 16 and coming in at #3 in the NFL Quarterback Power Rankings is 49ers QB Brock Purdy. He went OFF against the Colts and threw FIVE touchdowns (1 interception.

Brock Purdy connected on 25/34 passes for 295 yards. All while his top target George Kittle left the game injured. Purdy has faced injuries himself this season but he has 1,737 passing yards in 7 games with 17 touchdown passes (8 INTs) in those 7 games. Those are some monster stats on a limited slate.

2. Drake Maye – New England Patriots (Prev. 1)

Coming in at #2 in the ‘Playoff Hunt’ NFL Quarterback Power Rankings is New England Patriots QB Drake Maye. He ranks 4h overall in passing yards this season (3,947), has thrown for 25 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and has a league-leading 70.9% completion percentage.

Drake Maye has led the Patriots to a 12-3 record and locked up a Playoffs spot as 1st in the AFC East. In Week 16, Maye was 31/44 passing for 380 yards and 2/1 TD/INT against the Baltimore Ravens in a 28-24 road win. He has seemed unflappable for much of the season.

1. Matthew Stafford – Los Angeles Rams (Prev. 3)

At 37 years old, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is having one of the best seasons of his career. The Rams have clinched their spot in the Playoffs which is WILD considering three teams will head to the Playoffs from the NFC West this season.

Stafford is #1 in the ‘Playoff Hunt’ NFL Quarterback Power Rankings and for good reason. He ranks 1st overall in Passing Yards (4,179), 1st in Passing TDs (40, 8 more than anyone else), and has only thrown 5 interceptions this season with a 65.7% completion percentage.

While the Rams might be 3rd in the NFC West, they only lost to the Seahawks by 1 point in Week 16, on the road, on a Thursday night. They’re going to be a problem for anyone they face in the Playoffs.