The upcoming NFL season will be interesting to see how the quarterbacks perform because some of the top signal callers will have undergone coaching changes or will be coming off injury-riddled seasons. Then you have others like Dak Prescott and Caleb Williams who are guys who could ascend into the MVP conversations if they build on their 2025 seasons. With the 2026 season approaching, here is a projection of who the top-10 NFL quarterbacks will be this season.
Projecting the Top-10 NFL Quarterbacks for the 2026 Season
10. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
2025 stats–3,381 passing yards; 23 touchdowns; 6 interceptions; Passer Rating 101.2
Jordan Love was one of the more efficient quarterbacks in the NFL during the 2025 season. He was sixth in the NFL in passer rating, third in quarterback rating, and second in Expected Points Added(EPA) per play for quarterbacks. Love will be heading into his sixth season and will have another year under his belt with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur to take his game to the next level.
9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
2025 stats—4,552 passing yards; 30 touchdowns; 10 interceptions
Prescott finished the 2025 top five in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. With the duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, Prescott was able to lead a Cowboys offense that was fifth in EPA per play and an offense that averaged slightly under 30 points per game. Had the Cowboys had any resemblance to an average defense in 2025, Prescott would have firmly been in the MVP conversation. With Pickens and Lamb back, along with another year of play-calling from Brian Schottenheimer, Prescott will be among the best quarterbacks in 2026.
8. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
2025 stats—3,942 passing yards; 27 touchdowns; 7 interceptions
The former top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft finally lived up to the billing in 2025. Williams led the Bears to a 11-6 record behind some jaw-dropping clutch plays that often included him escaping pressure, eluding defenders, and throwing touchdowns. Williams showed in 2025 that he will be in the MVP race in 2026 if his team can continue this momentum from last season. Formerly one of the best offensive coordinators in the league, while in Detroit, Ben Johnson showed he is one of the better NFL head coaches as well, and if Williams and Johnson could be even better in 2026.
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
2025 stats—3,727 passing yards; 26 touchdowns; 13 interceptions;498 rushing yards
Justin Hebert has been a top-10 quarterback since entering the league in 2020, and 2026 could be his best season yet. In the offseason, the Chargers fired Greg Roman and hired Mike McDaniel, who was recently the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. McDaniel is known for his offensive wizardry, having crafted top offenses in Miami with players such as Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa. Herbert will likely unlock another layer to his game with McDaniel, and McDaniel has high hopes for Herbert as well.
6. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
2025 stats–2,549 passing yards; 21 touchdowns; 7 interceptions; 349 yards rushing; 2 touchdowns
Jackson is coming off a down 2025 season. The two-time MVP was in and out of the lineup due to multiple injuries, and even when he played, he wasn’t fully himself. Now, the Ravens have a made-over coaching staff after firing John Harbaugh and hiring Jesse Minter. It may take Jackson a while to get used to a new system. Jackson’s rushing numbers also took a hit last season. Jackson still remains one of the top three most talented quarterbacks in the game, but his projection for 2026 could push him down a bit due to a new system as opposed to other quarterbacks who remain in the same system.
5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
2025 stats—3,587 passing yards; 26 touchdowns; 11 interceptions; 422 rushing yards; 5 rushing touchdowns
The Kansas City Chiefs had a down season in 2025, and to make matters worse, Mahomes tore his ACL in week 15 of last season. Mahomes had basically carried Kansas City’s offense in 2025, passing and rushing, and despite tearing his ACL in December, he seems to be on track to start the season.
He may be rusty early, but Mahomes could easily go back to looking like his old self, considering he is an all-time athlete.
4. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
2025 stats—4,394 passing yards; 31 touchdowns; 450 rushing yards; 4 rushing touchdowns *runner-up for MVP
Maye, in his second season in the NFL, barely missed out on the MVP award and led his team to the Super Bowl. During his sophomore campaign, he led the league in passer rating and quarterback rating. He has officially arrived as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. In his third season, he could continue to ascend, especially after the Patriots made improvements to his wide receiver corps, adding A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Another year with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Maye could push his way into being talked about as the best quarterback in the league.
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
2025 stats—1,809 passing yards; 17 touchdowns; 5 interceptions
Burrow couldn’t make the most of his season in 2025 because of a toe injury that limited him to only eight games. However, in the games he played, Burrow showed he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Burrow has been on record saying this is a big season for him and the Bengals as a whole, which could lead to his best season yet.
2. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
2025 stats—4,707 passing yards; 46 touchdowns; 8 interceptions *2025 NFL MVP
The reigning MVP will be coming into his 18th season in 2026 off the back of playing the best football of his career, which is incredible to even think about. The Rams return all their starters from the NFL’s top offense in 2025 with their play caller Sean McVay. Stafford’s production could suffer a little regression, but it will still be among the top quarterbacks in the NFL this season.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2025 stats—3,668 passing yards; 25 passing touchdowns; 10 interceptions; 579 rushing yards; 14 rushing touchdowns
Allen is a one-time MVP, and despite not quite having the accolades that Patrick Mahomes has, many people believe that Allen is the proverbial best quarterback in the NFL. Allen can do it all, and with his head coach being elevated from offensive coordinator Joe Brady, it shouldn’t be a reason to expect any decline from Allen in 2026. With another strong statistical season, this could be the year Buffalo gets over the hump and makes the Super Bowl.
Main Image: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
