NFL quarterback rankings for NFL Week 9: Familiar name on top

Ranking all of the quarterbacks yet to play in Week 9, based on their projected projection

The Week 9 NFL slate is busy with high-quality action, and it also marks the midpoint of the 2024 campaign. Eight weeks of football are in the rearview mirror, with eight weeks to come after Week 9 is over. Things began with the New York Jets defeating the Houston Texans by a 21-13 margin. From here, Sunday and Monday bring a bevy of action, with only two NFL teams on bye in Week 9.

In this article, the focus is on the quarterback position with the aim of ranking the 28 starting quarterbacks in action this weekend using Week 9 consensus sportsbook projections. This projection also uses standard fantasy scoring for the sake of clarity with four points per passing touchdown, one point per 25 passing yards, one point per 10 rushing yards, and six points per rushing touchdown. Let’s dissect the quarterback position for Week 9. 

Tier 1: The Do-Everything Threats

1 – Josh Allen

Projections: 241.5 pass yards, 3 pass TD, 28.5 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 26.5 fantasy points

Allen is nearly in a tier of his own this week. He is the only player projected for three touchdowns and, while Allen’s yardage totals are modest, his do-everything abilities are clear and appealing.

2 – Jalen Hurts

Projections: 214.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 39.5 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 22.5 fantasy points

The difference between Hurts and Allen is that Philadelphia’s quarterback is projected for only a single passing touchdown. However, Hurts has a whopping five rushing touchdowns in the last two games, and he remains an undeniable short-yardage option.

Tier 2: Multiple Touchdowns or Big-Time Rushing

3 – Patrick Mahomes

Projections: 248.5 pass yards, 2 pass TD, 20.5 rush yards, 20.0 fantasy points

Mahomes remains the consensus answer as the best player in the NFL, but his statistical production this season has been anything but inspiring. Mahomes has more interceptions (nine) than touchdown passes (eight), and Kansas City’s receiving weapons haven’t performed well. Of course, the Chiefs are also undefeated and, this week, Mahomes has a juicy matchup against Tampa Bay, where Kanas City is a 9.5-point favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook on Monday night.

4 – Sam Darnold

Projections: 250.5 pass yards, 2 pass TD, 15.5 rush yards, 19.6 fantasy points

After a scalding-hot start, Darnold has cooled a bit. Minnesota has lost two games in a row, and Darnold has only three total touchdown passes in those two games. He lands in the top five this week in part due to the opposition, as Darnold gets to face the Colts at home. 

5 – Joe Burrow

Projections: 261.5 pass yards, 2 pass TD, 10.5 rush yards, 19.5 fantasy points

Burrow and the Bengals desperately need a win after a 3-5 start, and they are favored solidly at home against the Las Vegas Raiders at sportsbooks such as BetMGM. Burrow also has the second-highest projected total in passing yards this week, and he is tied for No. 3 in the NFL with 15 passing touchdowns. 

6 – Dak Prescott

Projections: 265.5 pass yards, 2 pass TD, 5.5 rush yards, 19.2 fantasy points

No player is projected for more passing yards than Dak Prescott this week. He faces a Falcons defense that has proven to be vulnerable at times this season. In addition, Dallas has not been able to run the ball with any consistency, placing an even heavier burden on Prescott’s right arm.

7 – Kirk Cousins

Projections: 251.5 pass yards, 2 pass TD, 0.5 rush yards, 18.1 fantasy points

Cousins ranks in the top five of the NFL with 2,106 passing yards this season. While that isn’t terribly surprising in a big-picture sense, he has come a long way from an ugly Week 1 showing for the Falcons. This week, he faces a struggling Dallas defense, and Cousins has 10 passing touchdowns in the last four games.

8 – Jayden Daniels

Projections: 228.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 47.5 rush yards, 17.9 fantasy points

The Commanders were largely held in check a week ago as Daniels returned from a brief injury absence. On cue, he uncorked a game-winning ‘Hail Mary’ to beat the Bears, and Daniels finished with more than 370 total yards. He is only this low on the list because of his passing touchdown projection. 

9 – Matthew Stafford

Projections: 237.5 pass yards, 2 pass TD, 0.5 rush yards, 17.6 fantasy points

Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are back for the Rams. That means that Stafford is back in the saddle as a potential high-end quarterback option from a statistical standpoint. Last week was a prime example, as Stafford connected on four touchdown passes. 

10 – Jordan Love

Projections: 224.5 pass yards, 2 pass TD, 4.5 rush yards, 17.4 fantasy points

Love is battling injury questions, though reporting indicates he will play. He is also coming off a season-worst passing performance against Jacksonville in which he fell short of 200 yards. However, Love was highly productive before that, and he will play at home this week against Detroit.

11 – Lamar Jackson

Projections: 213.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 47.5 rush yards, 17.3 fantasy points

In eight games this season, Jackson has accounted for 2,600 yards and 19 touchdowns for the Ravens. Those numbers are jaw-dropping, especially in conjunction with only two interceptions, and Jackson is one of the betting favorites for another NFL MVP award (+310 at Caesars Sportsbook, tied with Josh Allen). Why, then, is he this low on the list? Jackson projects for only one passing touchdown against a high-level Denver defense.

Tier 3: Rock Solid

12 – Kyler Murray

Projections: 217.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 34.5 rush yards, 16.2 fantasy points

In Week 8, Murray was excellent. He exceeded 300 passing yards, completed more than 70 percent of his passes, and avoided the interception bug in a win over Miami. This week, he’ll face Chicago, and Murray also has two rushing touchdowns in the last four weeks. 

13 – Geno Smith

Projections: 252.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 13.5 rush yards, 15.5 fantasy points

Smith continues to lead the NFL in passing yards (2,197), but the rest of his production is middling. That includes only eight touchdown passes all season and a Week 8 showing in which he did not find the end zone. Smith does rise a bit in the rankings due to a favorable matchup at home against the Rams. 

14 – Caleb Williams

Projections: 223.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 23.5 rush yards, 15.3 fantasy points

In theory, last week’s matchup against Washington was quite favorable for Williams after his first professional bye week. Then, he threw for only 131 yards and did not produce a passing touchdown in a narrow loss. This week’s battle against Arizona foreshadows potential improvement.

15 – Baker Mayfield

Projections: 236.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 17.5 rush yards, 15.2 fantasy points

Mayfield is riding a three-game streak of at least 325 passing yards and three touchdowns. He leads the NFL with 21 passing touchdowns while ranking No. 2 in the league with 2,189 passing yards. His projections are only this modest because he faces a difficult matchup in Kansas City without his top two wide receivers.

16 – Bo Nix

Projections: 216.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 24.5 rush yards, 15.1 fantasy points

Nix enjoyed a career-best passing performance in Week 8 against Carolina. He produced three touchdown passes to go with 284 passing yards, and Nix has been a threat to rack up both yards and touchdowns with his legs all season. In an odd twist compared to previous seasons, Baltimore’s defense has been porous at times, opening up the potential for big numbers.

Tier 4: Enough to Get By

17 – Daniel Jones

Projections: 205.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 26.5 rush yards, 14.9 fantasy points

Multiple factors are in play when evaluating Jones this week. He has a very high rushing projection for quarterbacks and a matchup against a familiar opponent at home. Jones also has documented struggles in home games this season, as he has yet to find the end zone as a passer at Metlife Stadium. 

18 – Tua Tagovailoa

Projections: 247.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 5.5 rush yards, 14.5 fantasy points

Tagovailoa returned in strong fashion in Week 8, throwing for 234 yards and a touchdown in his first outing since mid-September. Because he is not a prominent rushing threat, Tagovailoa needs to put up touchdowns to rise on this list, and Miami’s passing attack meets a very capable Bills defense in Buffalo. 

19 – Jameis Winston

Projections: 244.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 6.5 rush yards, 14.4 fantasy points

Cleveland’s quarterback play has been nightmarish for most of the season, but Winston was a breath of fresh air a week ago. He threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns in an upset win over Baltimore, and the Browns encouraged him to up his passing volume. Interceptions are always a risk with Winston, but he is capable of big numbers.

20 – Drake Maye

Projections: 200.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 23.5 rush yards, 14.4 fantasy points

There was some doubt that Maye would play in Week 9 after leaving New England’s Week 8 game in the first half, but he is now cleared and will play. At present, a lot of his appeal is tied to his legs, with Maye generating 114 yards and a touchdown on the ground in four games. 

21 – Justin Herbert

Projections: 225.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 10.5 rush yards, 14.1 fantasy points

The Chargers still lean heavily on the running game and a strong defense, but Herbert’s production has picked up in recent weeks. That includes a 349-yard effort in Week 7 followed by 279 yards and two scores last week. He does face a potential challenging matchup on the road in Cleveland, especially as the Browns held Baltimore in check a week ago.

Tier 5: The Basement

22 – Gardner Minshew

Projections: 222.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 7.5 rush yards, 13.7 fantasy points

Minshew performed solidly in Week 8, completing 80 percent of his passes and putting up two touchdowns without an interception against the stout Kansas City defense. His projections in Week 9 are far more modest, which feels in line with his season-long production for a struggling team that is a touchdown underdog on the road at DraftKings Sportsbook.

23 – Derek Carr

Projections: 234.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 2.5 rush yards, 13.6 fantasy points

After missing several weeks with injury, Carr is set to return in Week 9. On the positive side, he is facing a Carolina Panthers defense that ranks near the bottom of the NFL in several major categories. On the more pessimistic side, Carr could be rusty, and he has not exceeded 243 passing yards in any game this season.

24 – Trevor Lawrence

Projections: 208.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 12.5 rush yards, 13.6 fantasy points

Lawrence is coming off one of his best games of the season in Week 8. He eclipsed the 300-yard mark with multiple touchdown passes in a close loss to the Green Bay Packers, and there are signs of life for Jacksonville’s offense. Now, he faces a red-hot Philadelphia Eagles team on the road, pushing down his projections.

25 – Joe Flacco

Projections: 235.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 1.5 rush yards, 13.6 fantasy points

The benching of Anthony Richardson was a major topic around the NFL this week but, when the lights come on in Week 9, Flacco will be at the helm for the Colts. He has multiple touchdown passes in each of his three starts this season, but Flacco was only average-or-better from a yardage standpoint in one of those three outings. 

26 – Jared Goff

Projections: 226.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 0.5 rush yards, 13.1 fantasy points

This is a stunningly low placement for Goff, stemming from a projection of only one touchdown pass this week. Week 9 also marks the first game of the season in which the Detroit Lions must play outdoors, and Goff is facing a stingy Green Bay Packers defense. Given that he also is not a rushing threat, the projected numbers are not robust.

27 – Mason Rudolph

Projections: 199.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 8.5 rush yards, 12.9 fantasy points

With Will Levis expected to miss Week 9’s matchup with New England, Mason Rudolph appears primed for another start. While Rudolph has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns, he hasn’t fared much worse than Levis, who also has posted a negative TD:INT ratio. The good news is that New England’s defense has not been especially scary this season.

28 – Bryce Young

Projections: 179.5 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 10.5 rush yards, 12.2 fantasy points

Young is almost in his own tier. He and Rudolph are the only players projected for fewer than 200 passing yards. The Panthers do face a friendly matchup against the Saints, and Young was better in Week 8, bringing some potential optimism.