Week 1 NFL QB Power Rankings: Usual suspects atop season-opening list in a slightly different order

Quarterbacks are the most valuable position in football. The last 13 NFL MVP award winners have been quarterbacks. While some quarterbacks are a reflection of their offensive environments, a select few transcend their surroundings.

Which teams are best equipped to make an early-season statement in 2026 because of who is under center? Which quarterbacks are the sport's most talented or gifted at this moment in time? Who could play their way out of a starting job with their current team? Let's take stock of all 32 starters with a snapshot of this present moment.

These rankings are fluid and designed to tell the story of each starting quarterback's respective rise and/or fall throughout the season. In a vacuum, Patrick Mahomes would remain No. 1 for the foreseeable future and so on. However, he will not be found in the top spot since he is making a return from a season-ending torn ACL and LCL. So where do the league's biggest names line up entering the opening week of the regular season?

Enjoy our Week 1 edition of the 2026 Quarterback Power Rankings:

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/