It’s crazy who’s No. 1 as Miami Herald’s 27th year of NFL QB rankings debuts. (And where’s Tua?)

OH MY! BUCS’ BAKER MAYFIELD ON TOP, DOLPHINS’ TUA TAGOVAILOA DEBUTS NO. 6 AS WE UNCORK 27TH YEAR OF MIAMI HERALD NFL QUARTERBACK RANKINGS: His isn’t a name one associates with leading much, but there sits Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield at No. 1 for Week 1 with a 49.45-point game to launch the 2024 Miami Herald NFL Quarterback Rankings. Actually, maybe it shouldn’t surprise. Mayfield had back-to-back titles in Weeks 15-16 last year en route to a No. 9 final finish. Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa debuts at No. 6 in the new season, while 2023 season champion Dak Prescott of Dallas opens in 17th place. The Herald’s Passer Success System (PASS) rankings begin their 27th season after starting in 1998 with Steve Young the inaugural season champ. Our ratings system is cumulative not percentile-based, rewarding players who are consistently productive and avoid injury or benching. Our ratings formula factors accuracy, passing yardage, touchdown/interception ratio and team result. These are passer ratings per se and do not include a QB’s running stats. The initial 2024 Top 20 entering Week 2:

Miami Herald 2024 NFL QB Rankings

Rk ’23 Player, Team W1/Season

1. 9. Baker Mayfield, TB 49.45

2. 7. Derek Carr, NO 39.00

3. 11. C.J. Stroud, HOU 38.70

4. 6. Josh Allen, Buf 35.60

5. 14. Matthew Stafford, LAR 34.85

6. 3. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA 33.90

7. 57. Sam Darnold, MIN 32.40

8. 5. Patrick Mahomes, KC 31.55

9. 19. Gardner Minshew, LV 29.85

10. 10. Lamar Jackson, BAL 27.65

11. 11. Brock Purdy, SF 25.55

12. 2. Jared Goff, DET 23.85

13. 24. Justin Fields, PIT 23.80

14. 12. Jalen Hurts, PHI 24.90

15. 15. Geno Smith, SEA 24.55

16. 18. Justin Herbert, LAC 23.20

17. 1. Dak Prescott, DAL 22.95

18. 31. Kyler Murray, ARI 22.10

19. 21. Joe Burrow, CIN 21.20

20. --. Jayden Daniels, WAS 19.20

Bubble: Jacoby Brissett, NE 17.05

Week 1 best: Mayfield, TB, 49.45 (24-30, 289, 4-0 in win). 2023 season best week: Herbert, LAC, 66.25. Record best week: Ben Roethlisberger, PIT, 80.10 (2014).

Week 1 worst (min. 10 attempts): Bryce Young, CAR, minus-1.95 (13-30, 161, 0-2 in loss). 2023 season worst week: Sam Howell, WAS, minus-13.20. Record worst week: Tim Hasselbeck, WAS, minus-23.20 (2003).

2023 season final Top 5: 1. Prescott, DAL, 596.80; 2. Goff, DET, 551.75; 3. Tagovailoa, MIA, 547.20; 4. Purdy, SF, 506.00; 5. Mahomes, KC, 503.20. Season record point total: Peyton Manning, DEN, 714.85 (2013).

Season championships: 7--Drew Brees; 6--Peyton Manning; 3--Tom Brady; 2--Dak Prescott, Patrick Mahomes, Kurt Warner; 1--Rich Gannon, Carson Palmer, Aaron Rodgers, Steve Young.