This Is the Year of Justin Herbert: AFC West QB Tier List
Hello, AFC West quarterbacks: one of the most talented groups of players in the NFL.
Welcome your newest member, Fernando Mendoza, of the Indiana Hoosiers. He won the Heisman Award last season and led his team to the College Football Playoff national championship.
While he might start his journey at the bottom, the Raiders believe he can climb quickly through the AFC West hierarchy.
For now, though, here are my rankings of the starting QBs in the star-studded division.
More news: Bryce Young Is on the Rise: NFC South QB Tier List
More news: Caleb Williams Is Going for 4,000 Yards: NFC North QB Tier List
1. Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
No offense to the other QBs in the AFC West, but Mahomes, even on one leg, deserves the top spot.
The three-time Lombardi Trophy winner went down with a torn ACL to end the 2025 campaign for the Chiefs, yet is expected to be good to go for the start of the new campaign in a few months.
There are a few things you don’t do in the modern NFL, and one of them is betting against Mahomes.
2. Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers)
No QB might have as much pressure on them this season as Herbert, who is on the razor’s edge of being considered a superstar signal-caller.
The arm and talent are all there, but when it gets to those high-tension games, he doesn’t have those shining moments.
If Herbert and the Chargers don’t win at least one playoff game this season, no amount of advanced statistics will help the former Oregon Duck’s narrative in the clutch.
3. Bo Nix (Denver Broncos)
Nix was playing some of the best ball of his life, and that shattered his leg following a marquee playoff win over Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
Still, Nix is developing far better than almost any draft analyst believed, and with an elite defense behind him, he should be aiming for a return to the AFC title game.
4. Fernando Mendoza (Las Vegas Raiders)
Kirk Cousins might begin the year as the starter, yet it’s been nearly a decade since a No. 1 QB pick didn’t start under center to begin Week 1.
And if Mendoza does start, he’ll have growing pains. The Raiders have a tough schedule, so as long as he can show glimpses and learn how to control the NFL field like he did in college, it’ll be considered a win for Las Vegas.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 5:17 PM.