Final 2025 QB rankings drop Bills' Josh Allen outside the top five

The Buffalo Bills leaned heavily on the run this season, which impacted Josh Allen in the final QB rankings of the year.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen looks on during warmups before the game against the New York Jets. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

It wasn't a typical season for Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. They were able to reel off an impressive 12-5 record, but they finished second in the AFC East, and there were many games where the offense didn't impress, but that's not due to the performance of Josh Allen.

Allen played well during the 2025 season, helping to guide his team into the playoffs once again. His lack of weapons at receiver, however, necessitated a change in offensive strategy.

MORE: Bills likely shorthanded again at important position entering NFL Playoffs

Buffalo relied heavily on the run, which allowed James Cook to win the rushing title with a league-leading 1,621 yards. That strategy worked, according to Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski, who says the Bills didn't need Allen to play hero ball. He still ranked Allen seventh overall, giving him a B+ for his performance in 2025.

"As a result, Allen threw for his fewest amount of yards and touchdowns since the 2019 campaign. His attempts as a runner stayed relatively the same as the last two years, though that rate remains a step back from his usage during the 2021 and '22 seasons," Sobleski wrote.

"Allen isn't in the mix for MVP again. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. The Bills are still in the postseason, and the quarterback may have saved a little for when the games really matter. Right now, the only thing that matters in Buffalo is a Super Bowl berth after falling short so many times since Allen has been the quarterback."

Allen finished with 3,668 yards, 25 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. He added another 579 yards and 14 touchdowns as a runner, proving to still be one of the elite dual-threats in the game.

Josh Allen might need to play Superman in postseason

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen runs onto the field before the game against the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

As Sobleski pointed out, the Bills might have saved some of Allen's heroics for the postseason, and they'll likely need that.

By failing to win the division, Buffalo will be on the road this postseason as the No. 6 seed. They kick things off with a trip to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars in the Wild Card round. Winning on the road is never easy, which is why the Bills will need Allen to keep his cape close by.

— Sign up for OnSI’s Free Buffalo Bills Newsletter —

More Buffalo Bills News:

• Rushing champion James Cook's backup finishes as NFL leader, too

• Two Bills' veterans turn Highmark Stadium farewell into six-figure paydays

• Josh Allen’s early Week 18 exit ends his NFL record TD streak

• Bills give Keon Coleman chance to climb out of doghouse, WR active vs. Jets