32. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Preseason Ranking: 25
It’s only his second season, but it’s getting late for Ward. He’s won only three of his 22 starts. As a rookie, he posted a league-worst -143.3 EPA among 33 qualifying quarterbacks. Through five weeks, Ward is once again dead last at -47.2.
The stats don’t do justice to how much Ward has struggled in Tennessee. Last week, he threw for only 70 yards over the first three quarters in a 26–3 loss to the Texans. He has yet to throw for 250 yards in a game. It’s been a disaster, and one that must have the Titans thinking about drafting his replacement in April.
31. Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
Preseason Ranking: 28
Willis is in an impossible position. The Dolphins have one of the worst receiving rooms in the league, led by Malik Washington and Chris Bell. The offensive line is also a work in progress, having allowed 14 sacks. Still, Willis has struggled even in good conditions this year.
Over five weeks, Willis has thrown two touchdowns against four interceptions while completing only 56.2% of his attempts to rank worst among qualifying players. Willis does add some juice with his legs, evidenced by his 186 rushing yards, but it’s hard to see Miami believing he’s the future at quarterback.
30. Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
Preseason Ranking: N/A
Nobody should expect much from Bagent, who is a quality backup but a below-average starter. In his first start for Caleb Williams, Bagent was solid, throwing for 268 yards and an interception in a 23–12 win. However, the wheels came off in Green Bay, with Bagent accounting for 87 yards (4.1 YPA) and two picks in a 31–7 defeat.
Having earned a two-year, $10 million deal this offseason, Bagent has security behind Williams, but will be exposed like most backups if asked to do too much.
29. Jalon Daniels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Preseason Ranking: N/A
Daniels is a great story. After six years at Kansas (starting the majority of the Jayhawks’ games in three of them), he went undrafted in April before the Buccaneers signed him as an undrafted free agent.
In the summer, Daniels beat out Jake Browning for the backup job and then he started in Week 4 for the injured Baker Mayfield. After losing in his debut to the Packers, Daniels rebounded in a nationally televised win over the Cowboys on Thursday night, completing 19-of-25 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown. With Mayfield still recovering from an injured right thumb, Daniels is in line to start this weekend against the 3–2 Steelers.
28. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Preseason Ranking: N/A
Watson has been underwhelming, even as Cleveland sits at 3–2 and one game out of first in the AFC North.
Watson played well in two games, combining for 506 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in wins over the Steelers and Buccaneers. In the other three contests, he completed 55.2% of his passes, averaging 168 yards on 5.9 yards per attempt. Overall, Watson has struggled, but the team’s record has provided cover.
27. Jameis Winston, New York Giants
Preseason Ranking: N/A
Winston is one of the league’s more entertaining watches. He’s occasionally good and occasionally bad, but always a show. Over five weeks, Winston is 21st in EPA per play (0.043) and has New York 3-1-1, atop the NFC East.
The concern with Winston is always the bad plays. In Week 4, he threw two interceptions, but Cleveland survived in a 36–24 win over the Cardinals. At halftime against Washington with just three points on the board, Winston rallied with 24 points, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns. If Winston can limit his mistakes, the Giants can win.
26. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
Preseason Ranking: 21
Murray was knocked out of Week 1 with a concussion and then missed Week 2 before returning. In short, Murray’s sample size has been middling for the 5–0 Vikings.
Against the Buccaneers and Dolphins, Murray averaged barely 200 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Still, he looked his best against the Saints on Sunday, amassing 229 yards and a touchdown while completing 80% of his passes. Murray also ran for 51 yards after notching only 42 rushing yards in two previous starts.
25. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Preseason Ranking: 31
Brissett should go into business once he retires. Despite going 1–11 last year as a starter, Brissett finessed an extra $10 million this offseason from general manager Monti Ossenfort. Now, he’s 1–4 and averaging a paltry 5.6 yards per attempt, the lowest figure in football.
Despite being so conservative, Brissett has still thrown five interceptions while taking 12 sacks. At some point, it’s fair to wonder whether the Cardinals will go with third-round rookie Carson Beck should Arizona keep sliding down the standings while Brissett struggles.
24. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Preseason Ranking: 22
Jones began last season playing great for the Colts. He threw 13 touchdowns against three interceptions during Indianapolis’s 7–1 start to entice general manager Chris Ballard to trade two first-round picks to the Jets for corner Sauce Gardner. Since then, he’s been not so great.
Jones finished last year with one win over his final five appearances before tearing his Achilles. To begin 2026, he’s 27th in EPA per play (-0.066) and 23rd in success rate at 43.8%. The traditional numbers aren’t much better, with Jones tossing three touchdowns and four interceptions. After getting a two-year extension this offseason, Jones has some security and time to figure things out, but regression is hitting hard.
23. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Preseason Ranking: 18
Nix has struggled mightily over Denver’s first five weeks. Despite the Broncos being 3–2, Nix isn’t performing whether offensive coordinator Davis Webb or coach Sean Payton calls the plays. He’s thrown for 188.4 yards per game while averaging 5.9 YPA, accompanied by six touchdowns and three interceptions.
Analytically, the numbers are worse. Nix is 27th in success rate at 42.1% and 25th in EPA per play (-0.023). Denver has failed to score 24 offensive points in any game this year, while wideouts Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle have been limited to 308 yards through five weeks. For context, that combined figure would rank 21st in the league for any individual.
22. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Preseason Ranking: 7
There’s so much to say about Herbert’s disastrous season, and yet nothing that hasn’t already been printed 100 times over. The Chargers are 0–5, and it somehow feels worse. Herbert has been a mess on a down-to-down basis, ranking last in EPA per play (-0.132) among quarterbacks with at least four starts. He’s thrown a league-high seven interceptions, lost two fumbles and been sacked 17 times, fewer only than Deshaun Watson.
On Sunday, Herbert’s offensive line had four rookies starting. While Denver battered him in a 23–17 defeat, Herbert has to take plenty of blame. He wasn’t accurate, completing 14-of-24 passes for 121 yards while throwing a game-clinching interception right at safety Brandon Jones. One would imagine Herbert will eventually improve, but he’s been among the worst quarterbacks in football so far.
21. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Preseason Ranking: 27
Penix doesn’t have a talent problem, but he does have a durability problem. After rehabbing throughout the offseason from a third torn ACL (dating back to his collegiate days), Penix missed the first two weeks. Then, in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s overtime loss to the Ravens, Penix left with a rib injury.
When on the field, he’s been excellent in 2026. Penix has thrown for 9.3 YPA with three touchdowns and a QBR of 73.9. Unfortunately, he could miss more time if the injured ribs are too painful to play this weekend against the Bears.
20. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Preseason Ranking: 14
Hurts is a Rorschach test of how you view football. On one hand, he has been to two Super Bowls and won one, going toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes in both. He’s been a winner, owning a 59–28 record. The argument against him is that he’s never thrown for 4,000 yards.
This season, without A.J. Brown, and at times down both receiver DeVonta Smith and running back Saquon Barkley due to injury, he’s struggled. Hurts has completed just 57.8% of his passes for 6.1 YPA, both figures ranking toward the bottom of the league. Hurts has proven that he’s good enough to win when surrounded by greatness, but it’s unknown if he can elevate an average supporting cast.
19. Geno Smith, New York Jets
Preseason Ranking: 29
After leading the league with 17 interceptions in Las Vegas last year, Smith has bounced back with the Jets, the team that drafted him in 2013. With New York at 2–3, Smith has thrown for 1,084 yards and six touchdowns without an interception. He’s also tied for 18th in EPA per play (0.048) while ranking 10th in CPOE (4.4).
At 36, Smith isn’t going to wow you with his big arm or unique athleticism. He’s a functional bridge to whomever the Jets decide to take with one of their three first-round picks in 2027. But Smith is doing enough to keep New York’s offense on schedule, giving Jets fans something to watch in the meantime.
18. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Preseason Ranking: 24
Shough doesn’t get much attention. The Saints are 1–4 and play in a small, market. He’s also 27, not typical for a second-year player. But Shough has shown promise despite being on a poor team dealing with injuries to rookie first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson and running back Travis Etienne Jr.
Shough has been solid, throwing nine touchdowns against five interceptions, while ranking seventh in the NFL with 1,299 yards. He’s also 22nd in EPA per play (0.015) and 15th in QBR (59.1). Shough isn’t elite, but he’s an intriguing prospect for a team trying to find a long-term answer.
17. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Preseason Ranking: 17
Like Hurts, Darnold is a Super Bowl champion with plenty to prove. After helping Seattle win its second title last year, Darnold has struggled from the start. After suffering a hip injury in the first series of the season opener, Darnold missed most of two games before returning in Week 3. Since then, he’s thrown five interceptions, including two in a 32–29 loss at home to the NFC West–leading 49ers on Sunday.
Part of the problem has been negative plays. In 2025, Darnold was sacked only 27 times in 17 games. This year, it’s already nine in more than three contests. After throwing for 379 yards and four touchdowns against the Commanders, Darnold has struggled in the past two games, with under 200 yards each and three picks against the Chargers and San Francisco.
16. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Preseason Ranking: 13
With Daniels, the only question is whether he can stay healthy. And, after last week, whether he knows how to spike the ball with the clock winding down. Limited to seven games in 2025 with elbow injuries, Daniels missed two more games early on this year with the same issue. When playing, the Commanders are 0-2-1, but Daniels has been good, rushing for 103 yards and two touchdowns in Washington’s absurd 27–27 tie with the Giants last weekend.
All told, Daniels has thrown for 662 yards and five touchdowns in three games while being limited to receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. If he stays healthy, perhaps the Commanders can fight their way back into the NFC East mix, with no team looking capable of running away with the crown.
15. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Preseason Ranking: 20
Rodgers is the league’s oldest starting quarterback at 42, but he can still win games for the Steelers and his former/current coach in Mike McCarthy. The days of stretching the field are long gone for Rodgers, who averages 4.7 completed air yards per attempt, only better than Cam Ward, Bo Nix and Baker Mayfield. But he’s doing enough with 10 touchdowns on a 3–2 Pittsburgh team that looks postseason worthy.
The big question with Rodgers is whether he still can find big-play ability in his aging right arm. The Steelers brought in Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie Germie Bernard to pair with DK Metcalf, but so far that trio has combined for only seven receptions of more than 20 yards. If that continues, there’s a cap on what Rodgers and Pittsburgh can do.
14. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
Preseason Ranking: N/A
Cousins is finding a career revival with the Raiders under first-year coach Klint Kubiak. At 38, it was widely expected that Cousins would come in, keep the seat warm for a few weeks until No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza was ready and then grab a clipboard.
Instead, Cousins has been excellent. He ranks second with 12 touchdowns, eighth with 1,269 passing yards, 11th in QBR (64.3), 10th in EPA per play (0.225) and sixth in success rate (51.8%), all while having no perimeter threats. On a one-year deal, Cousins will be in demand this offseason if he keeps this level of play up.
13. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Preseason Ranking: 30
Young might be the best story of the young season from a quarterbacking perspective. The Panthers won the NFC South at 8–9 last year, and Young improved by throwing for 3,011 and 23 touchdowns. Through four games this year, he’s on pace for 5,389 yards and 38 touchdowns, numbers he’s unlikely to reach though still hitting previously unseen heights.
For the Panthers, Young’s development can be attributed to his work ethic, alongside the hiring of offensive-minded coach Dave Canales and the selection of receiver Tetairoa McMillian in the first round a year ago. Young has blossomed into a fine starter, ranking eighth in EPA per play (0.235) and sixth in air yards (779) despite having an early bye week.
12. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Preseason Ranking: 19
Stroud has played terrific football, and the Texans are only 1–4. Yet, here we are as the defense has twice lost late leads despite the offense putting up 30-plus points at home.
But that’s the reality in Houston. Stroud has done a nice job, even with injuries to receivers Nico Collins (hamstring) and Jayden Higgins (torn ACL), throwing for 1,402 yards (fourth-best in football) on 7.6 YPA with six touchdowns and zero interceptions, checking in 11th in total EPA (+19.8). If Stroud continues to play to his capacity, Houston could become the second team in NFL history to reach the playoffs despite an 0–4 start, along with the 1992 San Diego Chargers.
11. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Preseason Ranking: 9
Love has played splendid football, something that was overshadowed through the first four weeks by some sloppy Packers play. Still, at 3–2 and coming off a blowout home win over the Bears, Green Bay suddenly finds itself in good shape with its quarterback playing quality football.
Over five weeks, Love ranks second behind only Jared Goff in passing yards (1,408), with 7.6 YPA and 10 touchdowns. Even without receiver Jayden Reed, Love has allowed his playmakers to make plays, hitting them in stride to collect 643 yards after the catch, giving him the second-most YAC behind former teammate Aaron Rodgers.
10. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Preseason Ranking: 6
Three weeks in, there was no greater mystery than Maye. He not only played poorly, but he looked defeated, throwing one touchdown and six interceptions as the defending AFC champions started 1–2.
Over the past two weeks, everything has turned. In wins over the Bills and Raiders, Maye has thrown seven touchdowns against one pick, helping New England settle down and contend in the AFC East once more. After being named a second-team All-Pro in 2025, Maye seemed to be pressing. Now back in a groove, the Patriots and their quarterback are a legitimate threat to do damage.
9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Preseason Ranking: 10
Lawrence has picked up where he left off last year. In his final six regular-season games of 2025, he threw 15 touchdowns and only one interception. This year, Lawrence has thrown 10 touchdown passes, helping Jacksonville to a 4–1 start and a two-game lead in the AFC South.
Under coach Liam Coen, the Jaguars have transformed from a doormat into a contender, and Lawrence has blossomed into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. With weapons like Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers and Josh Cameron, plus tight end Brenton Strange, Lawrence could find himself making a deep playoff run this January.
8. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Preseason Ranking: 3
Stafford threw for 383 yards and three touchdowns in Monday night’s 37–34 overtime loss to the Bills, which perfectly encapsulates what he and the Rams have done in the first five weeks.
The odds-on Super Bowl favorites entering the season, Los Angeles is 2–3 while the reigning MVP has thrown six interceptions. Still, he has a league-leading 1,572 passing yards. The bulk numbers have been there, but the issues are more present than they were a year ago, including two games with multiple interceptions, matching his total from 2025.
7. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Preseason Ranking: 8
Prescott plays excellent football, but it doesn’t translate to wins because the Cowboys’ defense is about as stout as paper in a monsoon. Through five games, Prescott has thrown for 1,381 yards and nine touchdowns, but Dallas is 2–3 after losing to the previously winless Buccaneers.
With a top-tier wideout tandem of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, Prescott has thrown for more than 300 yards each of the past two weeks. He’s also on pace for another 4,000-yard campaign, which would be his fifth such season and third in the past five years. All that said, at 33, Prescott has little time left to turn individual success into team glory.
6. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Preseason Ranking: 5
When Burrow has been healthy, he’s been an elite quarterback throughout his seven-year NFL career. In 2026, Burrow has started all five games for the Bengals and looked like a superstar, ranking sixth with 1,361 passing yards while tossing 11 touchdowns against three interceptions.
Analytically, Burrow also ranks fourth in CPOE (6.0) and 13th in EPA per play (0.179) while checking in eighth in success rate (51.2%). With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the outside, Cincinnati remains one of the more dangerous offenses in football, led by a quarterback whose only true challenge is remaining on the field for 17 games.
5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Preseason Ranking: 12
Pick the stat, and Goff has been elite in it this season. He’s second in passing yards (1,485), behind only Matthew Stafford. He’s fifth in EPA per play (0.320). He’s thrown for 12 touchdowns (tied for second) without an interception. Goff has led the Lions to a 3–2 record despite a defense that has allowed the most passing yards in NFL history through four games.
While Goff doesn’t often get the same attention as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and others, he puts up similar numbers. Goff has thrown for at least 4,400 yards and 29 touchdowns in each of the past four seasons. He’s currently on pace for 5,049 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2026. Given how the Lions play defense, he might need those numbers to reach the playoffs.
4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Preseason Ranking: 4
Jackson missed last week's game against the Falcons with a sprained ankle. Still, he’s on an MVP-like path. Despite playing three and a half games (he sat out the second half against the Titans), Jackson has thrown for 967 yards on a whopping 10.1 YPA, with six touchdowns, along with 144 rushing yards and another score.
Although Jackson has few receiving threats beyond Zay Flowers, Baltimore’s offense ranks fifth in yards per game and sixth in points. Jackson could return this Sunday against the Browns for an important AFC North clash with first place on the line.
3. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Preseason Ranking: 16
As mentioned above, Purdy is playing lights out. The 49ers entered the season with multiple players having health questions, including tight end George Kittle coming off Achilles rehab, and Mike Evans, who was banged up throughout the summer. Then there’s wideout Ricky Pearsall, who is out for the year with a knee injury.
None of the health issues have mattered. Purdy has been efficient while putting up volume stats, showcasing an ability to make the big play while also sprinkling in great decisions on short and intermediate throws. No team is playing better than San Francisco, and no quarterback has enjoyed a hotter start than its quarterback.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Preseason Ranking: 2
Allen has had a very productive but somewhat bizarre start to his season. No player has more total touchdowns than Allen’s 15, and he also has a league-leading eight rushing scores. However, he’s also thrown just seven touchdown passes to four interceptions and hasn’t thrown for 300 yards in a game since Buffalo’s season-opening win at Houston.
However, Allen is the best dual-threat quarterback in football and could be the best we’ve ever seen; he was spectacular against the Rams on Monday night. He is also leading an offense that ranks in the top five in almost every meaningful category, and must continue to, considering the defense’s struggles. Allen is an MVP favorite.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Preseason Ranking: 1
Despite coming off two torn knee ligaments and playing only four games (before Kansas City’s early Week 5 bye), Mahomes has already tossed nine touchdowns and is on pace for more than 4,400 passing yards. He’s also averaging 8.1 yards per attempt, his best figure since winning his second MVP in 2022.
With Kenneth Walker III leading the league in rushing yards per game, Mahomes has a lessened burden for the first time in years. With a QB rating of 106.2 and a QBR of 68.0, Mahomes ranks top 10 in both categories, along with passing yards per game, touchdown passes and YPA, while having only two turnovers.
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