2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
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- 2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
Now that the 2026 season is nearing its halfway point, it’s time to re-evaluate Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings so far.
These rankings consider many factors. Most importantly, how did a player perform last week? How does that align with their performance this season? Below, you’ll find out who the NFL’s worst quarterback and the NFL’s best quarterback are, and chances are, you won’t agree with everyone in between either.
Related: 1 Trade Candidate For Every Team as NFL Deadline Approaches
Daniel Jones had already been on a downward spiral coming into Week 8. His confidence didn’t improve after falling to the Jaguars 42-7, getting benched for Anthony Richardson with the game out of hand. But for the second week in a row against a top-10 defense, Jones couldn’t get anything done. He completed 19-of-28 passes for a punchless 144 yards to go with a touchdown and two interceptions while taking three sacks in the process. Last year, Jones was one of the NFL’s best QBs in the first half of the season. This year, he’s been one of the worst.
Related: 5 NFL Trades That Could Happen Before Week 9, Including Jonathan Taylor to…
Justin Herbert established an even stronger command over his NFL-leading 10 interceptions by tossing two more in Sunday’s loss, the seventh of the season for the Los Angeles Chargers. Otherwise, he wasn’t too bad, completing 24-of-32 passes for 257 yards, though he also took two sacks for a loss of 26 yards. On a day where the Chargers mustered just 65 rushing yards on 25 attempts, this one isn’t all on Herbert, but as the team’s offensive leader, at some point he needs to put a stop to all the madness.
Related: 6 Khalil Mack Trade Destinations As NFL Rumors Heat Up
While the Philadelphia Eagles were able to get out to a 10-0 start, they did nothing for the next three quarters. Making his third start of the season, Tanner McKee completed 23-of-34 passes for 212 yards. He also took five sacks for a loss of 35 yards, which included a lost fumble, but he ended the contest with a game-sealing interception. There’s been nothing to suggest McKee is the star in the making that Philadelphia hyped him up to be.
Related: 6 Landon Dickerson Trade Ideas After Philadelphia Eagles Fall to 2-6
The Arizona Cardinals may have gotten the win, but Jacoby Brissett lost his starting job to Gardner Minshew III in the process. Brissett completed just 10-of-23 passes for a paltry 119 yards and an interception while taking four sacks and losing 36 yards in the process. While he’s generally done a great job of taking care of the football, Brissett is now just one shy of tying his career-high in interceptions for a season (8).
Related: 5 Josh Sweat Trade Destinations After NFL Rumors Heat Up
Woah. With his 304-yard passing performance, Cam Ward just had the first 300-yard game of his career in an overtime loss to the Bengals. This was easily the best start yet for the first overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, tacking on two passing touchdowns while completing 26-of-40 attempts. He did take two sacks for a loss of 22 yards while losing a fumble, but the Titans have to feel good about how their 24-year-old QB played on Sunday, despite the loss.
Even though he’s coming off a Super Bowl win, Sam Darnold has the highest interception rate of his career and is tied for the second-most picks in the NFL with nine. While he’s still able to connect with Jaxon Smith-Njigba often, Darnold only completed 17 of 34 passes for 188 yards, two interceptions, and one interception. Darnold also took three sacks, losing 17 more yards in the process. While the Seahawks would likely never turn to Drew Lock, he was playing better than Darnold is right now.
Baker Mayfield definitely didn’t take a step in the right direction with his performance, becoming the first team to win since 1974 despite not completing any passes. Mayfield went 0-for-3 in the Florida rain. There’s not much to evaluate here, but credit the former No. 1 overall pick for not developing an ego while executing perfect handoffs on the way to a 324-yard rushing performance from Tampa Bay.
Having made just his 13th NFL start, Malik Willis is showing more signs of potentially being the long-term answer for the Miami Dolphins. The dual-threat QB completed 21-of-32 passes for 211 yards, two touchdowns, and an unlucky interception that bounced off a helmet. But he also took five sacks, losing 16 yards in the process, and he finished with a season-low two rushing yards too. Still, this time Willis put the Dolphins in position to possibly win their second game of the season, this time against the AFC’s reigning Super Bowl representative.
Related: Minnesota Vikings Urged to Trade for 29-Year-Old Pro Bowl QB
After six starts, it may be time for the Minnesota Vikings to consider turning to a different QB rather than Kyler Murray. He struggled for the bulk of the game, missing open receivers and generally just being off-target. While the former No. 1 overall pick offers rare mobility, Murray is completing only 65% of his passes, his lowest rate since the rookie season in 2019. He’s also averaging career lows in passing yards despite having Justin Jefferson in the lineup. The Vikings may be 6-1, and Murray has mostly done a good job avoiding turnovers, but this offense just hasn’t done anything substantial, and there have been no signs of improvement.
Related: 7 Minnesota Vikings QB Trade Targets As Kyler Murray’s Struggles Linger
Lamar Jackson returned after missing three starts, but his time in the Baltimore Ravens’ lineup didn’t last long, leaving after firing one incompletion. Now, Jackson could be out for the rest of the season. Yet, even Tyler Huntley didn’t last long replacing the former NFL MVP, completing just 2-of-4 passes for no yards while taking an eight-yard sack. Suddenly, the 4-4 Ravens may be looking for a new QB for the rest of the season. Joe Flacco, anyone?
Related: 5 Baltimore Ravens QB Solutions After Lamar Jackson’s Thumb Injury
Making his first start as a member of the New York Giants, J.J. McCarthy did enough to secure the job for the foreseeable future. The 2024 first-round pick was sharp, completing 20-of-28 passes for 252 yards, while avoiding turnovers. He did take three sacks for a loss of 20 yards, but the Giants’ QB also found some deep shots downfield, leading to three gains of 20 or more yards. Can the 23-year-old excel against the Eagles after the bye week too?
The Denver Broncos’ passing offense is starting to heat up. This time, Bo Nix completed 20-of-32 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns while avoiding turnovers and taking a five-yard sack. While he didn’t do anything special, the Broncos QB had four connections of over 20 yards, delivering exactly the type of performance Denver has been seeking. That’s back-to-back positive performances from Nix, and maybe the Broncos are getting ready to take off after building some confidence.
Tyler Shough got back on track in Week 7, completing 30-of-38 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown, but he had a costly red-zone interception. He was the entirety of the New Orleans Saints’ offense, even leading them with seven rushing yards on three attempts. But he lost all those and then some by losing 15 yards on two sacks. The 27-year-old has been up-and-down, often looking like the franchise QB, and other times having young growing pains that leave the door open for other options. Next up is a Browns defense that has done well against the pass this season.
Deshaun Watson hadn’t had a 300-yard game since 2021, when he was still a member of the Texans, but now he’s had two in a row. Only this time, the Cleveland Browns suffered a loss. But to be fair, he didn’t do himself any favors by taking eight sacks for a loss of 41 yards while losing a fumble in the process. Still, the 324 yards were nice to see again, but scoring just six points won’t inspire anyone in Cleveland.
Related: 5 Jerry Jeudy Landing Spots After NFL Trade Rumors Heat Up
Now in his third season, Michael Penix Jr. just had his worst start yet. Of course, the pouring rain didn’t help, but that doesn’t entirely excuse the former first-round pick completing just 8-of-24 attempts for 125 yards while tossing a career-high four interceptions. While he had been performing like a top-10 QB since his return from last season’s ACL, this one was embarrassing.
Suddenly, Aaron Rodgers has helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win four in a row. Sunday’s effort wasn’t anything spectacular on his end. Rodgers completed just 13-of-25 passes for 172 scoreless yards while also tossing an interception and taking an 11-yard sack. Rodgers can take solace in the fact that he has a defense this group can win with, even when he and the offense don’t play at their best.
Suddenly, Bryce Young has had difficulty completing passes. The former No. 1 overall pick has completed just 53.3% of his passes in the past three games, two of which have been losses. He’s also turned the ball over four times in that same span. Trending in the wrong direction, Young completed just 23-of-41 passes in Thursday night’s eight-point loss. Those passes went for just 209 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in an uneven performance. Perhaps worst of all, Young took a season-high six sacks. Now sitting at 3-4, the Panthers will need their franchise QB to be much sharper against Denver in Week 9.
Dak Prescott did not bring his ‘A’ game to the Dallas Cowboys’ home matchup against the Cardinals in Week 8. The Pro Bowl QB completed 19-of-29 attempts for just 195 yards and a touchdown. He also took four sacks while losing 27 yards in the process. While he did record 20 rushing yards and a touchdown to help fantasy owners, Prescott’s Cowboys fell to 3-5 in the process. A team with two All-Pro receivers should not average just 3.6 yards per play while finishing with 261 yards, but the Cowboys did on Sunday.
Related: Former NFL QB Suggests Dallas Cowboys Are Ready to Move on From Dak Prescott Soon
It wasn’t the prettiest performance, but Jayden Daniels didn’t flinch at falling behind by 10 points in the first quarter. The Washington Commanders QB would only complete 16-of-29 passes, but they went for 217 yards and a touchdown. He did well to avoid turnovers and stayed upright for the most part, suffering just two sacks for a loss of 13 yards. This was a must-win game for a Commanders squad that now sits at 2-4-1.
Taking on a winless Chargers team, Matthew Stafford didn’t have to put on his cape on Sunday. The reigning NFL MVP completed 17-of-25 passes for just 157 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, taking just a five-yard sack in the process. While Stafford isn’t putting up nearly the same numbers as he did in 2025, all that matters is that they keep moving in the right direction and are getting in position to reach the playoffs.
Related: 10 Los Angeles Rams WR Replacements After Davante Adams’ Injury
Drake Maye was excellent in Sunday’s five-point win over the Dolphins, completing 16-of-20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns while tacking on another rushing score. Maye did take three sacks for a loss of 17 yards, but otherwise performed well in the divisional win to advance the New England Patriots to 5-3.
The New York Jets are playing much better this season, and Geno Smith is a huge reason why. While they couldn’t get the win on Sunday, Smith did his part, completing 20-of-32 passes for 290 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Signed only through the rest of the season, even though he’s playing very well, one wonders if teams will come calling for the former Pro Bowler.
Playing in primetime on Thursday night, Jordan Love had no trouble slicing up a bad Panthers defense when the lights were on. The sixth-year QB completed 30-of-41 attempts for 288 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Yet, like many of his other games, Love could have had an even better line had his receivers not dropped multiple passes. Overall, this was one of his best starts of the season.
C.J. Stroud has been excellent this season, but he wasn’t at his best last Sunday. The Houston Texans’ franchise quarterback completed 17 of 28 passes for just 153 yards and two touchdowns. While he took just one sack, Stroud didn’t lose any yards in the process. On a day when the Texans gained just 237 yards, it’s safe to say that Stroud was part of the problem this time. There were opportunities to salvage the game, but Marvin Harrison Jr. dropped a would-be catch, and Houston’s offense couldn’t do squat in overtime. Next up is a winless Chargers squad that Stroud and Co. should be able to handle.
Patrick Mahomes nearly pulled out a game-winning drive, but simply ran out of time against the Broncos, taking a game-sealing sack instead. Otherwise, the Kansas City Chiefs’ franchise QB performed fairly well, completing 30-of-41 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns, but the two sacks clearly played a factor too, especially that last one. Still, Mahomes has performed very well this season and is back to being one of the best QBs in the NFL, even without top-notch receivers.
Even though he missed four games due to injury, Caleb Williams is in midseason form. The former No. 1 overall pick surgically completed 24-of-34 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown in Monday night’s win. He did so while avoiding turnovers and taking just one sack, albeit for a loss of 10 yards. Keep in mind, he did this while taking on a top-three Seahawks defense, but Williams made them look bottom-tier in primetime.
Teams may want to trade for Kirk Cousins, but he’s managed to keep the Las Vegas Raiders in the playoff picture while ranking second in the NFL with 19 passing touchdowns. The four-time Pro Bowler is playing some of the best football of his career. On Sunday, that meant completing 19-of-26 passes for 247 yards and three more touchdowns. Cousins also added a touchdown on the ground for his first four-score game since Week 8 of the 2024 season. He’s been the biggest reason for the Raiders’ mild success so far.
Brock Purdy had a bad game for the first time this season, recording his only game with multiple turnovers (two interceptions). When he wasn’t turning the ball over, Purdy was otherwise productive, completing 27 of 40 passes for 288 yards and a touchdown. He also took two sacks, when he’s otherwise done a great job avoiding negative plays this year. But there were just too many to overcome last Sunday. Will the story be different against the Rams coming out of the bye?
Trevor Lawrence didn’t need to play hero on Sunday against the Colts. The former No. 1 overall pick just needed to complete 10-of-14 passes to rack up 210 yards and three touchdowns. While he did take three sacks for a loss of 35 yards and lose a fumble, that was about the only blemish from an otherwise excellent performance.
Related: 11 Brian Thomas Jr. Trade Solutions After NFL Rumors Emerge
Seven starts into the season, Jared Goff finally threw his first interception of the season after losing his first fumble last week. That just shows how excellent the Detroit Lions’ QB has been all season long. While he stumbled a bit on Sunday, taking on the NFL’s best defense, getting sacked four times to tie his season-high, Goff didn’t get flustered. Instead, the Lions started relying more on the running game, which became unstoppable down the stretch. Despite the pick that came on a play where Jameson Williams fell down, Goff still performed well, completing 18-of-25 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown.
Josh Allen leads the NFL with 20 touchdowns (11 passing, nine rushing), leading the Buffalo Bills to a 6-1 record in the process. This time, the former NFL MVP completed 21-of-34 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Allen also took a nine-yard sack but otherwise was excellent in the Bills’ 26-point victory over Jesse Minter’s Ravens.
Joe Burrow just had one of his most productive days yet in Sunday’s win against the Titans. The former No. 1 overall pick completed 38-of-48 attempts for 462 yards and a career-high-tying five touchdowns. But he also tossed three interceptions, all of which went to safety Amani Hooker. Both Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase went off for over 140 yards, showing just how dangerous this Bengals offense can be when the passing attack is firing on all cylinders, but not committing those turnovers would have made things easier.
Related: Cincinnati Bengals Urged to Swing for the Fences with Blockbuster Trade for All-Pro
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 9: Michael Penix Jr. Struggles While Joe Burrow Shines
Now that the 2026 season is nearing its halfway point, it’s time to re-evaluate Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings so far.
These rankings consider many factors. Most importantly, how did a player perform last week? How does that align with their performance this season? Below, you’ll find out who the NFL’s worst quarterback and the NFL’s best quarterback are, and chances are, you won’t agree with everyone in between either.
Related: 1 Trade Candidate For Every Team as NFL Deadline Approaches
32. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: 29)
Daniel Jones had already been on a downward spiral coming into Week 8. His confidence didn’t improve after falling to the Jaguars 42-7, getting benched for Anthony Richardson with the game out of hand. But for the second week in a row against a top-10 defense, Jones couldn’t get anything done. He completed 19-of-28 passes for a punchless 144 yards to go with a touchdown and two interceptions while taking three sacks in the process. Last year, Jones was one of the NFL’s best QBs in the first half of the season. This year, he’s been one of the worst.
Related: 5 NFL Trades That Could Happen Before Week 9, Including Jonathan Taylor to…
31. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 30)
Justin Herbert established an even stronger command over his NFL-leading 10 interceptions by tossing two more in Sunday’s loss, the seventh of the season for the Los Angeles Chargers. Otherwise, he wasn’t too bad, completing 24-of-32 passes for 257 yards, though he also took two sacks for a loss of 26 yards. On a day where the Chargers mustered just 65 rushing yards on 25 attempts, this one isn’t all on Herbert, but as the team’s offensive leader, at some point he needs to put a stop to all the madness.
Related: 6 Khalil Mack Trade Destinations As NFL Rumors Heat Up
30. Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 31)
While the Philadelphia Eagles were able to get out to a 10-0 start, they did nothing for the next three quarters. Making his third start of the season, Tanner McKee completed 23-of-34 passes for 212 yards. He also took five sacks for a loss of 35 yards, which included a lost fumble, but he ended the contest with a game-sealing interception. There’s been nothing to suggest McKee is the star in the making that Philadelphia hyped him up to be.
Related: 6 Landon Dickerson Trade Ideas After Philadelphia Eagles Fall to 2-6
29. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (LW: 26)
The Arizona Cardinals may have gotten the win, but Jacoby Brissett lost his starting job to Gardner Minshew III in the process. Brissett completed just 10-of-23 passes for a paltry 119 yards and an interception while taking four sacks and losing 36 yards in the process. While he’s generally done a great job of taking care of the football, Brissett is now just one shy of tying his career-high in interceptions for a season (8).
Related: 5 Josh Sweat Trade Destinations After NFL Rumors Heat Up
28. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans (LW: 32)
Woah. With his 304-yard passing performance, Cam Ward just had the first 300-yard game of his career in an overtime loss to the Bengals. This was easily the best start yet for the first overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, tacking on two passing touchdowns while completing 26-of-40 attempts. He did take two sacks for a loss of 22 yards while losing a fumble, but the Titans have to feel good about how their 24-year-old QB played on Sunday, despite the loss.
27. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (LW: 28)
Even though he’s coming off a Super Bowl win, Sam Darnold has the highest interception rate of his career and is tied for the second-most picks in the NFL with nine. While he’s still able to connect with Jaxon Smith-Njigba often, Darnold only completed 17 of 34 passes for 188 yards, two interceptions, and one interception. Darnold also took three sacks, losing 17 more yards in the process. While the Seahawks would likely never turn to Drew Lock, he was playing better than Darnold is right now.
26. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 24)
Baker Mayfield definitely didn’t take a step in the right direction with his performance, becoming the first team to win since 1974 despite not completing any passes. Mayfield went 0-for-3 in the Florida rain. There’s not much to evaluate here, but credit the former No. 1 overall pick for not developing an ego while executing perfect handoffs on the way to a 324-yard rushing performance from Tampa Bay.
25. Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins (LW: 27)
Having made just his 13th NFL start, Malik Willis is showing more signs of potentially being the long-term answer for the Miami Dolphins. The dual-threat QB completed 21-of-32 passes for 211 yards, two touchdowns, and an unlucky interception that bounced off a helmet. But he also took five sacks, losing 16 yards in the process, and he finished with a season-low two rushing yards too. Still, this time Willis put the Dolphins in position to possibly win their second game of the season, this time against the AFC’s reigning Super Bowl representative.
Related: Minnesota Vikings Urged to Trade for 29-Year-Old Pro Bowl QB
24. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings (LW: 23)
After six starts, it may be time for the Minnesota Vikings to consider turning to a different QB rather than Kyler Murray. He struggled for the bulk of the game, missing open receivers and generally just being off-target. While the former No. 1 overall pick offers rare mobility, Murray is completing only 65% of his passes, his lowest rate since the rookie season in 2019. He’s also averaging career lows in passing yards despite having Justin Jefferson in the lineup. The Vikings may be 6-1, and Murray has mostly done a good job avoiding turnovers, but this offense just hasn’t done anything substantial, and there have been no signs of improvement.
Related: 7 Minnesota Vikings QB Trade Targets As Kyler Murray’s Struggles Linger
23. Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens (LW: 21)
Lamar Jackson returned after missing three starts, but his time in the Baltimore Ravens’ lineup didn’t last long, leaving after firing one incompletion. Now, Jackson could be out for the rest of the season. Yet, even Tyler Huntley didn’t last long replacing the former NFL MVP, completing just 2-of-4 passes for no yards while taking an eight-yard sack. Suddenly, the 4-4 Ravens may be looking for a new QB for the rest of the season. Joe Flacco, anyone?
Related: 5 Baltimore Ravens QB Solutions After Lamar Jackson’s Thumb Injury
22. J.J. McCarthy, New York Giants (LW: 22)
Making his first start as a member of the New York Giants, J.J. McCarthy did enough to secure the job for the foreseeable future. The 2024 first-round pick was sharp, completing 20-of-28 passes for 252 yards, while avoiding turnovers. He did take three sacks for a loss of 20 yards, but the Giants’ QB also found some deep shots downfield, leading to three gains of 20 or more yards. Can the 23-year-old excel against the Eagles after the bye week too?
21. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (LW: 25)
The Denver Broncos’ passing offense is starting to heat up. This time, Bo Nix completed 20-of-32 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns while avoiding turnovers and taking a five-yard sack. While he didn’t do anything special, the Broncos QB had four connections of over 20 yards, delivering exactly the type of performance Denver has been seeking. That’s back-to-back positive performances from Nix, and maybe the Broncos are getting ready to take off after building some confidence.
20. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (LW: 20)
Tyler Shough got back on track in Week 7, completing 30-of-38 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown, but he had a costly red-zone interception. He was the entirety of the New Orleans Saints’ offense, even leading them with seven rushing yards on three attempts. But he lost all those and then some by losing 15 yards on two sacks. The 27-year-old has been up-and-down, often looking like the franchise QB, and other times having young growing pains that leave the door open for other options. Next up is a Browns defense that has done well against the pass this season.
19. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns (LW: 19)
Deshaun Watson hadn’t had a 300-yard game since 2021, when he was still a member of the Texans, but now he’s had two in a row. Only this time, the Cleveland Browns suffered a loss. But to be fair, he didn’t do himself any favors by taking eight sacks for a loss of 41 yards while losing a fumble in the process. Still, the 324 yards were nice to see again, but scoring just six points won’t inspire anyone in Cleveland.
Related: 5 Jerry Jeudy Landing Spots After NFL Trade Rumors Heat Up
18. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons (LW: 7)
Now in his third season, Michael Penix Jr. just had his worst start yet. Of course, the pouring rain didn’t help, but that doesn’t entirely excuse the former first-round pick completing just 8-of-24 attempts for 125 yards while tossing a career-high four interceptions. While he had been performing like a top-10 QB since his return from last season’s ACL, this one was embarrassing.
17. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 17)
Suddenly, Aaron Rodgers has helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win four in a row. Sunday’s effort wasn’t anything spectacular on his end. Rodgers completed just 13-of-25 passes for 172 scoreless yards while also tossing an interception and taking an 11-yard sack. Rodgers can take solace in the fact that he has a defense this group can win with, even when he and the offense don’t play at their best.
16. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (LW: 12)
Suddenly, Bryce Young has had difficulty completing passes. The former No. 1 overall pick has completed just 53.3% of his passes in the past three games, two of which have been losses. He’s also turned the ball over four times in that same span. Trending in the wrong direction, Young completed just 23-of-41 passes in Thursday night’s eight-point loss. Those passes went for just 209 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in an uneven performance. Perhaps worst of all, Young took a season-high six sacks. Now sitting at 3-4, the Panthers will need their franchise QB to be much sharper against Denver in Week 9.
15. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (LW: 15)
Dak Prescott did not bring his ‘A’ game to the Dallas Cowboys’ home matchup against the Cardinals in Week 8. The Pro Bowl QB completed 19-of-29 attempts for just 195 yards and a touchdown. He also took four sacks while losing 27 yards in the process. While he did record 20 rushing yards and a touchdown to help fantasy owners, Prescott’s Cowboys fell to 3-5 in the process. A team with two All-Pro receivers should not average just 3.6 yards per play while finishing with 261 yards, but the Cowboys did on Sunday.
Related: Former NFL QB Suggests Dallas Cowboys Are Ready to Move on From Dak Prescott Soon
14. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (LW: 18)
It wasn’t the prettiest performance, but Jayden Daniels didn’t flinch at falling behind by 10 points in the first quarter. The Washington Commanders QB would only complete 16-of-29 passes, but they went for 217 yards and a touchdown. He did well to avoid turnovers and stayed upright for the most part, suffering just two sacks for a loss of 13 yards. This was a must-win game for a Commanders squad that now sits at 2-4-1.
13. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (LW: 13)
Taking on a winless Chargers team, Matthew Stafford didn’t have to put on his cape on Sunday. The reigning NFL MVP completed 17-of-25 passes for just 157 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, taking just a five-yard sack in the process. While Stafford isn’t putting up nearly the same numbers as he did in 2025, all that matters is that they keep moving in the right direction and are getting in position to reach the playoffs.
Related: 10 Los Angeles Rams WR Replacements After Davante Adams’ Injury
12. Drake Maye, New England Patriots (LW: 16)
Drake Maye was excellent in Sunday’s five-point win over the Dolphins, completing 16-of-20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns while tacking on another rushing score. Maye did take three sacks for a loss of 17 yards, but otherwise performed well in the divisional win to advance the New England Patriots to 5-3.
11. Geno Smith, New York Jets (LW: 11)
The New York Jets are playing much better this season, and Geno Smith is a huge reason why. While they couldn’t get the win on Sunday, Smith did his part, completing 20-of-32 passes for 290 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Signed only through the rest of the season, even though he’s playing very well, one wonders if teams will come calling for the former Pro Bowler.
10. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (LW: 14)
Playing in primetime on Thursday night, Jordan Love had no trouble slicing up a bad Panthers defense when the lights were on. The sixth-year QB completed 30-of-41 attempts for 288 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Yet, like many of his other games, Love could have had an even better line had his receivers not dropped multiple passes. Overall, this was one of his best starts of the season.
9. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (LW: 10)
C.J. Stroud has been excellent this season, but he wasn’t at his best last Sunday. The Houston Texans’ franchise quarterback completed 17 of 28 passes for just 153 yards and two touchdowns. While he took just one sack, Stroud didn’t lose any yards in the process. On a day when the Texans gained just 237 yards, it’s safe to say that Stroud was part of the problem this time. There were opportunities to salvage the game, but Marvin Harrison Jr. dropped a would-be catch, and Houston’s offense couldn’t do squat in overtime. Next up is a winless Chargers squad that Stroud and Co. should be able to handle.
8. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 5)
Patrick Mahomes nearly pulled out a game-winning drive, but simply ran out of time against the Broncos, taking a game-sealing sack instead. Otherwise, the Kansas City Chiefs’ franchise QB performed fairly well, completing 30-of-41 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns, but the two sacks clearly played a factor too, especially that last one. Still, Mahomes has performed very well this season and is back to being one of the best QBs in the NFL, even without top-notch receivers.
7. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (LW: 9)
Even though he missed four games due to injury, Caleb Williams is in midseason form. The former No. 1 overall pick surgically completed 24-of-34 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown in Monday night’s win. He did so while avoiding turnovers and taking just one sack, albeit for a loss of 10 yards. Keep in mind, he did this while taking on a top-three Seahawks defense, but Williams made them look bottom-tier in primetime.
6. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 8)
Teams may want to trade for Kirk Cousins, but he’s managed to keep the Las Vegas Raiders in the playoff picture while ranking second in the NFL with 19 passing touchdowns. The four-time Pro Bowler is playing some of the best football of his career. On Sunday, that meant completing 19-of-26 passes for 247 yards and three more touchdowns. Cousins also added a touchdown on the ground for his first four-score game since Week 8 of the 2024 season. He’s been the biggest reason for the Raiders’ mild success so far.
5. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (LW: 4)
Brock Purdy had a bad game for the first time this season, recording his only game with multiple turnovers (two interceptions). When he wasn’t turning the ball over, Purdy was otherwise productive, completing 27 of 40 passes for 288 yards and a touchdown. He also took two sacks, when he’s otherwise done a great job avoiding negative plays this year. But there were just too many to overcome last Sunday. Will the story be different against the Rams coming out of the bye?
4. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 6)
Trevor Lawrence didn’t need to play hero on Sunday against the Colts. The former No. 1 overall pick just needed to complete 10-of-14 passes to rack up 210 yards and three touchdowns. While he did take three sacks for a loss of 35 yards and lose a fumble, that was about the only blemish from an otherwise excellent performance.
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3. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (LW: 1)
Seven starts into the season, Jared Goff finally threw his first interception of the season after losing his first fumble last week. That just shows how excellent the Detroit Lions’ QB has been all season long. While he stumbled a bit on Sunday, taking on the NFL’s best defense, getting sacked four times to tie his season-high, Goff didn’t get flustered. Instead, the Lions started relying more on the running game, which became unstoppable down the stretch. Despite the pick that came on a play where Jameson Williams fell down, Goff still performed well, completing 18-of-25 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (LW: 2)
Josh Allen leads the NFL with 20 touchdowns (11 passing, nine rushing), leading the Buffalo Bills to a 6-1 record in the process. This time, the former NFL MVP completed 21-of-34 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Allen also took a nine-yard sack but otherwise was excellent in the Bills’ 26-point victory over Jesse Minter’s Ravens.
1. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: 3)
Joe Burrow just had one of his most productive days yet in Sunday’s win against the Titans. The former No. 1 overall pick completed 38-of-48 attempts for 462 yards and a career-high-tying five touchdowns. But he also tossed three interceptions, all of which went to safety Amani Hooker. Both Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase went off for over 140 yards, showing just how dangerous this Bengals offense can be when the passing attack is firing on all cylinders, but not committing those turnovers would have made things easier.
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