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Stetson Bennett Ranked Lower Than Even Shedeur Sanders on Top Back-Up QBs List
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- Stetson Bennett Ranked Lower Than Even Shedeur Sanders on Top Back-Up QBs List
This season marks a new chapter for Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback Stetson Bennett .
After three seasons at the bottom of the depth chart, Bennett is the No. 2 behind Matthew Stafford , a role that came through patience and improvement.
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ESPN ranks Stetson Bennett 21st among backup quarterbacks
Jul 27, 2026; Westchester, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett IV (13) throws the ball during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Ahead of the Rams' home opener against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, ESPN ranked the 32 backup quarterbacks. Bennett checked in 21st . Cleveland Browns ' Shedeur Sanders , Kansas City Chiefs ' Justin Fields and Philadelphia Eagles ' Andy Dalton were among the quarterbacks who ranked ahead of him.
Bennett entered training camp with the edge over rookie Ty Simpson in the backup quarterback battle, given his experience operating Sean McVay's offense. His increased confidence in running the system stood out to the coaches .
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Bennett's best preseason performance came against the New Orleans Saints , when he threw for nearly 200 yards and rushed for two touchdowns in a blowout victory.
The growth of Stetson Bennett
Aug 22, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett IV (13) throws the ball against the New Orleans Saints in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
"I have been so impressed with what Stetson Bennett has done and the growth that he's had, the ownership of the offense ," McVay said. "(You) can feel his teammates want to root for him, and he's played really well through the offseason program and up until now and that's been a real positive for us."
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Sanders' ranking above Bennett is a separate debate. The fifth-round pick is more popular with fans and four years younger, and could become a starter as soon as this season if Deshaun Watson keeps struggling .
Bennett, meanwhile, will play only when the game is out of reach, as in the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers , or if Stafford suffers an injury serious enough to sideline him for a game or more.
What matters more is that Bennett wouldn't have made this list in any of the past three seasons, when he sat at the bottom of the quarterback depth chart. That's real progress.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
