Bean: Ranking the NFL's 32 starting QBs ahead of Week 3
Two weeks of football and two weeks of... great Josh Allen? Below-average Tom Brady? Hopeless Carson Wentz? There's been a lot of surprises so far, but the quarterback landscape for 2020 is starting to take shape. Let's do some QB power rankin'.
(Note: I'm not saying the Brady thing is a surprise.)
Last week's ranking: 13
Week 2 stats: 11-of-26, 113 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT
Season stats: 58.8 completion %, 372 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT
Not what you're looking for from a newly extended franchise quarterback! I'm a Stefon Diggs fan and even I didn't think Cousins would miss him this much.
Last week's ranking: 32
Week 2 stats: 31-of-47, 328 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 66.2 completion %, 519 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Say what you will about both these quarterbacks, but Fitzpatrick-Minshew Thursday is going to be ELECTRIC.
Last week's ranking: 23
Week 2 stats: 33-of-42, 0 TD, 2 INT
Season stats: 72.4 completion %, 636 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
I know it saved them a lot of money, but boy, how are Panthers fans feeling right now with Bridgewater off to a mediocre start and Cam Newton looking like he's back?
Last week's ranking: 22
Week 2 stats: 25-of-40, 241 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Season stats: 63.0 completion %, 520 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Jones has been underwhelming so far and he's lost his best weapon for the season. I really liked Jones last year, but I'm not holding out much hope for a strong sophomore performance now.
Last week's ranking: N/A
Week 2 stats: 18-of-34, 256 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Are the Broncos a darkhorse Trevor Lawrence team now? Driskel was good Sunday in relief of Drew Lock, but Courtland Sutton is done for the year and the team will have a backup (most likely Driskel, but perhaps Blake Bortles) under center for the next month-ish. What if Denver, with its decent roster, ends up in a position where they're in the mix for the top pick? What a turn of events that would be.
Last week's ranking: 21
Week 2 stats: 26-of-43, 242 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 1 rush TD
Season stats: 58.8 completion %, 512 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT, 1 rush TD
Wentz has struggled, the Eagles have sucked and now Jalen Reagor is hurt. If they can't get their first win this week against the Bengals, they're toast.
Last week's ranking: 20
Week 2 stats: 19-of-25, 214 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Season stats: 77.5 completion %, 577 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
As much joy as I've taken in Tom Brady's adjustment to a new team being rough, I can't say it's been better for Rivers. I don't think he's done; Sunday's win over the Vikings was at least a step in the right direction.
Last week's ranking: N/A
Week 2 stats: 22-of-33, 311 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 18 rush yards, 1 rush TD
I'll tell ya who I didn't think would be on the list this week, and that's Justin Herbert. His surprise start -- and it was a surprise to him, too -- went extremely well. That's an insanely tough break for Tyrod Taylor, who missed the game because a team doctor accidentally punctured his lung, but Herbert is the future anyway.
Last week's ranking: 26
Week 2 stats: 21-of-32, 179 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 62.7 completion %, 394 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Here's a Lawrence-related question: Is there a tiny chance this is Darnold's last season with the Jets? They're 0-2; say they end up with a bad enough pick; do they trade Darnold, who seems like he'd be a good quarterback on a functioning team, and go with Lawrence? You heard it here first, kids.
Last week's ranking: 30
Week 2 stats: 16-of-23, 219 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Season stats: 59.7 completion %, 408 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Is Mayfield going to be a star or a tease? So far, it's the latter. He and the Browns should be better than just barely beating the Bengals.
Last week's ranking: 28
Week 2 stats: 19-of-33, 223, 1 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 56.3 completion %, 401 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Haskins lost a showdown with fellow 2019 first-round quarterback Kyler Murray and... I could have told you that was going to happen. Next he's got the Browns and Mayfield, a much more realistic counterpart.
Last week's ranking: 18
Week 2 stats: 23-of-35, 217 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Season stats: 64.8 completion %, 456 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT, 1 rush TD
Yeah, Brady was better in Week 2 than in Week 1, but he still threw a bad pick and fumbled on a handoff. The Tampa thing is off to a bad start.
Last week's ranking: 25
Week 2 stats: 37-of-61, 316 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 61.9 completion %, 509 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 65 rush yards, 1 rush TD
Burrow looked like a young player in his first NFL game in Week 1. Week 2, he threw the ball way more and got better results. Up next he has the worse-than-we-thought Eagles, then the better-than-we-thought Jaguars.
Last week's ranking: 14
Week 2 stats: 20-of-33, 244 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Season stats: 58.7 completion %, 541 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
I'll admit it: I'm really trying to sniff out which team gets Lawrence, and the Lions are a bigger mess than we thought. Stafford's not the problem, but if they're bad enough, Lawrence could be the solution.
Last week's ranking: 27
Week 2 stats: 20-of-27, 267 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 69.0 completion %, 542 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Goff's goal this year should be to prove that last season (22 touchdowns, 16 picks) was an outlier in an otherwise strong career. After winning with an underwhelming performance in Week 1, he turned it on against the Eagles.
Last week's ranking: 15
Week 2 stats: 26-of-38, 312 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Season stats: 64.7 percent, 472 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
In Week 2, Brees was fine... which just might be what he is without Michael Thomas.
Last week's ranking: 12
Week 2 stats: 14-of-16, 131 yards, 2 TD
Season stats: 67.3 completion %, 390 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Garoppolo gets moved down the list this week because I... don't know if he's going to play. Even if he does, you've got to think that high ankle sprain will make him worse than what he's shown thus far, which has been very good.
Last week's ranking: 17
Week 2 stats: 18-of-28, 190 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Season stats: 59.4 completion %, 432 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT
Trubisky wasn't particularly good against a bad Giants team, but he's 2-0 and has been better than competent so far. Those are steps in the right direction.
Last week's ranking: 6
Week 2 stats: 25-of-36, 275 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Season stats: 66.2 completion %, 528 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 44 rush yards, 1 TD
The Texans are 0-2, but they've had to play the Chiefs and the Ravens. Watson's been just OK -- a passing touchdown and a pick in each game so far -- as he adjusts to life with a worse supporting cast.
Last week's ranking: 19
Week 2 stats: 30-of-45, 339 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Season stats: 75.4 completion %, 512 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT
Gardner Minshew in the top 15? Crazier things have happened (see: Josh Allen's placement). This kid was expected (at least here, anyway) to quarterback a bad team a first overall pick. Instead, he beat the Colts and narrowly lost to the Titans in a game in which he was better than his stats suggest (one of his interceptions was tipped by his receiver). We might be finding out the 2019 sixth-rounder is legit.
Last week's ranking: 24
Week 2 stats: 28-of-38, 282 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 73.5 completion %, 521 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Two clean performances and two wins for Carr. Plus, he did what Tom Brady couldn't: play well against the Saints.
Last week's ranking: 8
Week 2 stats: 29-of-41, 311 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Season stats: 68.5 completion %, 540 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT
He's been healthy and he's been good. Roethlisberger's decision not to retire is looking good so far, but we'll see if he's feeling the same way once the meetings with the Ravens come.
Last week's ranking: 9
Week 2 stats: 18-of-24, 239 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 70.1 completion %, 488 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT
Tannehill has continued his play from last season, which is probably surprising to many. He's not going to necessarily torch teams through the air, but he'll rack up touchdowns and limit the picks. We laughed when the Titans chose Tannehill over Tom Brady, but it seems they were right.
Last week's ranking: 16
Week 2 stats: 30-of-44, 397 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 47 rush yards, 2 rush TD
Season stats: 71.4 completion %, 552 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 122 rush yards, 4 rush TD
What's more surprising: that Newton is healthy and playing great or that he's doing that without being the best Cam Newton-esque QB in his own division? Assuming they both keep it up, Newton-Allen showdowns should be fun when the two best teams in the AFC East meet this season.
Last week's ranking: 10
Week 2 stats: 24-of-36, 273 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 67.8 completion %, 723 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT
The Falcons are a mess, but Ryan isn't. He's second in passing yards among QBs.
Last week's ranking: 3
Week 2 stats: 18-of-24, 204 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 54 rush yards
Season stats: 77.6 completion %, 479 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 99 rush yards
Jackson falls down the rankings despite continued flawless play. There's a decent chance this is the lowest he'll be all season, as Allen and Prescott should eventually fall.
Last week's ranking: 7
Week 2 stats: 24-of-35, 417 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 70.4 completion %, 729 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT, 75 rush yards, 1 rush TD
Allen has been absolutely balling, albeit against bad competition. That could mean one of two things: He's due for a major dropoff (likely) or an easy start to the season has given him the confidence to keep it up. He'd be top-five right now were it not for his two lost fumbles this season.
Last week's ranking: 11
Week 2 stats: 34-of-47, 450 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3 rush TD
Season stats: 68.6 completion %, 716 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 48 rush yards, 3 rush TD
After leading a great comeback against the Falcons, Prescott is better officiating in Week 1 away from being 2-0. He's playing himself into a major contract.
Last week's ranking: 5
Week 2 stats: 26-of-38, 286 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 67 rush yards, 2 rush TD
Season stats: 66.7 completion %, 516 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 158 rush yards, 3 rush TD
Murray began the season ranked middle-of-the-pack (No. 14) with it pretty much guaranteed he'd skyrocket into at least the top 10. Since the games started being played, he's been top-five thanks in part to leading all quarterbacks in rushing yards. This is a great dual-threat quarterback.
Last week's ranking: 2
Week 2 stats: 27-of-47, 302 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 54 rush yards
Season stats: 64.8 completion %, 513 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT, 54 rush yards
Mahomes' numbers weren't great in a game in which the Chiefs surprisingly needed to come from behind against the Chargers, but as always, he made ridiculous plays when he had to. This is still the best player in the league, even if Wilson's outshined him so far.
Last week's ranking: 4
Week 2 stats: 18-of-30, 240 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Season stats: 67.6 completion %, 604 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT
I never understood why people left Rodgers for washed this offseason while continuing to throw bouquets at quarterbacks in their 40s. He can further prove that narrative wrong when he faces Drew Brees and the Saints in Week 3.
Last week's ranking: 1
Week 2 stats: 21-of-28, 288 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT, 39 rush yards
Season stats: 82.5 completion %, 610 yards, 9 TD, 1 INT, 68 rush yards
I still don't think Wilson is the best quarterback in the league, but these are POWER rankings baybeeeee, and his performance has been miles ahead of anyone else. We're only an eighth of the way into the season, but Wilson's got a nice head start on perhaps his first MVP.
