| 1 |
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| For the first time this year, it is not Patrick Mahomes who dominates. In truth, the Bills and Chiefs have the 1As and 1Bs of QBs. Allen just happens to bring even more with his perfect blend of size and ground speed. As long as he remains healthy, his full set of Superman talents should keep Buffalo on pace with KC as an AFC class. (+1) |
| 2 |
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| Mahomes is still the magician of position, still capable of fearless and improbable throws. If he didn’t have to rely so much on himself and Travis Kelce in their offense, he would remain a lock at No. 1, without having to force too many balls. (-1) |
| 3 |
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| Don’t confuse the Packers’ failure to master the fundamentals, or nurture Aaron Jones, or field a legit WR body, with Rodgers’ abilities. Yes, the Green Bay offense is in trouble, but imagine if A-Rod played for, say, the Bengals or the Vikings; he would be ace. |
| 4 |
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| It’s been a mirror image, he and Rodgers this year: while the vision and passing touch remain, the dependable strategy and supporting cast are not. Brady could use a lot more help from Byron Leftwich, who fell in predictable play calls. |
| 5 |
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| The Ja’Marr Chase connection is heating up, which means the rest of the AFC North — and the NFL, for that matter — should be warned. When he’s on, his distribution of the ball is one of the best shows in the league. (+2) |
| 6 |
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| Physically and aesthetically, Herbert checks every box. But a litany of other issues, from injuries to his line to conservative play calls, seeped into his own decision. (-1) |
| seven |
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| Not unlike Herbert, Jackson has all the talent required to take control of games, but as the team around him has struggled in different facets, his own decision-making has fluctuated. At least his athleticism will always keep them in it. (-1) |
| 8 |
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| Hurts played virtually every role for the undefeated Eagles: playmaker, big-play thrower, ball-controlling playmaker. His temper – always unflappable – was an underrated asset, as always. (+1) |
| 9 |
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| His return is finally upon us, it seems. The big question is how long it will take for Dak, who is best known for doing all the little things in and around the pocket, to settle down after more than a month on the sidelines. |
| ten |
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| The Rams’ offensive problems are a vicious cycle: Stafford gets shoddy protection, then gets particularly risky on the ball. But put him behind a better line, and you still take his big arm and his experience over most starters in this league. |
| 11 |
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| Captain Kirk doesn’t light up the stat sheet, but he made just enough situational pitches for a team that is playing better and better with a complementary ball. History says his ceiling is solid, not spectacular, but for now Minnesota is content to win on the margins. (+2) |
| 12 |
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| It’s never a good sign when your young QB and the coach who hand-picked him look progressively worse four years after they were paired. Murray can pull himself out of trouble, but it’s all too rare for him to put on an effective streak of passing performances. (-1) |
| 13 |
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| No, he hasn’t been the 12th best QB this year, overcompensating some downs to make up for Denver’s lack of consistent protection or consistent offensive strategy, but we still trust him in a tight spot against some of the guys here. -below. For the moment. The next question: is he even healthy enough to continue? (-1) |
| 14 |
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| The grittier, more volatile version of Kirk Cousins, Carr constantly looks like he’s catching up, even in games where his Raiders take the lead. The direction is there; stability is not. |
| 15 |
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| When the racing game does its thing, it doesn’t have to win games with its decision making. That pretty much sums up his role for the 49ers, for better or worse. |
| 16 |
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| We’ll keep saying it until it’s proven wrong: he is, functionally, the AFC version of Garoppolo. As long as Derrick Henry moves forward, Tannehill can serve as the ship’s quiet captain. |
| 17 |
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| How long can Geno’s surprising energy translate into efficient and explosive starts? He came down to earth a bit against Arizona, but Pete Carroll is probably comfortable with him being just a game manager anyway. |
| 18 |
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| Ready to return after a two-week absence with head injuries, Tua was emerging as a more confident arm on the pitch ahead of his scary exit. The big concern here is durability: how long can he stay in the field if he takes a big hit or two? |
| 19 |
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| No baby. That’s what Doug Pederson seems to be looking for now, after Lawrence’s ball safety (or lack thereof) overshadowed a more confident start to 2022. He showed a lot of balance putting Jacksonville in good stead late against the Colts. (-1) |
| 20 |
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| On track to return from concussion protocol, the feisty rookie brings combat and veteran pocket presence to the Pittsburgh pocket. Hopefully the attacking game plan will be on his side. (+1) |
| 21 |
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| We’re hesitant to crown Ryan after his big day against the Jaguars, even though his top two fumbles are emerging more, mostly because he’s all but a lost cause when the line goes down. But give him credit for getting through a tough start in Indy. (+2) |
| 22 |
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| Who knows if he’ll stay with Big Blue beyond this year, but for now Jones is proving to be an underrated asset to Brian Daboll’s tireless contender, taking care of the ball(!) while still s relying mainly on his legs. |
| 23 |
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| We’re still dealing with a small sample here, but Zappe has been everything the Pats wanted Mac Jones to be in his interim appearances, making smart decisions with a quick release for a team built to rely on running and defense. (+4) |
| 24 |
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| Replacing the injured Carson Wentz, he thinks he’s rekindling the passion with his daring penchant for extending plays and taking shots, but the long-term outcome with him under center is unlikely to be much different behind such a poor line. |
| 25 |
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| Goff showed his pinpoint accuracy spreading it for a Lions attack with a deep receiving body, but overall he was always very mercurial, making less than 60% of his throws. They need him to rise to another level if they are to break a three-game losing streak. (-6) |
| 26 |
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| The Jets are one of the hottest stories in the NFL for a bunch of reasons other than Wilson, who mostly stayed on the sidelines as Breece Hall and Robert Saleh’s defense stole the show. So it’s hard to judge him properly until he’s asked to carry the load again. |
| 27 |
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| Thursday Night’s horrific Week 6 loss to the Commanders was proof that Fields and the Bears worked in tandem, often for the worse. The kid has a hell of an arm and can move with the best of them, but there’s no structure to his game in such a misshapen formation. (-1) |
| 28 |
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| If it continues like this, it will be on the rise before long. Mariota hasn’t been particularly good at throwing the ball around, but he’s improved in Week 6, and his legs remain a cog in Arthur Smith’s heavy attack. (+1) |
| 29 |
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| Dennis Allen might prefer to keep him under center even when Jameis Winston is healthy, but now both QBs have bruised backs. Dalton may offer a slightly higher tier, but neither can elevate their injury-riddled roster just yet. (-5) |
| 30 |
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| The Patriots had the right formula for the Browns: sell against the run and force Brissett, a historic conservative and imprecise passer, to win in the air. He is fine on the bench, but not for so many games at a time. (-2) |
| 31 |
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| The best the Texans can hope for is Mills staying out and Dameon Pierce leading the charge. It’s still not a great setup, but the consistency and execution of the situation just hasn’t been there. (+1) |
| 32 |
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| He left his emergency start for Baker Mayfield with his own injury, but expects to be back against the Buccaneers. Get ready to see Jacob Eason again. (-2) |
