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The middle pack
This next group is about guys who are often referred to as franchise quarterbacks, meaning they can be the highest player on a team and win games with a good supporting cast around them. These are the signal-callers who can take over games and put their teams on their backs in crucial situations, but need the weapons around them or the appropriate play-calling to have sustained success.
#11 Matt Ryan
Leading that group is a guy, who I have defended a lot in recent years. I thought him being outside the top ten among quarterbacks and at 69 overall in the NFL Top 100 was crazy, because he was coming off an outstanding season, but right that’s exactly where I have him myself. The completion percentage and yardage total look pretty good, but he turned the ball over six times through the first three games and did not score until down by 20+ points in two of them. They were held to ten points at home against the Titans and Matt Ryan threw the game-sealing pick-six in Houston.
#12 Dak Prescott
Watching the first three games for the Cowboys, Dak Prescott was a completely different guy than he has been these last two weeks. Of course a lot of that had to do with playing the Giants, Dolphins and Redskins early on, but he seemed really comfortable in this more wide-open Kellen Moore offense.
At New Orleans the Cowboys were held to ten points and it took them 40 minutes to get on the board versus the Packers last Sunday, when Green Bay was already up 24-0. Dak’s three picks certainly played a big part in that loss, but to defend him here a little – one of those passes came right of Amari Cooper’s hands and later on Kevin King blatantly yanked his receiver around.
#13 Jacoby Brissett
Colts fans have to be very happy right now after having Andrew Luck surprisingly retiring shortly before the season, to see their new starting QB among the top half of signal-callers in the league. The formula for success for this team is relying on the league’s best offensive line and run the ball 40+ times. That’s how they just kept Patrick Mahomes on the sideline and didn’t allow the Chiefs to turn that game into a shootout. However, until that matchup Jacoby Brissett was the only player with multiple touchdown passes in every game. He is big and sturdy inside the pocket and can pick up a first down with his legs when needed.
#14 Jimmy Garoppolo
Next up there’s the only signal-caller for an undefeated team in the NFL not named Tom Brady. And as fate would have it, he is Brady’s former backup in New England. Jimmy Garoppolo got a huge contract from the Niners after going 5-0 in mop-up duty for that team two years ago. He was off to a rather slow start last year before tearing his ACL and has not been great so far, but good enough to land in this category. Jimmy G is getting more and more comfortable in this Kyle Shanahan offense, but for me to move him up, I need to him clean up some of that footwork and throwing off his back-foot.
#15 Baker Mayfield
At number 15 we have maybe the most scrutinized quarterback in the league. Baker Mayfield had an outstanding rookie season, but has really struggled for most of year two. However, a lot of that I think has to do with the offensive play-calling and the protection he has been provided with. When the Browns have stuck with the run-game and not been in 11 personnel all the time, Baker has looked pretty good. But once they are forced to drop back constantly, you see that the O-line can’t really hold up and Baker has made some bad decisions so far.
#16 Jameis Winston
And then there’s the guy I believe to be the most volatile quarterback in the entire league. When Jameis Winston is on his game, he can kill defenses with downfield shots routinely, but at other times he is just too careless with the ball and makes game-altering turnovers. I like what I have seen from him for most of 2019, getting the ball to his premiere receiving duo and leading his team to almost 30 points per game, but until he stops giving the ball away for an extended period of time, he stays on the fringe to the below-average guys for me.
