Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson Top 2026 NFL QB Rankings as Matthew Stafford Enters at No. 5

Q: Why did a highly touted young franchise quarterback plummet in the 2026 rankings despite his raw talent?

He fell because evaluators ranked 2026 quarterbacks on proven production, health, stability and job security — not raw upside — and he came up short in those areas. The clearest example is C.J. Stroud. Despite still being viewed as highly talented, he dropped into the “solid starter” tier because he has not yet recaptured his rookie-level play. The supporting reporting points to uneven 2025 performance, problems against pressure, and a lack of continuity around him, including coordinator changes and instability on the offensive line. In other words, the talent is still there, but the week-to-week results have not matched the early franchise-quarterback hype. A similar logic applies to other once-hyped young passers who slid. Michael Penix Jr., for example, is described as having failed to show major progress before another significant knee injury, while his job security was further clouded by Atlanta bringing in Tua Tagovailoa. Bryce Young, by contrast, avoided a bigger fall because his play trended upward and helped Carolina reach the postseason. So the drop was less about scouts suddenly doubting physical tools and more about the league demanding evidence. These rankings rewarded quarterbacks who stayed healthy, played efficiently, and held their starting jobs without question. For a young passer with obvious talent but recent regression, injury concerns, or unstable development, that standard can cause a sharp preseason slide.

3 articles · Updated · Sportsnet.ca · Sep 7

A 42-quarterback ranking for the 2026 NFL season puts Josh Allen first, followed by Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and reigning MVP Matthew Stafford.
Tier 1 groups five elite starters, with Allen projected as a near-lock for 40 total touchdowns and Stafford coming off a 4,707-yard, 46-touchdown MVP season at age 37.
Drake Maye leads the next tier at No. 8 after a 72% completion season, 4,394 yards and a Super Bowl run, while Caleb Williams and Jared Goff round out the top 10.
The list spans eight tiers and 42 passers, placing rookies at the bottom because they have not taken a regular-season snap and ranking Deshaun Watson last among projected starters at No. 32.

Sources

Sportsnet.ca1d ago

2026 NFL QB Rankings: Allen, Jackson Lead Elite Tier; Stafford Named 2025 MVP

ClutchPoints1d ago

Predicting MVP, Rookie of the Year, DPOY, and more awards for 2026 NFL season

Sporting News2h ago

NFL quarterback rankings: The best and worst starting QBs for 2026, ranked 1-32 | Sporting News

5 Sources

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Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson Top 2026 NFL QB Rankings as Matthew Stafford Enters at No. 5

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