Ranking the 10 Worst NFL QB Rooms Entering 2026, Plus Week 1 Starter Predictions

Ranking the 10 worst QB rooms in NFL entering 2026; starting predictions for Week 1

Not everyone has a clear answer at quarterback, and these 10 teams have a lot more questions to answer

By Garrett Podell

May 5, 2026 at 8:54 am ET • 12 min read

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The  NFL  is full of thrilling quarterbacks that mesmerize us all Sunday after Sunday

Patrick Mahomes , Drake Maye ,  Lamar Jackson ,  Joe Burrow ,  Josh Allen ,  Justin Herbert   and Trevor Lawrence in the AFC represent some of the biggest stars in sports. Over in the NFC, 2025 NFL MVP  Matthew Stafford ,  Dak Prescott ,  Jordan Love ,  Jared Goff ,   Baker Mayfield ,  Brock Purdy , Jayden Daniels , Caleb Williams and Sam Darnold  make for plenty of weekend excitement.

Even the NFL's youngsters like Maye have their squads ahead of schedule. He finished as the NFL MVP runner-up and helped the  Patriots  reverse their fortunes to win an AFC title. Williams led the Bears to their first playoff since 2010, including a wildcard round comeback victory against the Green Bay Packers .

However, this story isn't about them. This is an analysis of the worst quarterback rooms, with rankings plus a projection on the 2026 Week 1 starter for each room. Enjoy a glass of haterade and take in some of the worst quarterback depth the NFL has to offer in 2026.

10. Indianapolis Colts

QBs:   Daniel Jones ,  Anthony Richardson , Riley Leonard , Seth Henigen

As wild as it sounds, Daniel Jones performed like an NFL MVP candidate in his first season with the Indianapolis Colts before a Week 14 torn Achilles. His play was a major reason why Indianapolis felt comfortable sending wide receiver Adonai Mitchell , a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner .

However, Jones may not look like his 2025 self in 2026 following his Achilles tear. Or he may revert to the struggling quarterback we saw in New York. In the cases of both Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers , albeit much older quarterbacks than Jones, it took both of them being two years removed from the injury to be comfortable on the football field once again. If Jones takes the field and performs similarly diminished in 2026, that's enough to get the Colts on this list.

Daniel Jones Weeks 1-14, NFL Ranks NFL QB Ranks for Weeks 1-14

Completion percentage

68%

7th

Pass yards

3,101

7th

Pass yards per attempt

8.1

5th

Total TD

24

8th

Passer rating

100.2

8th

Sack rate

5.4%

10th

Expected Points Added (EPA) per play

0.23

1st

* Tore Achilles in Week 14 of 2025 season

Backup Anthony Richardson , the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft , threw just two passes in 2025 after suffering a freak eye injury in pregame warmups back in Week 6. When he last played in 2024, Richardson sprinkled in big play, deep completions while playing with maddening inefficiency. He became the first player to rank dead last in completion percentage (47.7%) while leading the NFL in yards per completion (14.4) since Heath Shuler in 1994. Richardson's 61.6 passer rating in 2024 was also the worst since DeShone Kizer's 60.5 rating in 2017. Third stringer Riley Leonard , a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is so raw that the Colts coaxed 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement rather than start him down the stretch in 2025.

Week 1 starter: Daniel Jones

Jones began throwing a football again in April, and the Indianapolis team doctors feel that Jones can return to play for Week 1,  ESPN reported . If Jones is cleared, he starts.

9. Carolina Panthers

QBs:   Bryce Young , Kenny Pickett , Will Grier , Haynes King

Bryce Young, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, produced career-highs in completion percentage (63.6%), passing yards per game (188.2) and passing touchdowns (23) in 2025. However, those numbers aren't exactly stellar by NFL quarterbacking standards. Even though the Panthers backdoored their way into the postseason in 2025 as NFC South champions with an 8-9 record, Young's performance was up-and-down. He threw for the third-fewest passing yards by a quarterback to make the playoffs in the last 20 seasons, per CBS Sports Research.

Fewest passing yards by QB to reach playoffs, Last 20 seasons (min. 16 starts) Passing yards Playoff wins

2012 Christian Ponder (MIN)

2,935

0

2008 Joe Flacco (BAL)

2,971

2

2025 Bryce Young (CAR)

3,011

0

2006 Steve McNair (BAL)

3,050

0

2019 Josh Allen (BUF)

3,089

0

Young did deliver some high high's like when he threw for a franchise record 448 yards passing in a Week 11 overtime win at the Atlanta Falcons and when he went toe-to-toe with Stafford in the playoffs in a 34-31 defeat.

Kenny Pickett couldn't win the Cleveland Browns ' quarterback competition a year ago, and Will Grier is a career backup. This is Young's team.

Week 1 starter: Bryce Young

8. Minnesota Vikings

QBs:   Kyler Murray ,  J.J. McCarthy ,  Carson Wentz ,  Max Brosmer

One would think the  Minnesota Vikings'  signing of two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray would keep them off this list, but that's not the case. Murray earned his Pro Bowl selections in 2020 and 2021. That's a lifetime ago in NFL years. From 2022 to 2025, Murray missed 30 of his possible 68 games. In the five games Murray played for the Cardinals in 2025, he averaged a career low 227.0 total yards per game.

Kyler Murray since 2022, NFL ranks among 33 QBs with 25-plus starts in span NFL QB ranks

Win Pct

.390

26th

Yards per pass attempt

6.6

29th

TD Pct

3.8%

28th

Passer Rating

90.3

25th

Recent first-round pick J.J. McCarthy was the worst quarterback in the NFL in 2025, which sparked the signing of Murray. McCarthy's performance was simply incredible considering the offensive ecosystem under 2024 Coach of the Year Kevin O'Connell. Despite an electrifying supporting cast, McCarthy ranked dead last in the league in completion percentage (57.6%), touchdown-to-interception ratio (11-12), and passer rating (72.6).

Murray could rediscover his early career form with Minnesota. Murray is one of just four players in NFL history with 20,000-plus passing yards (20,460) and 30-plus rushing touchdowns (32) through his first seven seasons, joining Josh Allen,  Cam Newton  and  Lamar Jackson .

Week 1 starter: Kyler Murray

7. New Orleans Saints

QBs:   Tyler Shough , Spencer Rattler , Zach Wilson

The New Orleans Saints lost seven of their first eight games in 2025 with Spencer Rattler at quarterback before pivoting to Tyler Shough. They won five of their final nine games. Shough also became the first rookie quarterback since 1950 with 300-plus passing yards, a passing touchdown and no turnovers, thanks to consecutive such performances in Weeks 16 and 17 last year. He really found his groove at the tail end of the season, but he still has much to learn.

Tyler Shough as starter, 2025 season First 4 starts Last 5 starts

W-L

1-3

4-1

Pass YPG

235.0

263.2

Total TD-TO

5-5

8-2

Passer Rating

91.7

99.1

Shough will return as the Saints' starting quarterback in 2026 after thoroughly outplaying Rattler in 2025.

Week 1 starter:  Tyler Shough

Saints QBs as starter, 2025 season Rattler Shough

W-L

1-7

5-4

Comp Pct

68%

69.2%

Pass YPG

198.3

250.7

TD-INT

8-5

10-5

Passer Rating

86.8

95.8

6. Miami Dolphins

QBs:   Malik Willis ,  Quinn Ewers ,  Cam Miller , Mark Gronowski

The Miami Dolphins were happy to absorb an NFL-record $99 million dead cap hit to kick Tua Tagovailoa to the curb. Doing so also opened the door for the team's new "Green Bay Packers South" regime to bring in Malik Willis. They reeled him in off the free agency market on a three-year, $67.5 million deal with $45 million guaranteed at signing.

New coach Jeff Hafley, formerly the Packers' defensive coordinator, and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, formerly the Packers' vice president of player personnel, watched Willis develop from someone they acquired from the Tennessee Titans for a seventh-round pick in 2024 to someone worthy of getting the chance to start on his own team in 2025. Willis found his footing in the NFL after spending two years learning from Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love in Green Bay.

Malik Willis career as starter Titans Packers

W-L

1-2

2-1

Comp Pct

51%

80%

Pass YPG

78.0

204.0

TD-INT

0-3

3-0

Passer Rating

39.0

132.4

His sole start of 2025 came in Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens , and he lit them up. Willis completed 18 of his 21 throws for 288 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 60 yards and two touchdowns. That made him the first quarterback ever with an 85% completion percentage, 13-plus yards per pass attempt and 60-plus rushing yards in a game with a minimum of 20 passes thrown, per CBS Sports Research.

Quinn Ewers, a 2025 seventh-round pick out of Texas, completed 66.3% of his passes for 622 yards, three passing touchdowns and three interceptions across four games and three starts. The front office gave Willis $45 million guaranteed after personally observing his development in Green Bay.

Week 1 starter:  Malik Willis

5. Atlanta Falcons

QBs:   Michael Penix Jr. , Tua Tagovailoa , Trevor Siemian , Jack Strand

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. tore his ACL in Week 11 against the Carolina Panthers. That marks the third torn ACL of his football career and his first at the NFL level. His injury opens the door for Tagovailoa, who signed with Atlanta on a one-year, $1.215 million contract, to receive some early-season starts. Tagovailoa is fresh off the worst season of his career in 2025, having thrown a career-high 15 interceptions and 6.9 yards per pass attempt, his fewest under then-coach Mike McDaniel.

Both Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. are injury risks, but Tagovailoa is the least injured of the two at the moment. Penix Jr. will likely return to the starting quarterback when healthy, but it would make sense for them to be cautious with his rehab.

Week 1 starter:  Tua Tagovailoa

4. Arizona Cardinals

QBs:   Jacoby Brissett , Gardner Minshew , Carson Beck , Kedon Slovis

Jacoby Brissett's  overall stats in 2025 were solid. He threw for 3,366 passing yards, the second most in the NFL since becoming a starter in Week 6, but they weren't impactful. Much of his production came with the game well out of reach for his Cardinals. Arizona won just one of his 11 starts in 2025.

Behind Brissett are Gardner Minshew, a career journeyman, and Carson Beck, a 2026 third-round pick whose right arm was last seen throwing one of the biggest lollipop interceptions in Miami Hurricanes history, which cost them the national championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Hurricanes' home stadium.

Brissett is so confident in his status as Arizona's Week 1 starting quarterback that he was comfortable skipping Phase 1 of the team's offseason program while demanding a new contract. Unless Beck's right shoulder gains some serious strength, Brissett will be starting for the Cardinals come Week 1.

Week 1 starter:  Jacoby Brissett

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

QBs:   Mason Rudolph ,  Will Howard ,  Drew Allar

Veteran backup Mason Rudolph started one game in 2025 in place of an injured Aaron Rodgers, in a 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears. Will Howard , a 2025 sixth-round pick out of Ohio State, has yet to throw a pass in the NFL regular season, and new coach Mike McCarthy just drafted Penn State's Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

At the moment, two-thirds of the Steelers ' quarterback room has yet to throw a pass in the NFL's regular season.

McCarthy wouldn't have drafted Allar on Day 2 if he didn't believe in his potential. Perhaps McCarthy sees Allar as a quicker decision-maker than Rudolph or Howard. However, Rodgers gets his starting job back if he comes back to Pittsburgh. There is reason to believe Rodgers could end up with another team in 2026 since the Steelers felt like they had to place the rare right-of-first-refusal tag on him.

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ranking-10-worst-qb-rooms-in-nfl-starting-week-1-predictions/)._