Patrick Mahomes makes the top 10 but is not good enough for the final five.
Lamar Jackson is struggling to finish games, so there’s no way that the Baltimore Ravens‘ $260 million quarterback can crack the list of the best QBs in the NFL right now.
GettyC.J. Stroud keeps getting better with the Houston Texans[/caption]
“This is genuinely from what we’ve seen with our eyes,” said Will Gavin, host of talkSPORT End Zone.
After two unpredictable NFL weeks, the Ravens are 0-2 while the New Orleans Saints are a stunning 2-0 and dominating the opposition.
The unpredictable play has upended talkSPORT’s early QB rankings, leaving Jalen Hurts and Aaron Rodgers outside the top 10.
“The first two weeks of the NFL have been absolutely wild,” Gavin said.
Spots 10 through 6 belong to Geno Smith, Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, Kyler Murray and Mahomes.
But 5-1 only includes a couple big names and there are several shockers.
“Quarterback play this year has been off the wall,” Gavin said.
Here is this week’s talkSPORT NFL QB top 5 …
5. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
Discarded by the New York Jets, he’s now the perfect answer for the 2-0 Vikings.
Darnold was pegged as a franchise QB coming out of USC and became the No. 3 overall pick of the NFL Draft in 2018.
He ended up seeing ghosts in New York, then bounced from Carolina to San Francisco.
Reaching the Super Bowl as Brock Purdy’s backup clearly helped, as Darnold has been superb through Week 2 in 2024.
He’s completed 72 percent of his passes for 476 yards, four touchdowns and a 111.7 rating.
No one would take Darnold over Mahomes or Jackson in a fantasy (or real) draft.
But in Week 3, the former Trojan is a top-five QB in the NFL.
“I’d forgotten how live his arm was at USC,” Gavin said.
4. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield could be even higher on this list.
That’s how good the Tampa Bay “dude” has been.
“We could move Baker Mayfield up to three right now,” Gavin said.
Like Darnold, Mayfield is a former high pick who struggled to meet expectations with the team that drafted him.
Mayfield went No. 1 overall to Cleveland in 2018 and posted a 29-30 overall record with the Browns.
He also started bouncing around the league, then found a home in Tampa Bay.
Mayfield is second in the NFL in passer rating (129.1) and has thrown five TDs with only one interception.
A big road win over Detroit again reminded the league why Mayfield was once a No. 1 pick.
GettyBaker Mayfield is loving life in Tampa Bay[/caption]
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
MVP chatter is surrounding the Bills’ main man again.
Allen has been super solid through two weeks, guiding Buffalo to a 2-0 start and the top of the AFC East.
He’s completing 73.8 percent of his passes while posting a 124.2 rating and playing smart, turnover-free football.
Reaching the Super Bowl is the next big step for Allen.
Then he needs to win it for long-frustrated Buffalo fans.
“Josh Allen is 100 percent a top-five guy,” Gavin said. “He’s pushing for what is looking like the MVP season that some people were expecting.”
GettyJosh Allen could be taking the next step in 2024[/caption]
2. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
There’s only one QB hotter than Stroud, and the second-year Texans leader is rivaling Mahomes as the best overall QB in the AFC.
A strong Sunday Night Football win over Caleb Williams showcased Stroud’s smoothness to the football world.
The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year is surrounded by weapons and appears more comfortable than ever.
“The best rookie quarterback to come out, in terms of actual performance, since Andrew Luck,” Gavin said.
A big test against Brian Flores’ Vikings defense on Sunday could push Stroud to the top of this list, or knock him backward.
GettyStroud is a serious MVP candidate with the Texans[/caption]
1. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
The fantasy football machine has been a two-week dream for Saints fans.
Drew Brees has been pushed in the past with Carr embracing the present, leading New Orleans to a blowout road win over $60-million-a-year Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys.
“If you’ve been watching the NFL, you should know who the number one quarterback is,” Gavin said. “But if you told me that this guy would sniff a top 10 list at any point … I’d have been laughing in
your face.”
Carr’s numbers through two weeks are almost unbelievable.
He’s completed 76.9 percent of his passes for five TDs, one pick and a near-perfect 142.4 rating.
Entering Week 3, he’s easily the best QB in the NFL.
GettyDerek Carr has almost been perfect for the Saints[/caption]
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