Throughout the 2017 NFL season, we’re monitoring the progress made by the league’s rookie quarterbacks by power ranking them based on their play, their circumstances or both.
Despite the fact that only two rookie signal-callers have thrown passes thus far, here’s how the rookie crop of NFL quarterbacks shakes out entering Week 4.
1. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans (last week: 2nd): The Clemson product is still far from ready to carry that offense, but he had his best game yet with 301 yards and two touchdown passes as the Texans nearly beat the New England Patriots in Week 3.
2. Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears (last week: 1st): On one hand, it’s a good sign starter Mike Glennon performed poorly Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers. On the other hand, it’s a bad sign Trubisky still didn’t see the field despite the fact it was a blowout in the fourth quarter. He drops below Watson.
3. Nathan Peterman, Buffalo Bills (last week: 5th): Starter Tyrod Taylor has bounced back from a rough start, so it doesn’t look as though anything will happen here in the near-future.
4. Davis Webb, New York Giants (last week: 6th): Do they bench Eli Manning if he keeps struggling and the Giants keep losing? I wouldn’t rule it out.
O calouro C.J. Beathard aproveitou sua oportunidade no @49ers e CORREU para um Touchdown de 62 JARDAS! 🏃💨 #NFLBrasil pic.twitter.com/CIRWfTvTc1
— NFL Brasil (@NFLBrasil) September 3, 2017
5. C. J. Beathard, San Francisco 49ers (last week: 4th): Starter Brian Hoyer has slowly come around and looks as though his job is quite secure after putting up big numbers against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.
6. Patrick Mahomes II, Kansas City Chiefs (last week: 8th): Starter Alex Smith continues to be the man. He’s a strong early-season MVP candidate, so it would require an injury for anything to happen here in anytime soon.
DeShone Kizer hooks up with David Njoku at the end of the first half. Indy up 28-14 at halftime. pic.twitter.com/u9Yr9COTie
— Football Dungeon (@DuaneLively) September 24, 2017
7. DeShone Kizer, Cleveland Browns (last week: 3rd): It’s become so ugly for the Notre Dame product that he’d be better off on the sideline. That’s why a bunch of dudes who haven’t played yet this year are ranked ahead of him. He represents a net loss. Kizer, who has completed just 53 percent of his throws, is the league’s lowest-rated passer by a large margin.
8. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys (last week: 7th): Dak Prescott is locked in, too. But if he went down there’s a decent chance they’d turn to veteran backup Kellen Moore instead.
Not gonna happen, period: Rather than rank them ninth and 10th, we’re sparing you. Brad Kaaya of the Carolina Panthers and Josh Dobbs of the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t see the field this year unless something goes spectacularly wrong for either team.
