Power ranking all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks

14. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans

Critics of putting Watson so high on this list will correctly point out that he only played seven games last season. Proponents of the former Clemson star will ask you to look at just how well Watson played in those seven contests.

When he was on the field the Texans’ offense was impossible to defend. His ability to push the ball down the field with his rocket for an arm forced opposing defenses to defend the field on all three levels. Watson’s electric ability to break big gains on the ground forced defenses to keep players in the box to contain him. The result was making Bill O’Brien’s offense the most difficult group to stop in the NFL.

The team’s struggles without Watson on the field last year are just as informative. The offense went from great to awful without their starting quarterback. That wasn’t good news for the Texans’ playoff hopes last season, but it further proves just how important Watson is for the team’s success.

With all that being said, durability is still a major concern here. He’s got a slight frame that causes you to really worry about him taking hits. The fact that he likes to run the football so frequently exposes him to serious injury risk. If he proves he can stay healthy for a full 16 game season then he can move further up this list. Until then, he comes in at just above league average due to his high ceiling.