NFL quarterback rankings, Week 6: Justin Herbert can’t be stopped
After five weeks of the 2021 NFL season, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is making his case as a top-tier star.
Our 2021 FanSided NFL quarterback rankings go live each Tuesday morning throughout the regular season, and we use a sliding scale incorporating current and past performances, with the former meaning more as the year goes on.
QB. Zach Wilson. 30. Pick Analysis. player. Scouting Report. New York Jets. 32
2021 stats: 1,117 yards | 57.3 comp % | 4 TD | 9 INT | 6.5 YPA | 23.8 QBR
LW: 31
Wilson is surrounded by nonsense in New York, but his decision-making is brutal. He needs to make the easy plays and go from there.
player. Scouting Report. Davis Mills. Houston Texans. 31. 10. Pick Analysis. QB
2021 stats: 669 yards | 61.5 comp % | 5 TD | 5 INT | 7.0 YPA | 37.1 QBR
LW: 32
Mills actually played really well against Bill Belichick, so perhaps there’s something to work with. Still, his skill set suggests he’s limited.
player. QB. Pick Analysis. San Francisco 49ers. Trey Lance. 30. 42. Scouting Report
2021 stats: 354 yards | 52.1 comp % | 3 TD | 1 INT | 7.4 YPA | 39.8 QBR
LW: 30
The Niners should be excited about Lance’s future, but his present is raw. Expect splash plays and mistakes alike.
Pick Analysis. 29. player. Scouting Report. QB. Chicago Bears. Justin Fields. 57
2021 stats: 658 yards | 51.4 comp % | 1 TD | 2 INT | 6.4 YPA | 17.6 QBR
LW: 29
It’s hard to grade Fields because the Bears rarely let him throw the ball, but perhaps there’s a reason for that?
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Geno Smith. 28. 36. QB. Seattle Seahawks. player
2021 stats: 131 yards | 58.8 comp % | 1 TD | 1 INT | 7.7 YPA | 52.7 QBR
LW: NA
Smith is going to get a few starts over the next 4-8 weeks while Russell Wilson recovers from a finger injury. Can he keep the Seahawks afloat?
Pick Analysis. Jacksonville Jaguars. 27. Scouting Report. QB. Trevor Lawrence. player. 52
2021 stats: 1,146 yards | 59.4 comp % | 6 TD | 8 INT | 6.5 YPA | 34.7 QBR
LW: 28
Lawrence was decent against the Titans, throwing for 273 yards. But there was another pick, some bad pocket presence and a bit too much garbage-time padding.
Miami Dolphins. Jacoby Brissett. 26. 59. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. player
2021 stats: 858 yards | 65.2 comp % | 4 TD | 2 INT | 5.4 YPA | 53.5 QBR
LW: 26
Watching the Dolphins is an exercise in boring, bad football. Brissett was better on Sunday, throwing for 275 yards, but only notched 17 points against a bad Buccaneers defense.
Washington Football Team. Taylor Heinicke. 25. 58. QB. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player
2021 stats: 1,208 yards | 64.2 comp % | 8 TD | 5 INT | 7.6 YPA | 50.3 QBR
LW: 23
Too many mistakes. Heinicke makes some great throws, but he follows up. with a mind-numbing interception. He’s not talented enough to get away with the rollercoaster style.
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Detroit Lions. 24. player. 50. QB. Jared Goff
2021 stats: 1,303 yards | 66.8 comp % | 7 TD | 3 INT | 6.6 YPA | 37.2 QBR
LW: 22
Goff doesn’t have much talent around him, but he’s certainly not elevating anybody with his play. The Rams aren’t missing him.
23. 55. Pick Analysis. QB. Pittsburgh Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger. player. Scouting Report
2021 stats: 1,286 yards | 63.6 comp % | 6 TD | 4 INT | 6.6 YPA | 41.4 QBR
LW: 27
Roethlisberger moves up a few spots, and we saw some nice things from him this week with a shot-play touchdown early and then a seam throw for a score. It was refreshing.
QB. Indianapolis Colts. 22. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 46. Carson Wentz
2021 stats: 1,322 yards | 65.3 comp % | 7 TD | 1 INT | 7.6 YPA | 52.4 QBR
LW: 25
Wentz played phenomenal football on Monday night, but was victimized by a lousy defense and poor special teams. With Indianapolis starting a much easier schedule this week, perhaps Wentz and the Colts take off.
Philadelphia Eagles. QB. Jalen Hurts. 21. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 54
2021 stats: 1,365 yards | 64.8 comp % | 7 TD | 3 INT | 7.5 YPA | 36.9 QBR
LW: 21
After a rough start against the Panthers, Hurts settled in and led a comeback to get Philadelphia to 3-2. The dual-threat threw for 198 yards and ran for 30 more.
QB. 20. player. 44. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan
2021 stats: 1,332 yards | 69.1 comp % | 10 TD | 3 INT | 6.5 YPA | 53.4 QBR
LW: 24
Ryan played well in London, and could have enjoyed a massive day against the Jets if not for a pair of fumbles from his weapons. Still, he’s been better the last two weeks.
47. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. New England Patriots. Mac Jones. player. QB. 19
2021 stats: 1,243 yards | 71.1 comp % | 5 TD | 5 INT | 6.5 YPA | 50.7 QBR
LW: 20
Jones was rough — along with the Patriots — in the early going before settling down. So far, the Alabama product is a study in safe, easy throws.
Pick Analysis. Daniel Jones. 18. player. Scouting Report. QB. New York Giants. 31
2021 stats: 1,282 yards | 64.3 comp % | 4 TD | 1 INT | 8.2 YPA | 61.0 QBR
LW: 19
No real movement from Jones, who left in the second quarter with a concussion. Hopefully he’s alright in short order.
17. player. QB. Carolina Panthers. 87. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Sam Darnold
2021 stats: 1,366 yards | 65.6 comp % | 6 TD | 6 INT | 7.5 YPA | 51.4 QBR
LW: 16
It feels like the backslide might be here for Darnold. He’s thrown five interceptions over the past two games, and the Panthers have lost them both. His numbers are suddenly pedestrian.
QB. 16. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Denver Broncos. Teddy Bridgewater. 45
2021 stats: 1,180 yards | 69.8 comp % | 7 TD | 1 INT | 7.9 YPA | 58.5 QBR
LW: 17
Bridgewater played well in the fourth quarter but struggled otherwise against a good Pittsburgh defense. The Broncos need more from him if they’re going to challenge for the playoffs.
QB. Jameis Winston. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 15. New Orleans Saints. 15
2021 stats: 892 yards | 60.3 comp % | 12 TD | 3 INT | 7.7 YPA | 61.7 QBR
LW: 18
Winston is throwing for minimal yardage, not managing 200 yards per game. He’s also living right with a Hail Mary, but the Saints are 3-2 heading into their bye.
Cleveland Browns. 14. Scouting Report. QB. Baker Mayfield. player. 53. Pick Analysis
2021 stats: 1,240 yards | 66.9 comp % | 4 TD | 2 INT | 8.6 YPA | 42.8 QBR
LW: 15
Mayfield and the Browns scored 42 points, aided by a ton of blown coverages from Los Angeles. The problem? In two critical, late-game drives, Mayfield fell apart. That’s the memory. Not fair, but reality.
Joe Burrow. player. 56. Scouting Report. QB. Cincinnati Bengals. 13. Pick Analysis
2021 stats: 1,269 yards | 71.7 comp % | 11 TD | 6 INT | 8.8 YPA | 54.9 QBR
LW: 14
Burrow threw a hideous interception in overtime against the Packers, but he was solid. His connection with former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase is paying huge dividends.
Pick Analysis. Tennessee Titans. 35. player. Scouting Report. QB. Ryan Tannehill. 12
2021 stats: 1,251 yards | 63.6 comp % | 6 TD | 3 INT | 7.2 YPA | 54.7 QBR
LW: 13
Tannehill wasn’t asked to do much against the Jaguars, throwing 22 times for 197 yards. He’ll need to do much more against the Bills on Monday night.
Kirk Cousins. 60. Pick Analysis. QB. Minnesota Vikings. 11. player. Scouting Report
2021 stats: 1,396 yards | 69.6 comp % | 10 TD | 2 INT | 7.3 YPA | 54.0 QBR
LW: 12
Cousins is playing well, but nobody is noticing because the Vikings are a mess. He’s been part of the solution, not the problem.
10. 28. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. Derek Carr. Las Vegas Raiders. player
2021 stats: 1,605 yards | 63.9 comp % | 8 TD | 4 INT | 7.8 YPA | 54.9 QBR
LW: 10
Carr stays put this week. He wasn’t helped by a bevy of Raiders’ drops last weekend, but he’s started to miss throws he must hit. Let’s see him bounce back against Denver.
49. QB. player. Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers. 9. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
2021 stats: 1,241 yards | 65.6 comp % | 10 TD | 3 INT | 7.6 YPA | 61.3 QBR
LW: 7
Rodgers moves back two spots, but really because Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen demanded elevation with their recent play. The big issue here is the lack of passing yardage, because otherwise Rodgers has been terrific.
Scouting Report. Buffalo Bills. Josh Allen. player. 16. Pick Analysis. QB. 8
2021 stats: 1,370 yards | 62.3 comp % | 12 TD | 2 INT | 7.5 YPA | 65.1 QBR
LW: 8
Allen vanquished the Chiefs on Sunday night with an avalanche of great throws for long touchdowns. He’s back to playing like his 2020 self, and in doing so has elevated the Bills to favorites in the AFC. If not for Herbert and Jackson having career days, he would have moved up significantly.
123. Scouting Report. QB. 7. Dak Prescott. player. Pick Analysis. Dallas Cowboys
2021 stats: 1,368 yards | 73.9 comp % | 13 TD | 3 INT | 8.3 YPA | 56.4 QBR
LW: 5
Prescott only moves back two spots because Herbert and Jackson have been insane. The Cowboys’ signal-caller is doing everything right, accurately throwing to all three levels of the defense while winning with his legs when need be. A clinic on quarterback play.
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Lamar Jackson. 6. QB. Baltimore Ravens. player. 26
2021 stats: 1,512 yards | 67.0 comp % | 8 TD | 3 INT | 9.0 YPA | 60.4 QBR
LW: 9
How can Jackson not move up. after the best showing of his career? The Ravens had no chance without Jackson, who threw for 442 yards and four touchdowns. Who would have thought he’d have more passing yards than Patrick Mahomes through five weeks?
Scouting Report. 5. 13. Pick Analysis. QB. Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert. player
2021 stats: 1,576 yards | 67.2 comp % | 13 TD | 3 INT | 7.6 YPA | 66.0 QBR
LW: 11
Herbert gets the big jump this week. The Chargers’ star threw for 398 yards and four touchdowns in a shootout win over the Browns. After shining as a rookie, Herbert has taken the step from potentially great to full-on arrival.
Scouting Report. QB. 124. Pick Analysis. Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes. 4. player
2021 stats: 1,490 yards | 69.2 comp % | 16 TD | 6 INT | 7.6 YPA | 75.1 QBR
LW: 1
Mahomes had arguably the worst game of his career on Sunday night, but he remains in the top four. Why? He’s leading the league in QBR and touchdown passes, and two of the interceptions have been completely on receivers. Most weeks, he remains the game’s best.
Matthew Stafford. 3. Pick Analysis. QB. Los Angeles Rams. Scouting Report. player. 51
2021 stats: 1,587 yards | 68.0 comp % | 12 TD | 3 INT | 9.2 YPA | 75.0 QBR
LW: 6
Stafford isn’t getting the love he deserves. The Rams are 4-1 and Stafford is averaging more than nine yards per attempt while taking care of the ball and completing almost 70 percent of his attempts.
Scouting Report. Arizona Cardinals. 32. Pick Analysis. QB. Kyler Murray. 2. player
2021 stats: 1,512 yards | 75.2 comp % | 10 TD | 4 INT | 9.2 YPA | 68.3 QBR
LW: 4
If the season ended today, Murray would be the MVP frontrunner. The Cardinals are the league’s lone unbeaten at 5-0 and the former No. 1 overall pick has shredded defenses through the air and on the ground.
Pick Analysis. QB. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tom Brady. 1. player. Scouting Report. 48
2021 stats: 1,767 yards | 66.2 comp % | 15 TD | 2 INT | 7.9 YPA | 61.4 QBR
LW: 2
How the hell is Brady doing this? He’s 44 years old and looks better than he did a decade ago. He’s the greatest player in NFL history.