NFL quarterback rankings, Week 8: Patrick Mahomes plummets
After two more turnovers and a 27-3 loss, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes falls out of the top 10 in the NFL quarterback rankings.
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.
Pick Analysis. player. Scouting Report. QB. New York Jets. Mike White. 32. 30
2021 stats: 202 yards | 62.5 comp % | 1 TD | 2 INT | 6.3 YPA | 47.3 QBR
LW: NA
The Jets are all about collected inexperienced quarterbacks and providing them with no infrastructure to help them succeed.
57. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Chicago Bears. 31. player. QB. Justin Fields
2021 stats: 816 yards | 57.3 comp % | 2 TD | 6 INT | 6.2 YPA | 16.7 QBR
LW: 28
Maybe Matt Nagy deserves an apology. Fields hasn’t been good, or ready.
Pick Analysis. Houston Texans. Davis Mills. 30. player. 10. Scouting Report. QB
2021 stats: 1,037 yards | 64.9 comp % | 5 TD | 7 INT | 5.7 YPA | 32.2 QBR
LW: 31
Mills has to be begging Tyrod Taylor to get back on the field. It’s been a struggle for the rookie.
36. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. player. Seattle Seahawks. Geno Smith. 29
2021 stats: 807 yards | 67.3 comp % | 3 TD | 1 INT | 6.9 YPA | 34.6 QBR
LW: 29
Smith isn’t a starter. He’s not even a decent backup. Brutal showing in Seattle.
Pick Analysis. QB. Miami Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa. 28. Scouting Report. player. 59
2021 stats: 835 yards | 69.5 comp % | 7 TD | 4 INT | 7.1 YPA | 47.6 QBR
LW: 27
Tagovailoa is a backup quarterback masquerading as a starter. He’s accurate, but that’s about it.
27. 50. Pick Analysis. Detroit Lions. Jared Goff. player. Scouting Report. QB
2021 stats: 1,773 yards | 66.1 comp % | 8 TD | 6 INT | 6.5 YPA | 33.0 QBR
LW: 24
Goff continues to overlook open receivers and throws too many interceptions. The situation is brutal, but his play has been lackluster.
Taylor Heinicke. player. 58. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 26. QB. Washington Football Team
2021 stats: 1,658 yards | 64.3 comp % | 10 TD | 7 INT | 7.1 YPA | 44.7 QBR
LW: 26
Heinicke is frisky at times, but there are too many mistakes. Also, the arm strength is a serious issue.
25. Carolina Panthers. Sam Darnold. QB. player. 87. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
2021 stats: 1,684 yards | 61.4 comp % | 7 TD | 8 INT | 6.8 YPA | 41.7 QBR
LW: 20
Remember when Darnold was about to become a star? Those were fun times.
QB. Trevor Lawrence. 24. player. Scouting Report. Jacksonville Jaguars. 52. Pick Analysis
2021 stats: 1,465 yards | 59.7 comp % | 7 TD | 8 INT | 6.8 YPA | 38.7 QBR
LW: 25
Lawrence has to play better football out of the bye week. The flashes are there, but he needs to tone down the interceptions.
Pick Analysis. Ben Roethlisberger. player. 55. Scouting Report. QB. Pittsburgh Steelers. 23
2021 stats: 1,515 yards | 64.1 comp % | 7 TD | 4 INT | 6.4 YPA | 42.1 QBR
LW: 23
Roethlisberger’s best qualities right now are experience and understanding scheme. Don’t make the big mistake and let the defense win games.
Denver Broncos. Teddy Bridgewater. 22. player. 45. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB
2021 stats: 1,701 yards | 70.1 comp % | 12 TD | 5 INT | 7.4 YPA | 50.3 QBR
LW: 19
The Broncos are cratering, and Bridgewater has to be looking over his shoulder at Drew Lock. The third-down numbers are league-worst.
21. 54. Scouting Report. QB. Pick Analysis. Philadelphia Eagles. Jalen Hurts. player
2021 stats: 1,716 yards | 61.2 comp % | 10 TD | 4 INT | 7.1 YPA | 38.9 QBR
LW: 21
Hurts has talent, but he’s not particularly accurate and needs to hit on more downfield throws. He does that, and he’ll shoot up the rankings.
Pick Analysis. QB. Daniel Jones. 20. 31. Scouting Report. New York Giants. player
2021 stats: 1,727 yards | 63.5 comp % | 5 TD | 4 INT | 7.2 YPA | 46.7 QBR
LW: 22
Jones is avoiding turnovers for the most part, but there are almost no big plays. Not entirely his fault with all the injuries around him.
Pick Analysis. Jimmy Garoppolo. Scouting Report. QB. San Francisco 49ers. 19. player. 42
2021 stats: 1,106 yards | 64.8 comp % | 6 TD | 4 INT | 7.6 YPA | 38.2 QBR
LW: NA
Garoppolo is hanging onto his job by a fingernail. The 49ers have to be begging Trey Lance to get healthy.
18. QB. Cleveland Browns. Baker Mayfield. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 53
2021 stats: 1,474 yards | 67.1 comp % | 6 TD | 3 INT | 8.5 YPA | 41.7 QBR
LW: 17
Mayfield could be back this weekend, torn labrum and broken bone be damned. It’s incredibly risky, and borderline reckless.
Pick Analysis. 17. player. 15. Scouting Report. QB. New Orleans Saints. Jameis Winston
2021 stats: 1,114 yards | 60.3 comp % | 13 TD | 3 INT | 7.7 YPA | 64.3 QBR
LW: 15
Winston continues to play solid football. He’s not making the big plays, but he’s avoiding the crippling mistakes which defined his time in Tampa Bay.
Scouting Report. QB. Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan. Pick Analysis. 16. player. 44
2021 stats: 1,668 yards | 68.0 comp % | 12 TD | 4 INT | 6.8 YPA | 53.3 QBR
LW: 16
Ryan continues to put up numbers, even though the chunk plays are gone in recent years. Still, he’s a quality quarterback on a 3-3 team.
QB. Indianapolis Colts. Carson Wentz. 15. player. 46. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
2021 stats: 1,695 yards | 64.4 comp % | 11 TD | 1 INT | 7.7 YPA | 58.7 QBR
LW: 18
Wentz deserves credit. He’s only thrown one interception and he’s making positive plays with a lack of major weaponry around him. A nice job.
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. 14. player. New England Patriots. Mac Jones. 47
2021 stats: 1,779 yards | 70.4 comp % | 9 TD | 6 INT | 7.2 YPA | 53.3 QBR
LW: 14
Jones had his first 300-yard game in a 54-13 rout of the Jets. He’s a game manager, but he’s executing New England’s conservative gameplan.
Pick Analysis. QB. Tennessee Titans. Ryan Tannehill. Scouting Report. 13. player. 35
2021 stats: 1,737 yards | 65.1 comp % | 7 TD | 5 INT | 7.6 YPA | 61.7 QBR
LW: 13
Tannehill was terrific against the Chiefs, completing 21-of-27 passes for 270 yards. His accuracy was terrific all afternoon, destroying Kansas City with an array of play-action.
Kirk Cousins. 12. 60. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Minnesota Vikings. player. QB
2021 stats: 1,769 yards | 69.5 comp % | 13 TD | 2 INT | 7.4 YPA | 56.3 QBR
LW: 11
Cousins has quietly done a nice job in Minnesota this season, helping to keep the Vikings afloat. How he plays out of the bye will determine their playoff fate.
player. 124. Pick Analysis. QB. Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes. 11. Scouting Report
2021 stats: 2,093 yards | 67.5 comp % | 18 TD | 9 INT | 7.6 YPA | 63.9 QBR
LW: 6
Mahomes dropping out of the top five, let alone 10, feels impossible. Yet here we are as Mahomes has a league-worst 11 turnovers. The Chiefs are 3-4, and while Mahomes isn’t the biggest problem, he’s part of the issue. Too many mistakes.
QB. Cincinnati Bengals. player. Scouting Report. Joe Burrow. 10. 56. Pick Analysis
2021 stats: 1,956 yards | 68.9 comp % | 17 TD | 8 INT | 9.2 YPA | 59.6 QBR
LW: 12
Burrow has been sublime this year, teaming up with former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase to lead Cincinnati into the AFC’s top seed through seven weeks. A great story after tearing his knee up a year ago.
QB. 9. 49. Pick Analysis. Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers. player. Scouting Report
2021 stats: 1,710 yards | 68.3 comp % | 15 TD | 3 INT | 7.7 YPA | 66.2 QBR
LW: 10
Rodgers’ numbers aren’t spectacular, but he’s playing winning football. A huge test this week with Davante Adams possibly sidelined in a Week 8 tilt with the undefeated Arizona Cardinals.
Las Vegas Raiders. Derek Carr. 8. player. 28. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB
2021 stats: 2,269 yards | 67.7 comp % | 12 TD | 5 INT | 8.5 YPA | 61.0 QBR
LW: 9
Carr was nearly perfect on Sunday, shredding the Eagles with only three incompletions on 34 attempts. The Raiders are leading the AFC West at 5-2, and Carr is having the best year he’s enjoyed since his MVP-caliber campaign of 2016.
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. Justin Herbert. player. 13. Los Angeles Chargers. 7
2021 stats: 1,771 yards | 65.4 comp % | 14 TD | 4 INT | 7.2 YPA | 61.2 QBR
LW: 8
Herbert got a week off after Los Angeles’ disaster in Baltimore, and now he faces Bill Belichick. Last year, the Patriots walloped the Chargers 45-0 in their own building. Herbert seeks revenge here.
player. Scouting Report. QB. Buffalo Bills. 6. 16. Pick Analysis. Josh Allen
2021 stats: 1,723 yards | 64.8 comp % | 15 TD | 3 INT | 7.5 YPA | 64.6 QBR
LW: 7
Allen also had a week off and now gets the lousy Miami Dolphins. Allen struggled in their first meeting despite helming a 35-0 win. However, with Miami having a litany of injuries and Allen playing much better, expect a different stat line.
QB. Lamar Jackson. 5. player. 26. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Baltimore Ravens
2021 stats: 1,943 yards | 64.9 comp % | 10 TD | 5 INT | 8.6 YPA | 60.3 QBR
LW: 4
Jackson moves back after a second consecutive poor performance through the air. While Jackson ran for 88 yards, he completed only 15-of-31 attempts while being sacked five times in a 41-17 loss to the Bengals. He’s still an MVP candidate, but personally, a rough two weeks.
123. Scouting Report. Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott. 4. player. Pick Analysis. QB
2021 stats: 1,813 yards | 73.1 comp % | 16 TD | 4 INT | 8.4 YPA | 57.0 QBR
LW: 5
Forget NFL Comeback Player of the Year. That’s in the bag. This is about getting to the Super Bowl and fighting for the MVP. Prescott has been brilliant in his return.
Matthew Stafford. player. 51. Pick Analysis. QB. Los Angeles Rams. Scouting Report. 3
2021 stats: 2,172 yards | 69.3 comp % | 19 TD | 4 INT | 9.0 YPA | 78.7 QBR
LW: 3
Stafford got revenge on his former team Sunday, throwing for three touchdowns in a 28-19 win. He’s enjoying the finest season of his career, leading the league in YPA and QBR.
QB. Arizona Cardinals. Kyler Murray. 2. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 32
2021 stats: 2,002 yards | 73.5 comp % | 17 TD | 5 INT | 9.0 YPA | 65.1 QBR
LW: 2
Murray had another huge day, this time against the Texans. The Cardinals are 7-0 and get their first national exposure with a Thursday night date against the Packers. Huge moment for Murray and his squad.
QB. Tom Brady. Pick Analysis. 1. player. 48. Scouting Report. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2021 stats: 2,275 yards | 67.0 comp % | 21 TD | 3 INT | 7.5 YPA | 69.5 QBR
LW: 1
Brady threw his 600th career touchdown pass on Sunday, one of four such tosses on the day. The Bucs are 6-1, Brady is leading the league in passing yardage and touchdowns, and he’s launched only three interceptions.