NFL QB Stock Report, Week 5: Is Justin Herbert Underutilized? Jayden Daniels rises in rank
Lamar Jackson’s second primetime quarterback showdown went much better than the first.
The two-time MVP’s Baltimore Ravens defeated Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills 35-10 on Sunday night. Jackson collected three touchdowns, but didn’t have to do it all himself, as the running back tandem of Derrick Henry and Justice Hill combined for 305 yards from scrimmage, and the defense delivered its most suffocating performance of the season.
Unlike the Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, when Jackson had to do everything he could before running out of gas at the end, this win showed the star quarterback’s true potential when he is able to delegate. Jackson has proven to be an unstoppable force when he’s at his best, which is why he overtook CJ Stroud in this week’s QB rankings.
Allen stayed on top for a second week, not because of anything he did on Sunday, but because of his entire body of work this season. He already has three brilliant performances under his belt and was given a sub-par performance in Baltimore.
Additionally, Patrick Mahomes is still battling some of the Chiefs’ offensive issues, while Jackson and Stroud have had some of their own forgettable moments in the opening month.
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There’s a bit of a gap between the top four quarterbacks and Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers and Brock Purdy, but that trio could join the mix in the coming weeks with more consistent performances at the highest level.
The Athletic’s Week 5 QB Rankings
Screw tight
Justin Herbert has opened the season with four straight games with fewer than 200 passing yards. Before the season, he had never played back-to-back games with so little production, and he had just seven total games with fewer than 200 yards through the air.
Herbert has played efficiently with a 96.3 passer rating and a single interception while adjusting to an overhaul at the skill positions and playing through a high ankle sprain. League evaluators believed before the season that he would run a more conservative offense under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, so it’s not a huge cause for concern, but it would be nice to see the Los Angeles Chargers open it up a bit more once he gets healthier .
Ladd McConkey and Justin Herbert might be the throw and catch of the year so far.
pic.twitter.com/QjPeJ5pOvZ— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) September 29, 2024
Another hurdle: Herbert has been fired six times; the 6.19 percent sack rate would be the highest of his career if it doesn’t improve. With Herbert’s injuries seemingly increasing every season, protection issues are certainly a concern.
It’s too early to know who the Chargers really are as they enter their bye week, in part because they’re using Herbert in a different way. They have defeated the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chiefs. There isn’t much middle ground among those opponents.
They have played very good defense in all four games and have run the ball extremely well in their two wins. Harbaugh is probably still trying to figure out what he’s got for a team before he lets go of Herbert — to some extent, anyway — but their ceiling depends on their star quarterback’s ability to compete with his top peers.
Love
Jordan Love delivered an electric comeback attempt that ultimately fell short against the Minnesota Vikings, improving his ranking from his last appearance in the rankings.
Sure, there was a lot of attention on his three interceptions in his return from an MCL sprain, but scoring 29 points against a Brian Flores defense that has given everyone else nightmares this season seemed even more impressive.
Love’s first interception was a late read on his second possession after the two-week absence, so that can be explained away. His second went through the hands of two receivers. His third came on a 31-22 push late in the fourth quarter. That was the biggest mistake, with Love probably thinking he would only get one more possession. He ended up getting two more series, so the points lost from the choice were significant.
Again, look at it from a different angle. The Vikings had given up 30 points in their first three games, and Love put that defense to work while operating in clear passing situations. The Packers also missed two field goals and turned it over twice on downs in field goal range while trying to erase a 28-point deficit.
I love Wicks again! #MINvsGB pic.twitter.com/NOYEmbUCOO
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 29, 2024
The Packers had numerous opportunities to hand the Vikings their first loss, and Love’s play was one reason why.
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Muddy in the middle
The quarterbacks at Nos. 13 through 18 could have been submitted in any order, which is tricky because each end of that spectrum is important. You’re in 13th place and you’re about to reach the top third. You are ranked 18th and you are considered below average.
This tier could also be expanded, with the quarterbacks in the Nos. 19-23 bracket just needing a little more consistency to push up the rankings.
For example, Sam Darnold has fallen one spot because there is so much parity in that area of the rankings. Vikings fans won’t like that, but it came down to ball security. Darnold had an interception and a lost fumble against the Packers. He now has three picks and four fumbles (one lost) in four starts.
X will take over for you.#MINvsGB pic.twitter.com/iuUdeNQkS8
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 29, 2024
Matthew Stafford and Jalen Hurts also had issues protecting the ball. Stafford has thrown two interceptions in the end zone, both for losses of six points. Hurts has four interceptions and a league-worst five fumbles. That’s why they’ve fallen so far from their original rankings.
In ‘Assignment’
And then there’s Jayden Daniels, who is lighting the league on fire with an obscene 82.1 completion percentage, 897 passing yards and three touchdowns after one interception. He also has 218 rushing yards and four scores, with 18 of his 46 runs going for first downs.
The Commanders offense has punted once in three games.
They averaged over 33 points per game in those games.
After four weeks, Washington sits alone atop the NFC East. pic.twitter.com/iVFtAWyol3
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) September 29, 2024
Daniels is having a better season than a few quarterbacks before him, and he will continue to climb the rankings with a larger sample size. There will be an expected adjustment for the rookie. If he handles it as well as he has handled every other obstacle thus far, it’s not unreasonable to think Daniels could push for a top 10 finish later this season.
Daniels deserves all the credit in the world for his ability to stay in control. He makes great decisions and reads smartly, and he delivers a great ball. A Stroud-like rookie year may be in the works.
Also tip your hat to the people around him. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury keeps the offense on schedule and gets help from the running game, and Daniels has made the big plays when necessary.
The Commanders are legitimate players in the playoff race, and they may even have staying power atop the NFC East, while their division rivals face far more adversity.
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Setback in the second year
Anthony Richardson’s alarming season took a turn for the worse on Sunday with a hip injury. Even if he doesn’t miss the time, it’s hard not to notice that this happened in his fourth game, the number of games he played as a rookie before ending the season.
Richardson’s inaccuracy issues are the root of the problem. He has completed 50.6 percent of his passes this season and has six interceptions in the league. He doesn’t seem to see the field well enough and struggles to maintain proper mechanics, which often comes from being too fast or lacking confidence.
Additionally, the ageless Joe Flacco stepped in on Sunday and was 16 of 26 for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. To be fair, the offense started off well with Richardson on the field, so it’s possible that would have continued had he stayed healthy.
But seeing how the offense worked during an extended look with Flacco, compared to the previous three games, it’s worth wondering whether it would make sense to give Richardson a breather to heal the hip and get to Flacco to watch. The Colts are good enough to clinch a spot in the playoffs, so they are in a sticky situation when it comes to Richardson’s development as they try to pile up the wins.
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As for Flacco, could this be the second year in a row where he is labeled a franchise quarterback and provides an upgrade? Flacco had the best statistical stretch of his career last season with the Cleveland Browns, so he still has something left in the tank. But if Richardson is indeed ready and head coach Shane Steichen thinks he’s ready to turn the corner, the point about Flacco would be irrelevant.
(Photo by Justin Herbert: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
