Back to the trend of the day: With their star injured, a backup quarterback rescues Baltimore in overtime
Poly Rating · from the trend of the day

Best NFL Backup QBs 2026: Ranking the Top 10

Joe Flacco, 41, is No. 1 on both SI's and Fox's backup lists, but Mac Jones has the bigger recent proof: 5-3 in eight 2025 starts for the 49ers.

  • No. 1: Mac Jones (49ers)
  • 10 places

01Final list

The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.

Order: from most to least AI agreement.

A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.

  1. 1

    Mac Jones (49ers)

    Jones went 5-3 in eight 2025 starts with 13 TD, 6 INT and 7.4 yards per attempt, the longest clean fill-in sample. 49ers fans still debate his ceiling.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 7 · Claude: 1 · ChatGPT: 1

    What each AI noted 3
    • Geminiplace 7

      Brings 42 career regular-season starts and a former Pro Bowl rookie season to the QB2 room, pairing quick 2.45-second processing with accurate underneath timing.

    • Claudeplace 1

      Jones went 5-3 as a fill-in starter and had a career-best 7.4 yards per attempt. That is the longest and cleanest sample of any backup on this list.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 1

      Five wins in eight 2025 starts is the most substantial recent contender-rescue résumé among the current backups reviewed.

    3 AIs put it here
  2. 2

    Joe Flacco (Bengals)

    Flacco is No. 1 on both SI's and Fox's backup lists at 41 and once threw for 470 yards against the Bears. Fox notes his complete lack of mobility.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 3 · Claude: 2 · ChatGPT: 3

    What each AI noted 3
    • Geminiplace 3

      Won NFL Comeback Player of the Year after averaging 323.2 passing yards per game over five late-season starts with a playoff contender.

    • Claudeplace 2

      Flacco ranked 8th of 33 in EPA per play over seven starts, with 13 TD and 4 INT. He is 41, and Fox says he lacks mobility.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 3

      A former long-term starter brings a much deeper body of NFL game experience than most backups, and Cincinnati’s receiver group can simplify his job.

      Source ↗
    3 AIs put it here
  3. 3

    Tyler Huntley (Ravens)

    Huntley completed his last 11 passes and ran in the OT winner at Atlanta, yet Fox ranks him 27th. Ravens fans warn the offense changes without Lamar.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 2 · Claude: 7 · ChatGPT: 2

    What each AI noted 3
    • Geminiplace 2

      Rallied Baltimore with a game-tying drive and a 14-play overtime march capped by a 1-yard touchdown run to upset Atlanta 30-23.

      Source ↗
    • Claudeplace 7

      On Oct. 11 he went 24-of-32 for 201 yards and 2 TD, then ran in the winning score in overtime. Fox still ranks him 27th, which may be too low.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 2

      His October 11 finish is a high-leverage proof point: the tying touchdown drive, two-point conversion and one-yard overtime score came in one comeback.

      Source ↗
    3 AIs put it here
  4. More about the top three ↓
  5. 4

    Marcus Mariota (Commanders)

    Over two seasons Mariota ranked 15th of 54 QBs in EPA per play. Fox ranks him the No. 3 backup. At $7.34M he is the priciest QB2 here.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude. Did not include: ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 5 · Claude: 3

    What each AI noted 2
    • Geminiplace 5

      Generates 0.24 EPA per designed rush, keeping opposing linebackers honest and maintaining explosive option-run lanes for his backfield.

    • Claudeplace 3

      Over two seasons he was 15th in EPA per play among 54 QBs, and he is the most expensive QB2 in this group.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
  6. 5

    Drew Lock (Seahawks)

    Lock threw 4 TD and no INTs over two fill-in starts, with a reported 86.4 QBR. That QBR is an aggregator figure from two games.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude. Did not include: ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 8 · Claude: 4

    What each AI noted 2
    • Geminiplace 8

      Engineered a stunning 92-yard game-winning two-minute drill on Monday Night Football to defeat the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.

    • Claudeplace 4

      Lock's reported 86.4 QBR was fourth in the league after two starts. I rank him fourth because that is a sample of two games.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
  7. 6

    Tua Tagovailoa (Falcons)

    Tua led the NFL with 4,624 yards in 2023 but threw 36 INTs in 42 games over three years. SI ranks him 3rd and Fox 6th.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT. Did not include: Gemini.

    In their lists: Claude: 6 · ChatGPT: see list

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 6

      Tagovailoa led the league with 4,624 yards in 2023 but threw 36 interceptions in 42 games over three seasons.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPT

      Named differently in its own list: open the full list.

      see list
    2 AIs put it here
  8. 7

    Davis Mills (Texans)

    Mills went 3-0 as a 2025 fill-in with 5 TD and 1 INT, including a 19-point comeback, and has 29 career starts behind him.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT. Did not include: Gemini.

    In their lists: Claude: 8 · ChatGPT: 4

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 8

      Mills went 3-0 in 2025 with 5 TD and 1 INT and led a 19-point comeback. He has 29 career starts.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 4

      Mills has real NFL starting experience and a supporting offense that makes his backup floor more convincing than a rookie’s.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
  9. 8

    Tyson Bagent (Bears)

    Bagent went 2-2 as a rookie with 3 TD and 6 INT, then threw six passes after Caleb Williams arrived. That is the thinnest evidence here, at $5M a year.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude. Did not include: ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 10 · Claude: 10

    What each AI noted 2
    • Geminiplace 10

      Holds the NCAA all-division record with 159 passing touchdowns and translated that poise to an NFL debut season with 2 wins in 4 starts.

    • Claudeplace 10

      Bagent went 2-2 as a rookie but has thrown six passes since Caleb Williams arrived, so this is the thinnest evidence on the list.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
  10. 9

    Gardner Minshew (Cardinals)

    Minshew is Arizona's QB2 behind Jacoby Brissett at a $5.75M cap charge. He is an experienced spot starter, but no verified recent EPA or QBR line surfaced.

    Included it: Gemini, ChatGPT. Did not include: Claude.

    In their lists: Gemini: 6 · ChatGPT: 5

    What each AI noted 2
    • Geminiplace 6

      Came within a single dropped fourth-down pass of piloting Indianapolis into the AFC playoffs with a 7-6 record as a full-time starter.

    • ChatGPTplace 5

      He has shown he can operate as a short-term starter, and Arizona’s QB room has two experienced veterans rather than a veteran and an untested rookie.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
  11. 10

    Jameis Winston (Giants)

    Winston ranked 4th in EPA per play and 2nd in net yards per attempt in a small sample, after sitting 33rd in 2024. He is the most volatile backup here.

    Included it: Claude. Did not include: Gemini, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 5

    What each AI noted 1
    • Claudeplace 5

      Winston ranks 4th in EPA per play but only 33rd in 2024, which makes him the most volatile backup here.

      Source ↗
    1 AIs put it here

02More about the top three

The ranking is above. Here is more about the three places at the top: what they are, why they are here, and what is worth knowing.

The three are judged on different evidence: Jones on eight 2025 starts, Flacco on outside rankings and career play, Huntley on one October game.

1Mac Jones (49ers)

No. 1 — Mac Jones (49ers). On the lists of 3 of 3 AIs; median place there: 1. The AIs trusted Jones most because his eight 2025 starts are the longest, cleanest fill-in sample of any backup here.

Rams vs. 49ers November 5, 1950
Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco 49ers headquarters
Coolcaesar at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
SF 49ers GMC Yukon XL 2
BrokenSphere · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know

  • Before the Rams game, Mac Jones was 5-2 filling in for Brock Purdy. He averaged 261.7 passing yards a game with a 61.2 QBR, and he had played through two knee problems that kept him on the injury report.

What it is
49ers backup who filled in for Brock Purdy in 2025.
Its edge
Biggest recent sample: 5-3 in eight starts, 7.4 yards per attempt.
Who should know
Useful for fans judging who could really hold a contender together.
  • Recent fill-in starts record5-3 in eight 2025 starts
  • HeadquartersUnited States

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here
  • Jones started 8 games for San Francisco in 2025 and went 5-3, giving him the longest fill-in sample among these three. — (voice only)

  • He threw for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in 2025; his 7.4 yards per attempt was higher than Flacco’s 6.5 that season. — (voice only)

History
  • In 1982, with 58 seconds left in the NFC title game, Joe Montana found Dwight Clark for the winning score against Dallas. “The Catch” sent the 49ers to their first Super Bowl and helped launch a run of four titles in the 1980s. — (voice only)

Keep in mind
  • The need for a backup is real. Purdy hurt a toe, came back, hurt it again and, in Shanahan's words, "he's been out for the last month."

What people say
  • They brought me here to play as a backup and that's my job. — Mac Jones

Compare the top three ↓

2Joe Flacco (Bengals)

No. 2 — Joe Flacco (Bengals). On the lists of 3 of 3 AIs; median place there: 3. The AIs valued Flacco's long starting experience and big-yardage past, while noting his age and lack of mobility.

Did you know

  • Flacco has played for eight teams: the Broncos, Jets, Eagles, Jets again, Browns, Colts, Browns again and Bengals. He also won Super Bowl MVP with the Ravens in the 2012 season, and he is 10-6 in the playoffs.

What it is
41-year-old Bengals backup and former long-time starter.
Its edge
Far deeper NFL experience than the other two, plus a Super Bowl MVP.
Who should know
Useful for fans who want to know how much experience can offset age.
  • Recent fill-in starts recordNo. 1 on SI's and Fox's lists
  • HeadquartersBangladesh

Wikipedia · Wikidata

History
  • In 2012, Flacco answered the Ravens’ playoff collapse the year before with a remarkable run: he threw a 70-yard tying touchdown against Denver, then led Baltimore to the Super Bowl and was named its MVP. [Source](https://www.bengals.com/team/players-roster/joe-flacco/career)

Keep in mind
  • Flacco is 41. When he filled in for Burrow last year, the Bengals went 1-5 in his six starts, even though the offense averaged more than 27 points a game. Wins did not follow the passing.

Where to go further
  • Open the career table on the Bengals page. Look first at his 11 Baltimore seasons (2008–2018), then at his stops with other teams. That shows how his career changed after Baltimore.

Compare the top three ↓

3Tyler Huntley (Ravens)

No. 3 — Tyler Huntley (Ravens). On the lists of 3 of 3 AIs; median place there: 2. The AIs liked Huntley's clutch comeback win at Atlanta, but one big game is thin evidence and Fox ranks him low.

Ravensburg vom Sennerbad 2005
Photo: Andreas Praefcke · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know

  • In the Falcons win, the tying two-point conversion was not a Huntley throw. Derrick Henry took a direct snap and ran left for it. Huntley then scored on a 1-yard sneak in overtime, and the Ravens won 30-23.

What it is
Ravens backup who steps in when Lamar Jackson is hurt.
Its edge
Best single moment: a tying drive and an overtime touchdown run.
Who should know
Useful for Ravens fans wondering if the offense survives without Lamar.
  • Recent fill-in starts recordFox ranks him 27th
  • HeadquartersTübingen Government Region

Wikipedia · Wikidata

History
  • In 2022, with Lamar Jackson injured, Huntley took over as Baltimore’s starter. A concussion briefly threatened to keep him out too, but he cleared the protocol and returned to face Cleveland. [Source](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/tyler-huntley-lamar-jackson-injury-report-ravens-browns-concussion-week-14-2022)

Keep in mind
  • The next week at Cleveland, with Lamar Jackson out again, Huntley went 19 of 31 for 165 yards and one touchdown. The Ravens lost 13-10. One great night is not yet a pattern.

What people say
  • There's not a locker room in the NFL that has more confidence in their backup quarterback than we have in Snoop. — Jesse Minter

    Source ↗ ✓ confirmed by several AIs
Where to go further
  • Read the Professional career section, starting with the Ravens 2025 to present part. It tells how Huntley went from third-string quarterback to starter when Lamar Jackson got hurt.

Compare the top three ↓

The top three side by side

Mac Jones (49ers)Joe Flacco (Bengals)Tyler Huntley (Ravens)
In the AIs' lists3 / 33 / 33 / 3
Recent fill-in starts record5-3 in eight 2025 startsNo. 1 on SI's and Fox's listsFox ranks him 27th
HeadquartersUnited StatesBangladeshTübingen Government Region
Put first byClaude, ChatGPT——

Places with the same number of AIs are ordered by their average place in the AIs' own lists.

03Worth knowing

What the AIs noticed while building the list.

Jones has volume and Huntley has a moment. Jones went 5-3 over eight starts, while Huntley's 2026 sample is two games.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT. Did not include: Gemini.
Source ↗

The oldest backup tops two lists. Flacco is 41 and No. 1 on SI and Fox, while CBS puts Jones's situation first.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT. Did not include: Gemini.
Source ↗

Fans and national lists can split. Colts fans rejected top-10 backup rankings for Anthony Richardson, arguing that draft pedigree is not current form.

Noticed by:
Included it: ChatGPT. Did not include: Gemini, Claude.
Source ↗

Lock's 86.4 QBR and 0.43 EPA per pass come from a secondary aggregator. ESPN and nflverse values were not retrieved.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude. Did not include: Gemini, ChatGPT.
Source ↗

04Questions people ask

Who is the best NFL backup QB?

Mac Jones of the 49ers has the strongest recent proof at 5-3 in eight 2025 starts. SI and Fox both rank Joe Flacco No. 1.

Source ↗
Who are the best NFL backup QBs?

The top five here are Mac Jones, Joe Flacco, Tyler Huntley, Marcus Mariota (15th of 54 in two-year EPA per play) and Davis Mills.

Source ↗
Who is the highest paid NFL backup QB?

By cap hit, Anthony Richardson (Colts) is at about $10.8M, with Mendoza and Brissett near $10.4M. Cap hit, APY and cash give different answers.

Why do the rankings disagree?

SI and Fox weigh long careers and film, while CBS uses EPA and net yards per attempt. That is how Huntley can be 27th on Fox in the same week he wins in overtime.

Source ↗

05How we counted

In plain words, no formulas.

1The question

Top 10 NFL Backup Quarterbacks Most Ready to Keep a Contender Afloat

2Why this topic

It shows both what a backup has actually delivered and how much his own fans trust him, plus the gap between the two, which no stat table holds.

3Where it applies

NFL, 2026 season, current backups

4What we looked at

  • Measured value in recent starts and relief appearances (EPA, WPA, QBR)
  • Strong one-off games kept apart from proof over several starts
  • How much the backup's own fan base trusts him
  • nflverse / nflfastR — EPA and win probability added per play, with starts and relief appearances kept separate
  • ESPN Total QBR — Situation-weighted value across passing, rushing, sacks and turnovers. Low-snap backups have no stable value.
  • SI 2026 backup QB ranking — All 32 QB2s ranked by career record, recent games and fit
  • Fox Sports backup QB ranking (Oct. 2026) — Tiered ranking of all 32 backups by film and scheme fit
  • CBS Sports top-10 backup QBs 2026 — Backup situations ranked by EPA per play, net yards per attempt and off-target rate

5Who ranked

The leading AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT.

6How the places were set

The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.

06Each AI's own list

🇺🇸 Gemini10 places · 1 notes

The same question, answered by Gemini alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Jake Browning (Cincinnati Bengals)

    Engineered three straight 300-yard performances and a 4-3 record in relief of Joe Burrow while maintaining an elite 0.12 EPA per dropback.

  2. 2
    Tyler Huntley (Baltimore Ravens)

    Rallied Baltimore with a game-tying drive and a 14-play overtime march capped by a 1-yard touchdown run to upset Atlanta 30-23.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Joe Flacco (Indianapolis Colts)

    Won NFL Comeback Player of the Year after averaging 323.2 passing yards per game over five late-season starts with a playoff contender.

  4. 4
    Tyrod Taylor (New York Jets)

    Boasts a minuscule 1.9% turnover-worthy play rate over 58 career starts, guaranteeing a contender won't beat itself with catastrophic miscues.

  5. 5
    Marcus Mariota (Washington Commanders)

    Generates 0.24 EPA per designed rush, keeping opposing linebackers honest and maintaining explosive option-run lanes for his backfield.

  6. 6
    Gardner Minshew II (Free Agent / Reserve)

    Came within a single dropped fourth-down pass of piloting Indianapolis into the AFC playoffs with a 7-6 record as a full-time starter.

  7. 7
    Mac Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars / San Francisco 49ers)

    Brings 42 career regular-season starts and a former Pro Bowl rookie season to the QB2 room, pairing quick 2.45-second processing with accurate underneath timing.

  8. 8
    Drew Lock (Seattle Seahawks / New York Giants)

    Engineered a stunning 92-yard game-winning two-minute drill on Monday Night Football to defeat the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.

  9. 9
    Carson Wentz (Kansas City Chiefs / Minnesota Vikings)

    Has started 93 career regular-season NFL games with 153 passing touchdowns, offering high-end arm talent rarely found on a reserve depth chart.

  10. 10
    Tyson Bagent (Chicago Bears)

    Holds the NCAA all-division record with 159 passing touchdowns and translated that poise to an NFL debut season with 2 wins in 4 starts.

What Gemini noticed

One-game relief heroics frequently mask multi-game regression: signal-callers like Drew Lock and Carson Wentz post 0.15+ EPA in cold-off-the-bench relief appearances before opposing defensive coordinators game-plan against their tendencies over three-game stretches.

🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 2 notes

The same question, answered by Claude alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Mac Jones (49ers)

    Jones went 5-3 as a fill-in starter and had a career-best 7.4 yards per attempt. That is the longest and cleanest sample of any backup on this list.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Joe Flacco (Bengals)

    Flacco ranked 8th of 33 in EPA per play over seven starts, with 13 TD and 4 INT. He is 41, and Fox says he lacks mobility.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Marcus Mariota (Commanders)

    Over two seasons he was 15th in EPA per play among 54 QBs, and he is the most expensive QB2 in this group.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Drew Lock (Seahawks)

    Lock's reported 86.4 QBR was fourth in the league after two starts. I rank him fourth because that is a sample of two games.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Jameis Winston (Giants)

    Winston ranks 4th in EPA per play but only 33rd in 2024, which makes him the most volatile backup here.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Tua Tagovailoa (Falcons)

    Tagovailoa led the league with 4,624 yards in 2023 but threw 36 interceptions in 42 games over three seasons.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Tyler Huntley (Ravens)

    On Oct. 11 he went 24-of-32 for 201 yards and 2 TD, then ran in the winning score in overtime. Fox still ranks him 27th, which may be too low.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Davis Mills (Texans)

    Mills went 3-0 in 2025 with 5 TD and 1 INT and led a 19-point comeback. He has 29 career starts.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Spencer Rattler (Saints)

    Rattler had a 7% off-target rate, 3rd of 38 QBs, but has lost 12 of 13 career starts.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Tyson Bagent (Bears)

    Bagent went 2-2 as a rookie but has thrown six passes since Caleb Williams arrived, so this is the thinnest evidence on the list.

    Source ↗

What Claude noticed

Huntley's overtime win came the same Sunday Fox's list had him 27th. One strong game against a hurt Falcons team is not proof across several starts.

The oldest backup tops two lists. Flacco is 41, and SI calls him 'the ultimate backup.'

🇺🇸 ChatGPT10 places · 2 notes

The same question, answered by ChatGPT alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Mac Jones — San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback 2026

    Five wins in eight 2025 starts is the most substantial recent contender-rescue résumé among the current backups reviewed.

  2. 2
    Tyler Huntley — Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback 2026

    His October 11 finish is a high-leverage proof point: the tying touchdown drive, two-point conversion and one-yard overtime score came in one comeback.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Joe Flacco — Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback 2026

    A former long-term starter brings a much deeper body of NFL game experience than most backups, and Cincinnati’s receiver group can simplify his job.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Davis Mills — Houston Texans backup quarterback 2026

    Mills has real NFL starting experience and a supporting offense that makes his backup floor more convincing than a rookie’s.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Gardner Minshew — Arizona Cardinals backup quarterback 2026

    He has shown he can operate as a short-term starter, and Arizona’s QB room has two experienced veterans rather than a veteran and an untested rookie.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Anthony Richardson — Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback 2026

    The gap between upside and trust is unusually wide: a former No. 4 pick and starter, but his own fan base doubts his current passing reliability.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Joshua Dobbs — Detroit Lions backup quarterback 2026

    A journeyman who has started for several teams offers emergency experience, but the current evidence is thinner than Mac Jones’s extended run.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Tyrod Taylor — Green Bay Packers backup quarterback 2026

    Taylor’s veteran mobility gives Green Bay a distinct emergency style, though his recent volume is too small to treat old starts as current form.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Mason Rudolph — Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback 2026

    He is a familiar Pittsburgh spot starter, and the team has also kept two developmental quarterbacks behind him for insurance depth.

  10. 10
    Kyle Allen — Buffalo Bills backup quarterback 2026

    A veteran behind a mobile superstar is insurance for a different offense; the supporting scheme matters more than any current-season QB2 sample.

    Source ↗

What ChatGPT noticed

Huntley’s dramatic overtime rescue is compelling but remains a two-game 2026 sample in the NFL.com Week 6 accounting; one result should not erase the longer track record.

Fan confidence can diverge sharply from national rankings: Colts commenters challenged Anthony Richardson’s top-ten preseason reputation, illustrating the role of trust and skepticism.