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

Who Has the Best Backup Quarterback in the NFL? (2026)

Mac Jones went 5-3 in eight starts while Brock Purdy was hurt, and Tyler Huntley beat Atlanta 30-23 in overtime without Lamar Jackson, yet Fox still ranks Huntley 27th of 32 backups.

  • No. 1: San Francisco 49ers (Brock Purdy / Mac Jones)
  • 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

    San Francisco 49ers (Brock Purdy / Mac Jones)

    Jones went 5-3 in eight starts while Purdy was out, the largest proven fill-in sample here. His $3.13M cap number sits behind Purdy's $23.71M.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 3 · Claude: 1 · ChatGPT: 1

    What each AI noted 3
    • Geminiplace 3

      Kyle Shanahan's play-action scheme generates 6.8 yards after the catch per completion, creating the league's highest structural floor for an emergency passer.

    • Claudeplace 1

      Jones went 5-3 as a fill-in starter and held a 13-6 TD-INT ratio. His $3.13M cap number sits behind Purdy's $23.7M.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 1

      Jones has already kept this contender afloat through an extended Purdy absence; the five wins in eight starts are the strongest real-world insurance test here.

    3 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  2. 2

    Cincinnati Bengals (Joe Burrow / Joe Flacco)

    Flacco is the No. 1 backup on both the SI and Fox lists and throws to Chase and Higgins. Fox flags his lack of mobility. Burrow's $37.6M dwarfs Flacco's $3.33M.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 2 · Claude: 2 · ChatGPT: 4

    What each AI noted 3
    • Geminiplace 2

      Jake Browning registered an NFL-best 70.4% completion rate across 7 fill-in starts while earning less than 3% of Joe Burrow's annual cap hit.

    • Claudeplace 2

      Flacco ranked 8th of 33 QBs in EPA per play over Weeks 6-12 in an offense with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He costs $3.3M against Burrow's $37.6M.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 4

      Flacco’s pocket-passing experience is unusually compatible with a pass-heavy team built around elite receivers, though a Burrow-sized gap remains.

      Source ↗
    3 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  3. 3

    Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix Jr. / Tua Tagovailoa)

    Tua led the NFL with 4,624 yards in 2023 and costs $1.22M. Sources disagree on whether he started the Ravens loss or relieved an injured Penix and threw the OT interception.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 8 · Claude: 5 · ChatGPT: 10

    What each AI noted 3
    • Geminiplace 8

      With an unprecedented top-8 overall draft pick sitting on the bench, Atlanta possesses high-end pedigree behind an offensive line ranking top-3 in run blocking.

    • Claudeplace 5

      Tagovailoa came in for an injured Penix against Baltimore. His 4,624 yards in 2023 are the league high, but SI counts 36 interceptions in 42 games over three years.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 10

      The depth chart has flipped from the preseason: Tua started the season, while the October 20 chart now lists Penix first and Tua second.

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

    Baltimore Ravens (Lamar Jackson / Tyler Huntley)

    Huntley threw the tying touchdown with 40 seconds left and ran in the OT winner, 30-23 at Atlanta. It is one game, and Fox still ranks him 27th.

    Included it: Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Gemini: 1 · Claude: 9 · ChatGPT: 2

    What each AI noted 3
    • Geminiplace 1

      Tyler Huntley erased a late deficit and capped a 14-play overtime march with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to defeat Atlanta 30-23 without Lamar Jackson.

      Source ↗
    • Claudeplace 9

      Huntley went 24-of-32 for 201 yards and 2 TD, then ran in the winning score in overtime. This is his only evidence this season, and Fox still ranks him 27th.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 2

      One overtime finish turned the backup question into a real answer: Huntley engineered the tying score and ran in the winner against Atlanta.

      Source ↗
    3 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  6. 5

    Washington Commanders (Jayden Daniels / Marcus Mariota)

    Mariota ranked 15th of 54 QBs in EPA per play over two seasons. At $7.34M he costs 71% of Daniels' $10.29M cap number.

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

    In their lists: Gemini: 4 · Claude: 3

    What each AI noted 2
    • Geminiplace 4

      Marcus Mariota provides plug-and-play athletic symmetry behind Jayden Daniels, preventing offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury from tearing up his run-option playbook.

    • Claudeplace 3

      Over two seasons Mariota ranked 15th in EPA per play among 54 QBs. Fox says Washington's offense was more efficient with him than with Daniels.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  7. 6

    Seattle Seahawks (Sam Darnold / Drew Lock)

    Lock posted a reported 86.4 QBR, 4th in the league, over two fill-in starts for Darnold. That figure comes from an aggregator and covers only two games.

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

    In their lists: Gemini: 9 · Claude: 4

    What each AI noted 2
    • Geminiplace 9

      Ryan Grubb's aggressive vertical passing tree paired with DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba enables big-armed reserves to maintain a 10.4-yard average depth of target.

    • Claudeplace 4

      Lock stepped in after Darnold's Week 1 injury and posted a reported 86.4 QBR and 0.43 EPA per pass over his first two starts. He costs $2.75M.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  8. 7

    Houston Texans (C.J. Stroud / Davis Mills)

    Mills went 3-0 filling in during 2025, with 5 TD, 1 INT and a 19-point comeback. CBS gives Houston's defense part of the credit.

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

    In their lists: Claude: 7 · ChatGPT: 5

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 7

      Mills went 3-0 in 2025 with 5 TD and 1 INT and led a 19-point comeback. CBS credits Houston's defense.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 5

      Mills has already been a capable spot starter, and Houston’s line and offensive supporting cast provide a reasonable floor—but the data gap versus Stroud is substantial.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  9. 8

    Chicago Bears (Caleb Williams / Tyson Bagent)

    Bagent went 2-2 as a rookie but has thrown six regular-season passes since Caleb Williams arrived. Chicago still pays him $5M a year.

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

    In their lists: Gemini: 10 · Claude: 8

    What each AI noted 2
    • Geminiplace 10

      Former Division II standout Tyson Bagent went 2-2 with a lightning-fast 2.31-second time-to-throw, costing just $985,000 against the salary cap.

    • Claudeplace 8

      Bagent has thrown six regular-season passes since Williams arrived. He has a two-year extension at $5M APY and a coach who develops quarterbacks.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  10. 9

    New York Giants (Jaxson Dart / Jameis Winston)

    In a small sample, Winston ranked 2nd in net yards per attempt (8.4) and 4th in EPA per play. He was only 33rd in 2024, the most volatile backup here.

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

    In their lists: Claude: 6

    What each AI noted 1
    • Claudeplace 6

      Winston ranked 2nd in net yards per attempt (8.4) and 4th in EPA per play, and his explosive-play rate was first. His completion rate was just over 56%.

      Source ↗
    1 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  11. 10

    Las Vegas Raiders (Kirk Cousins / Fernando Mendoza)

    CBS calls No. 1 pick Mendoza the second-best backup situation, though he has no NFL game evidence. His $10.41M cap number is higher than starter Cousins'.

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

    In their lists: Claude: 10

    What each AI noted 1
    • Claudeplace 10

      Mendoza was the No. 1 pick in 2026 and CBS ranks him the second-best backup situation. He has no pro game evidence, and Over The Cap lists him as the QB1 with the highest cap number.

      Source ↗
    1 AIs put it here
    Source ↗

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 compared on different measures: Jones's fill-in record, Flacco's list rankings and efficiency, and Tua's 2023 yards, so they are not directly comparable.

1San Francisco 49ers (Brock Purdy / Mac Jones)

No. 1 — San Francisco 49ers (Brock Purdy / Mac Jones). On the lists of 3 of 3 AIs; median place there: 1. The AIs liked Jones's proven fill-in record, five wins in eight starts, at a tiny cap cost next to Purdy.

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.

    Source ↗
What it is
A contender whose backup, Mac Jones, already filled in for the injured starter.
Its edge
Jones has the biggest real fill-in sample of the three: 5-3 in eight starts.
Who should know
Useful for fans judging how much an injury to the starter would really hurt.
  • Proven backup quarterback record5-3 in eight starts
  • Founded1946
  • HeadquartersUnited States

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • The 2026 cap figures are $3,130,000 for Jones and $23,709,530 for Purdy, a much smaller bill for the backup. — (voice only)

    Source ↗
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)

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • Jones went 2-5 as a starter for Jacksonville in 2025, with 8 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. His good run in San Francisco is a small sample, and it came with a strong team around him.

    Source ↗

  • 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."

    Source ↗
What people say

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

    Source ↗

Video: Why The San Francisco 49ers Are Going To BREAK The NFL.. · KRICH Productions

Compare the top three ↓

2Cincinnati Bengals (Joe Burrow / Joe Flacco)

No. 2 — Cincinnati Bengals (Joe Burrow / Joe Flacco). On the lists of 3 of 3 AIs; median place there: 2. The AIs valued Flacco's steady passing and elite receivers Chase and Higgins, though his age and lack of mobility held him back.

Did you know

  • At 40, Joe Flacco scored on a 1-yard run against the Jets. That made him the oldest player to score in Bengals history, passing Terrell Owens, who scored at age 36.

    Source ↗
What it is
A team whose backup, veteran Joe Flacco, throws to star receivers.
Its edge
Flacco tops the SI and Fox backup lists and has a long record as a starter.
Who should know
Useful for fans weighing an experienced backup against the risk of age.
  • Proven backup quarterback recordNo. 1 backup on SI and Fox
  • Founded1968
  • HeadquartersCincinnati, Hamilton County

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • Flacco led Cleveland to a 4-1 record in his five starts late in 2023, a proven stretch as a fill-in. — (voice only)

    Source ↗

  • In 2025, Flacco threw for 1,664 yards, 13 touchdowns and 4 interceptions for Cincinnati in 6 starts. — (voice only)

    Source ↗
History

  • In 1981, Cincinnati reached its first Super Bowl after winning the “Freezer Bowl” 27-7 in a wind chill of minus-59. The Bengals then fell behind 20-0 at halftime against San Francisco and lost 26-21. — (voice only)

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • Flacco is 41. Last season he made six starts while Burrow was out with a toe injury, and the Bengals went 1-5 in those games.

    Source ↗
What people say

  • He's still got an arm. I mean, he's still getting it out there. — Ja'Marr Chase

    Source ↗

Video: How The Cincinnati Bengals Completed The FASTEST Rebuild In NFL History · Just Football

Compare the top three ↓

3Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix Jr. / Tua Tagovailoa)

No. 3 — Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix Jr. / Tua Tagovailoa). On the lists of 3 of 3 AIs; median place there: 8. The AIs liked Tua's league-best 2023 yardage and cheap deal, but interceptions and a shaky depth chart kept him third.

Atlanta Falcons wordmark
Atlanta Falcons · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know

  • Miami's release of Tua Tagovailoa will cost the Dolphins an NFL-record $99.2 million in dead money. The Falcons got him on a one-year, $1.3 million deal, which is the veteran minimum.

    Source ↗
What it is
A team with Tua Tagovailoa, a former Miami starter, behind Michael Penix Jr.
Its edge
Tua led the NFL in passing yards in 2023, which neither other backup did.
Who should know
Useful for fans curious how a backup with starter-level stats compares, flaws included.
  • Proven backup quarterback record4,624 yards in 2023
  • Founded1966
  • HeadquartersFlowery Branch

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • Tua threw for 4,624 yards in 2023, the NFL's top total that season, showing the upside behind Penix. — (voice only)

    Source ↗

  • Penix has only 3 NFL starts on his 2024 line, with 775 passing yards; that small sample makes Tua's experience especially relevant. — (voice only)

    Source ↗
History

  • In 1998, an overlooked Falcons team finished the regular season 14-2, won its first home playoff game, then beat Minnesota in overtime for the NFC title. That run carried Atlanta to its first Super Bowl appearance. — (voice only)

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • The source dispute is settled by this report: Penix was hurt on a sack late in regulation, and Tua entered in overtime. Tua's pick sealed a 30-23 Ravens win. He had 59 interceptions in 78 games with Miami.

    Source ↗

Video: Trailer | The History of the Atlanta Falcons, a Dorktown series · Secret Base

Compare the top three ↓

The top three side by side

San Francisco 49ers (Brock Purdy / Mac Jones)Cincinnati Bengals (Joe Burrow / Joe Flacco)Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix Jr. / Tua Tagovailoa)
In the AIs' lists3 / 33 / 33 / 3
Proven backup quarterback record5-3 in eight startsNo. 1 backup on SI and Fox4,624 yards in 2023
Founded194619681966
HeadquartersUnited StatesCincinnati, Hamilton CountyFlowery Branch
Put first byClaude, ChatGPT——

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

More ratings

03Worth knowing

What the AIs noticed while building the list.

Huntley's standing depends on what is measured. The Ringer ranks Baltimore's QB room 5th, while Fox puts Huntley 27th of 32 backups, and that was the same Sunday he won in overtime.

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

Depth charts flip within weeks. Preseason reports had Tua starting in Atlanta, and the Oct. 20 chart lists Penix ahead of him.

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

Cap hit, APY and cash give different gaps. The Ringer lists Jones at $4.2M APY, while Over The Cap shows a $3.13M cap number.

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

04Questions people ask

Who has the best backup quarterback in the NFL?

The 49ers' Mac Jones has the strongest proof: 5-3 in eight starts while Brock Purdy was out. SI and Fox rank Cincinnati's Joe Flacco as the No. 1 backup.

Who is the highest paid backup NFL quarterback?

By 2026 cap hit, Anthony Richardson (Colts) is at about $10.8M and Fernando Mendoza (Raiders) at $10.41M. Among the veteran QB2s here, Marcus Mariota costs the most at $7.34M.

Did Tyler Huntley win without Lamar Jackson?

Yes. Huntley led a late tying touchdown drive and scored the 1-yard OT run as Baltimore beat Atlanta 30-23 on Oct. 11 and moved to 4-1.

Source ↗
Why do backup QB rankings differ so much?

They measure different things. Fox grades film, CBS ranks team situations by EPA and The Ringer ranks whole rooms, which is why Huntley ranges from a 5th-ranked room to the 27th-ranked backup.

Source ↗

05How we counted

In plain words, no formulas.

1The question

Top 10 NFL Teams Best Protected If Their Star Quarterback Gets Hurt

2Why this topic

The reader sees the size of each team's QB1-to-QB2 drop-off next to the support around the backup, which no QBR table, backup list or salary table shows on its own.

3Where it applies

NFL, 2026 season, all 32 teams

4What we looked at

  • Gap between the starter's value and the backup's value, measured with the same yardstick for both (EPA per play and Total QBR)
  • Backup's results in real starts over the last three seasons, with small samples marked as such
  • Offensive line and play-caller strong enough to carry a backup
  • Cap money spent on QB2 compared with QB1
  • nflverse / rbsdm.com — EPA per dropback from open play-by-play data, with no human grading. Backup samples are small and noisy.
  • ESPN Total QBR — Each play's effect on winning on a 0-100 scale, adjusted for opponent and game situation
  • Over The Cap — 2026 cap numbers for QB1 and QB2 on each roster. A cap hit is not the same as APY or cash.
  • Pro Football Focus — Proprietary play-by-play quarterback grades and pass-blocking grades

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 · 2 notes

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

  1. 1
    Baltimore Ravens

    Tyler Huntley erased a late deficit and capped a 14-play overtime march with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to defeat Atlanta 30-23 without Lamar Jackson.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Cincinnati Bengals

    Jake Browning registered an NFL-best 70.4% completion rate across 7 fill-in starts while earning less than 3% of Joe Burrow's annual cap hit.

  3. 3
    San Francisco 49ers

    Kyle Shanahan's play-action scheme generates 6.8 yards after the catch per completion, creating the league's highest structural floor for an emergency passer.

  4. 4
    Washington Commanders

    Marcus Mariota provides plug-and-play athletic symmetry behind Jayden Daniels, preventing offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury from tearing up his run-option playbook.

  5. 5
    Minnesota Vikings

    Kevin O'Connell's offense produced 400-yard passing days with multiple reserve signal-callers thanks to Justin Jefferson and a top-10 pass-protecting tackle tandem.

  6. 6
    New York Jets

    Tyrod Taylor carries an exceptional 65-to-29 career TD-to-INT ratio, serving as a low-turnover stabilizer behind an offensive line rebuilt with two first-round blockers.

  7. 7
    Indianapolis Colts

    Shane Steichen guided veteran backup Joe Flacco to 300-yard passing games and a 10-to-2 touchdown stretch behind an offensive line graded 4th in pass protection.

  8. 8
    Atlanta Falcons

    With an unprecedented top-8 overall draft pick sitting on the bench, Atlanta possesses high-end pedigree behind an offensive line ranking top-3 in run blocking.

  9. 9
    Seattle Seahawks

    Ryan Grubb's aggressive vertical passing tree paired with DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba enables big-armed reserves to maintain a 10.4-yard average depth of target.

  10. 10
    Chicago Bears

    Former Division II standout Tyson Bagent went 2-2 with a lightning-fast 2.31-second time-to-throw, costing just $985,000 against the salary cap.

What Gemini noticed

The cap allocation for elite QB2 insurance has bifurcated: teams either dedicate $5M-$7M annually to an experienced veteran like Marcus Mariota or Tyrod Taylor, or exploit sub-$2M cost-controlled backups while spending heavily on top-tier offensive line protection.

Source ↗

Scheme continuity trumps raw arm talent when starters go down: Tyler Huntley's ability to seamlessly execute Lamar Jackson's zone-read and option concepts without changing offensive coordinator Todd Monken's personnel groupings yielded an overtime road victory in Atlanta.

Source ↗
🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 2 notes

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

  1. 1
    San Francisco 49ers (Brock Purdy / Mac Jones)

    Jones went 5-3 as a fill-in starter and held a 13-6 TD-INT ratio. His $3.13M cap number sits behind Purdy's $23.7M.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Cincinnati Bengals (Joe Burrow / Joe Flacco)

    Flacco ranked 8th of 33 QBs in EPA per play over Weeks 6-12 in an offense with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He costs $3.3M against Burrow's $37.6M.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Washington Commanders (Jayden Daniels / Marcus Mariota)

    Over two seasons Mariota ranked 15th in EPA per play among 54 QBs. Fox says Washington's offense was more efficient with him than with Daniels.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Seattle Seahawks (Sam Darnold / Drew Lock)

    Lock stepped in after Darnold's Week 1 injury and posted a reported 86.4 QBR and 0.43 EPA per pass over his first two starts. He costs $2.75M.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix Jr. / Tua Tagovailoa)

    Tagovailoa came in for an injured Penix against Baltimore. His 4,624 yards in 2023 are the league high, but SI counts 36 interceptions in 42 games over three years.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    New York Giants (Jaxson Dart / Jameis Winston)

    Winston ranked 2nd in net yards per attempt (8.4) and 4th in EPA per play, and his explosive-play rate was first. His completion rate was just over 56%.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Houston Texans (C.J. Stroud / Davis Mills)

    Mills went 3-0 in 2025 with 5 TD and 1 INT and led a 19-point comeback. CBS credits Houston's defense.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Chicago Bears (Caleb Williams / Tyson Bagent)

    Bagent has thrown six regular-season passes since Williams arrived. He has a two-year extension at $5M APY and a coach who develops quarterbacks.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Baltimore Ravens (Lamar Jackson / Tyler Huntley)

    Huntley went 24-of-32 for 201 yards and 2 TD, then ran in the winning score in overtime. This is his only evidence this season, and Fox still ranks him 27th.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Las Vegas Raiders (Kirk Cousins / Fernando Mendoza)

    Mendoza was the No. 1 pick in 2026 and CBS ranks him the second-best backup situation. He has no pro game evidence, and Over The Cap lists him as the QB1 with the highest cap number.

    Source ↗

What Claude noticed

The Ringer's best room is not a backup story. It puts New England first because Drake Maye is paid $9.2M APY, a cap-savings edge.

Source ↗

The backup role changes hands within days. In the Falcons–Ravens game, both teams played their QB2 after starter injuries, and Baltimore's backup won it.

Source ↗
🇺🇸 ChatGPT10 places · 2 notes

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

  1. 1
    San Francisco 49ers — Mac Jones behind Brock Purdy

    Jones has already kept this contender afloat through an extended Purdy absence; the five wins in eight starts are the strongest real-world insurance test here.

  2. 2
    Baltimore Ravens — Tyler Huntley behind Lamar Jackson

    One overtime finish turned the backup question into a real answer: Huntley engineered the tying score and ran in the winner against Atlanta.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Detroit Lions — Joshua Dobbs behind Jared Goff

    A veteran with starting experience gets Ben Johnson’s old offensive infrastructure and a high-impact running game; the concern is that this season’s team context has changed.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Cincinnati Bengals — Joe Flacco behind Joe Burrow

    Flacco’s pocket-passing experience is unusually compatible with a pass-heavy team built around elite receivers, though a Burrow-sized gap remains.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Houston Texans — Davis Mills behind C.J. Stroud

    Mills has already been a capable spot starter, and Houston’s line and offensive supporting cast provide a reasonable floor—but the data gap versus Stroud is substantial.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Indianapolis Colts — Anthony Richardson behind Daniel Jones

    The backup has first-round physical upside and starting experience, but fan skepticism about his accuracy makes the floor harder to trust.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Green Bay Packers — Tyrod Taylor behind Jordan Love

    Taylor’s mobility and long career of starts offer a better emergency floor than a typical QB2, though he is not a like-for-like replacement for Love’s ceiling.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Arizona Cardinals — Gardner Minshew behind Jacoby Brissett

    Two experienced passers make this room deeper than most, but with Brissett currently the starter, Minshew is insurance behind an already modest ceiling.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Pittsburgh Steelers — Mason Rudolph behind Aaron Rodgers

    Rudolph is a known quantity with Pittsburgh starting experience; the team even retained multiple developmental options behind him.

  10. 10
    Atlanta Falcons — Tua Tagovailoa behind Michael Penix Jr.

    The depth chart has flipped from the preseason: Tua started the season, while the October 20 chart now lists Penix first and Tua second.

    Source ↗

What ChatGPT noticed

Baltimore’s overtime win is the best current demonstration that a backup can win a contender a game: Huntley led the tying drive and scored the overtime touchdown himself.

Source ↗

Depth-chart labels can change quickly: preseason reporting had Tua starting for Atlanta; the October 20 chart lists Penix ahead of him.

Source ↗