3 winners (and 2 losers) in NFL Week 2 at the quarterback position

If you don't have a quarterback in the NFL, you have no shot, which is why this position comes under the microscope every single week.

We have already seen some shocking performances from QBs around the league through the first two weeks of the season, but after Week 2, there are a handful of players we have to talk about.

It's still extremely early in the season, but if we're taking a stock report after two games, a few quarterbacks are seeing their stock skyrocket, and others are plummeting. What quarterbacks were the biggest winners in NFL Week 2, and which ones were the biggest losers?

NFL Week 2: 3 winners at the QB position and 2 losers

1. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers -- Winner

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young may have finally taken the leap in his NFL career. We saw glimpses of it last season, but not enough to fully start buying stock.

Now, we're buying all of it.

Two games into the season, guess who ranks 2nd in the NFL in passing yards, 3rd in the NFL in yards per attempt, and is tied for the league lead in passing touchdowns?

That's right: Bryce Young.

Young checked in as the 23rd-ranked QB on our post-Week 1 QB Power Rankings, and he jumped all the way up to 9th after Week 2. There will be tougher games ahead than teams like the Atlanta Falcons, but for now, Young has really impressed.

He's throwing the ball with confidence to all levels of the field, he's spreading the ball around well, and he's making good decisions. When we saw him play with confidence last season, he had the Panthers' offense looking unstoppable at times. And that's what we're seeing early in 2026.

2. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Loser

Sometimes, stats don't tell the whole story. Other times, they paint a perfect picture.

In a Week 1 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals, Baker Mayfield had 3 fumbles lost. In a Week 2 loss to the Cleveland Browns at home, Mayfield didn't have any fumbles, but he threw an interception and was erratic with his accuracy.

And he's getting absolutely blasted by the NFL world in the Monday aftermath because he had 2 hours during a lightning delay to come up with a plan for a game-winning 2-minute drive, and he still couldn't do it.

For whatever reason, revenge against the Browns just isn't on the menu for Baker.

Dating back to last season, especially in the second half, Mayfield has been a liability in many ways. The Buccaneers seemed to draw a hard line in the sand on paying him this offseason, but relented and gave him a three-year deal worth $165 million in total money and $120 million guaranteed. After just two games of Mayfield struggling, they might be having some buyer's remorse.

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