22. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix is playing some very good football since Week 3, and it’s odd that a lot of NFL talking heads aren’t acknowledging it. It seems to me that many want their priors to be confirmed with Nix, as most did not have him ranked that high ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft and thought that the Denver Broncos panicked and overdrafted the QB.
Nix was the sixth and final QB taken in the first round, and Sean Payton was even on record in saying that he baited the Minnesota Vikings into thinking he wanted JJ McCarthy instead of Nix. The Vikings ended up trading up to grab McCarthy, which let Nix fall right into their laps. Over the last six weeks, Nix’s production has increased, and the QB now has 10 touchdown passes against just two interceptions since Week 3, which was Denver’s first win of the season.
If the playoffs started today, the Broncos would be in as the seventh seed, so this team is legit, and Nix is a growing player.
21. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
OK, someone smarter than me can tell me what I am missing with Geno Smith. I don’t get why people think he’s this underrated QB. The Seattle Seahawks started 3-0 on the season and are now 4-5. They were on their bye in Week 10 and face the San Francisco 49ers, so a 4-6 start is likely on its way.
Geno Smith is not a franchise QB, and it would not shock me to see the Seahawks front office make an aggressive push for a rookie QB in the 2025 NFL Draft. Smith is now well into his 30s and is probably best-suited as a bridge QB at this stage in his career. The 2022 season was fun, but he’s returned back down to earth since then.