20. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
The more I look back on Bryce Young's 2025 season, the more I can't help but want to put him higher and higher on the list. I'm impressed by some of the strides Young made last season, and very few people realize that this guy has 10 game-winning drives over the last two seasons.
So much of what people think or assume about Bryce Young at this point has to do with his rookie season in the NFL, which was objectively disastrous.
He is acclimating really well to the Dave Canales offense, the Panthers have some legitimate weapons around him, and the division is wide open for the taking this season. I think we're going to see even bigger strides from the former #1 overall pick in 2026.
19. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The biggest storyline with Baker Mayfield in 2026 is that he and the Buccaneers are not on the best of terms when it comes to his contract situation.
Mayfield did not like the way the Bucs handled things behind the scenes, and he is going to come into the season with a chip on his shoulder. What that translates to remains to be seen, but are we supposed to expect the Mayfield that threw 40-plus touchdowns two seasons ago, or the Mayfield that threw just 10 touchdowns with 9 interceptions and 5 fumbles in the final 8 games last season?
Given the fact that he's in a contract year, I'm going to err on the side of Mayfield playing well, but he's under a lot of pressure and the Bucs might be on the cusp of implosion this season.
18. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
During his rookie season, Jayden Daniels was playing at an MVP level. During his sophomore season, Daniels wasn't nearly the same player, and he struggled with injuries that impacted his play as well.
Daniels' completion rate was down, his yards per game went way down, his touchdown percentage decreased, his effectiveness as a runner decreased. You name it, and there is no denying that Daniels regressed across the board last year.
But again, a lot of the struggles can be attributed to different things out of his control. When injuries become part of the equation, it's hard to truly evaluate. Clearly, a lot of national media folks are expecting Daniels to bounce back this year. I am taking a much more cautiously optimistic approach. He's definitely got star power, and the addition of Stefon Diggs adds a much-needed secondary presence to the offensive weaponry there.
17. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans and quarterback CJ Stroud are in the midst of figuring out whether or not he's the answer for the team in the long run. The Texans obviously felt like he was going to be a superstar after his rookie season, but there has been regression in the last two years.
Stroud finished 8th in MVP voting during his rookie season where he threw for nearly 274 yards per game. Over the last two seasons, he's averaging 218 yards per game, and his sack percentage really skyrocketed in 2024.
Quietly, Stroud took some necessary steps forward again in 2025, seeing his touchdown percentage climb to about where we saw it in his rookie season, his sack percentage decreased, and his turnover-worthy plays (INTs and fumbles) went down significantly.
But being a solid QB isn't going to earn him one of the biggest contracts in league history. He's going to need to be the game-changer the Texans saw in 2023.
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