There was a lot to take in with the NFC in 2025. For example, the Detroit Lions, one year after going 15-2 and earning the no. 1 playoff seed, finished with just nine wins and missed the playoffs entirely.
And a year after missing the playoffs, the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl, proving that truly anything can happen. The NFC is also a pretty deep conference right now, so you can expect that some 'good' teams will miss the postseason this year.
But the path to success is obvious - getting the quarterback right solves most issues. Let's power rank the 16 projected starting quarterbacks in the NFC for 2026.
NFL Power Rankings, 2026: Projected NFC starting quarterback rankings
16. Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
Tua Tagovailoa comes in at no. 16 in our power rankings. He was cut by the Miami Dolphins earlier this offseason and simply needs to prove himself all over again, as he was a flat-out disaster for Miami in 2025 and just cannot stay consistently healthy.
15. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
One of the better backup quarterbacks in the league, Jacoby Brissett is going to continue getting chances to start for the Arizona Cardinals, but while he was efficient statistically in 2025, there was also a lot of 'garbage time' with the 2025 Cardinals, and I am not sure much will change in 2026.
14. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young played the best football of his career in 2025 but was still largely mediocre. This feels like the ceiling for Young - he can be the 20th-best quarterback in the NFL from time to time, but he's still not emerged as anything more than a replacement-level starter. The Carolina Panthers also finished with a losing record in 2025, so keep that in mind.
13. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints nearly ended the season on a five-game winning streak, and Shough himself was way more efficient near the end of the regular season. The Saints are on the right track as of now, and while this team can break out a bit in 2026, Shough is still largely unproven.
12. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Jaxson Dart definitely has the goods, folks. He needs to learn how to protect himself better but does appear to be a dual-threat passer. With John Harbaugh as the head coach, there's reason to believe that Dart is going to have an ideal situation to make a year two leap. His off-schedule ability was a huge part of his game during his rookie season.
11. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
Kyler Murray signed with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason, and it would be a shock if he didn't start. Murray is the perfectly 'average' quarterback, but he's got to reestablish himself on the Vikings. He's someone who can give you about 24 touchdown passes per season, and he does have above-average rushing ability.
The Vikings are largely stable on offense, so Murray should hit his ceiling quickly and rise up these rankings.