16. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I get that receiver injuries play a factor here, but we were legitimately talking about Baker Mayfield playing MVP-caliber football in the first couple of months of the season. That chatter has quieted down substantially, especially because the Bucs, as a team, have suffered in recent weeks.
This team just dropped a tough one at home to the Saints, and Mayfield didn’t do nearly enough to lead his team to a win. You have to take into account the conditions in the game as well, but he completed less than 47 percent of his passes and the Bucs have now lost five of their last seven games.
They need Mayfield to start putting it together quickly and playing like we saw earlier this year.
15. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence only needed 17 completions to rack up 244 passing yards in the Jaguars’ win on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, and he continues to play solid football this season. He’s gotten some interesting targets emerging for him here in the second half of the season with trade acquisition Jakobi Meyers making an impact as well as veteran Tim Patrick coming up with some big plays lately.
We also saw Brian Thomas Jr. come to life a bit in this game, leading the Jaguars in receiving yards with some explosives. If they can get him heating up, this offense is going to be dangerous. Travis Etienne is already taking a lot of pressure off of Lawrence, as well as an opportunistic defense that knows how to create takeaways, but he’s doing his part with three straight multi-touchdown games.
14. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
If you want to make a rankings list like this based on players who have had some of the biggest games in recent weeks, Bryce Young probably needs to be a lot higher. He was outstanding a couple of weeks ago against the Falcons, and may have been even better considering the situation against the Los Angeles Rams last week.
A stinker against the 49ers’ defense is the only thing preventing him from cracking the top 10 overall this week. The Panthers need more out of Young down the stretch this season as they have a legitimate chance to win the NFC South. They won’t do it if he regresses
13. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
The Patrick Mahomes who threw 50 touchdown passes once upon a time is just not the same guy we see out there suiting up for the Kansas City Chiefs these days. It's fair to say that nobody has been a better player in the NFL over the last 10 years than Patrick Mahomes, and it's also fair to say that he's struggled the past couple of seasons.
Nobody is immune to the struggle when it comes to facing that Houston defense, either. They are elite in every possible way. But when the Chiefs needed plays from the offense, Mahomes and company failed to deliver, especially in the 4th quarter. It's bizarre to witness. Mahomes is human, and the Chiefs' window looks like it's closed.