18. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Jaxson Dart has been good this year and is absolutely someone who the Giants are going to build around in 2026 and beyond, but I am not sure Brian Daboll is going to be here to help with that, which sucks for him.
Dart has shown a lot of those ‘intangible’ qualities that make many of the greatest franchise quarterbacks in today’s NFL. Sure, it’s rough around the edges so far, but he’s a rookie and on a bad team, so you can’t expect greatness right out of the gate.
The Giants’ first round pick had an efficient game in Week 9, but his defense could not stop a nosebleed, so it goes down as a loss even when Dart played well enough for the Giants to win. It felt like it wasn’t that long ago that many were wondering if the Giants could stack some wins and go on a bit of a run, but here we are.
Jaxson Dart is definitely someone of note who could make a huge leap in his second year in the NFL.
17. Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Mac Jones now has 10 touchdown passes against five interceptions on the year, as the San Francisco 49ers move to 6-3 on the season with a win over the New York Giants. The 49ers are one of the more interesting teams in the NFL.
At 6-3, they have a stellar record and have already matched their win total from the 2024 NFL Season. San Fran may only need to win three or four of their remaining games to clinch a playoff spot. However, the Niners have dealt with a ton of injuries, and if you woke up from a coma, you might not know that Mac Jones is actually the backup QB.
You almost have to wonder if the 49ers regret, perhaps just a little bit, giving Brock Purdy that massive contract, as Jones has been solid this year and has played like one of the 32-best QBs in the NFL. This is also a great spot for Jones to be in - the Kyle Shanahan offense is based on those pillars of rhythm and timing, and Mac Jones is able to operate in that offense well.
If the Niners keep winning, how does Mac Jones come out of the lineup?