Week Six of the 100th season is officially in the books. It brought us unexpected contenders, tough losses by top teams, more match-ups between conference contenders, and some strong statements by multiple teams. You can make a firm argument that this was the best week of football yet. Nevertheless, I return with the Week Six edition of my NFL stock market. However, this week, quarterbacks caught my eye specifically for a variety of reasons. Whose stock rose from last week, and whose performance dropped-off?
Stock Up: Russell Wilson vs. Browns
69.7 completion percentage, 295 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 9 carries, 31 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, and a 117.6 passer rating.
Once again, Russell Wilson impressed me in every way possible. He’s playing like the league’s best player right now, and it’s not debatable. Even against a Browns team with a (supposed to be) good defense, Wilson lit them up both through the air and on the ground. I don’t know what else to say other than that Wilson has been sensational to begin the season. Starting the year with a 92.5 completion percentage, 14 touchdowns, zero interceptions, a 117.6 passer rating, and a 5-1 record is the work of an MVP candidate. There’s a lot of hype surrounding QB MVP candidates, and Wilson is at the forefront of the conversation.
Stock Down: Jameis Winston vs. Panthers
55.6 completion percentage, 400 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, 5 interceptions, and a 46.8 passer rating.
After highlighting Jameis Winston in Week 4 for his elite performance against the Rams, he went back to being his inconsistent self. He had the most yards of any QB in Week 6 but also had the most interceptions. Winston simply looked terrible against the Panthers’ defense. I don’t want to call Winston a bust because he’s not. He’s just one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in the NFL. Something needs to change in Tampa Bay fast. The Buccaneers need to find out what leads to Winston’s rare breakout performances. If they do that, Winston really can be one of the best quarterbacks in the league. For now, Winston’s stock is quickly dropping with him on pace to have a career-high in interceptions.
Stock Up: Lamar Jackson vs. Bengals
63.6 completion percentage, 236 passing yards, 19 carries, 152 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, and an 84.9 passer rating.
Lamar Jackson really shouldn’t be on here solely because of the fact that his game came against the Bengals. He has problems putting up these numbers against the NFL’s top teams. And, when the league hypes up a match-up including Jackson and another must-watch QB, it hasn’t gone well for him. Nevertheless, Jackson’s stock rises, as he once again, showed why he’s arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in the league. He became the first QB in the Super Bowl Era with such stats, and that, in itself, is very impressive. However, he’ll need to replicate this performance as the season progresses. With the Seahawks, Patriots, Texans, and 49ers on the Ravens’ schedule, Jackson will need to put up some big-time numbers.
Stock Down: Baker Mayfield vs. Seahawks
59.5 completion percentage, 249 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, 3 interceptions, and a 54.9 passer rating.
It’s too early to call Baker Mayfield a bust. However, it’s not too late to call Mayfield trash because that’s what he’s been this season, point-blank. Not all the blame falls on him for the Browns’ struggles but a fair share has to. Mayfield hasn’t played up to the standard that we expected him to, especially with the options he has. At this point, he has more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (5) and holds a 66.0 passer rating. That’s just awful.
If I’m going to be honest, Mayfield didn’t deserve to be the first overall pick, even after what he did in college. But, this is where we’re at, and something has to change. The Browns have this week off, and then they’re onto the defending Super Bowl Champion Patriots which could be either the big blow or rising moment for the Browns’ season. If they want the latter, they’re going to need a big performance from their Heisman-winning QB.
Stock Up: Matt Ryan vs. Cardinals
83.3 completion percentage, 356 passing yards, 4 passing touchdowns, and a 144.9 passer rating.
There have been 67 instances of a QB going for 330+ passing yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a 75+ completion percentage in a game since 1950. Only one of them has ever lost after having such a game. That player was Matt Ryan. Last Sunday, Ryan did all he could which resulted in him having the best performance of any quarterback. In fact, he had one of the best performances by a quarterback all season. He was accurate, poised, and commanded the offense like it was 2016. It’s unfortunate that Ryan doesn’t have a defense to hold it down when he’s as good as he was in this game. Despite that, he earned himself a stock up. He wasn’t ranked sixth on my top-10 quarterbacks list for nothing. I expect many more offensive outbursts from Ryan.
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