Geno Smith: After a short stint drafted by and given the starting job at QB for the NY Jets Geno Smith has spent the recent past as a backup. That's probably what most people saw him as. A career backup quarterback. After the Seattle Seahawks traded away Russel Wilson and didn't replace him in the draft or free agency with a high profile player it seemed as though the Seahawks were using the season as a throwaway. Maybe a chance to get a high draft pick and a new quarterback. But Geno is currently in the top 10 in passing yards and has the highest completion percentage among QB's with at least 100 attempts at a whopping 77.3% Having just put up 48 points in week four and sitting tied for the division lead Seattle and particularly Geno Smith are playing better than expected. With six passing TD's to just two interceptions and a rushing TD with no fumbles lost Geno looks like the real deal thus far this season.
Aaron Rodgers: Yes, the standard for Rodgers is higher than the average QB. But when you remember that last year he won MVP throwing just four interceptions over the entire season and is already at three interceptions this season alongside a couple of lost fumbles Rodgers certainly is not in the MVP conversation right now for this season. He is posting his lowest passer rating since 2015. His average yards per pass are lower than the past few years. He has no 300 yard or 3+ TD games this season and his current interception rate has him on track to throw the most interceptions in 14 years. He hasn't had a season with double digit interceptions in over a decade. Yet, he has had at last one turnover in every single game this season. A down season thus far for the lofty standards Rodgers has.
Tom Brady: Another QB with high expectations. Through the first three weeks of the season Brady had three TD's averaging just 224 yards per game. His stats for week four are skewed because of a big hole Tampa found themselves in against Kansas City. A game in which Mahomes clearly outplayed Brady. He also finds himself averaging under seven yards per attempt.
Dameon Pierce: A fourth round draft pick in his rookie season who was doubted because of a slow 40 yard dash time. But he has been impressive this season. Each game drastically improving his yardage total and gaining the trust of the coaching staff. He now is the clear cut starter, having found the end zone in back-to-back games and also contributing in the passing games. Not usually what you end up finding in the third day of the NFL draft. Especially with little time to have learned and improved given it is his rookie season and only a month into it.
Cordarrelle Patterson: Drafted in 2013 by the Minnesota Vikings as a wide receiver and having played in 16 games every year in his career less 2018 where he played in 15 games. His career highs in receptions in a season is 52 and he never hit 500 yards receiving till jut last year. He was seen as a player whose value was limited solely in the return game on special teams. He did start to see an uptick in carries after his four years in Minnesota but not a lot of overall production. Last year he scored a career high in rushing touchdown with six. So far this year he already has three and his yards per attempt are at a whopping 5.9 compared to last year's 4.0. An injury has his season on pause so hopefully he will be able to continue to put up the numbers he has been after he makes it back from injured reserve.
Baker Mayfield: Once the first overall pick in the NFL draft by Cleveland they opted to trade him after trading a haul to the Texans for Deshaun Watson. Mayfield would probably be benched right now instead of starting for the Carolina Panthers were it not for Sam Darnold still being injured. The same Sam Darnold who last year as Carolina's starter completed under 70% of his passes averaging only 6.2 yards per and threw nine touchdowns in 12 games to 13 interceptions for a career low passer rating of 71.9. That's how bad Mayfield is playing. Baker is completing 54.7% of passes with only four TD's and 11 sacks and half a dozen fumbles on the year.
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