When looking at quarterbacks, I prefer to take more of an apples-to-apples approach. If you look at just last year, it discriminates against those who missed time with injuries. So let’s instead look at the last 16 starts for quarterbacks – how they fared in their last full season worth of work.

For this one, I’m looking only at quarterbacks expected to start on opening day. Three teams are going with younger quarterbacks, so they’re not represented (Broncos, Rams, Texans). The Browns also probably will start an inexperienced youngster, but there’s a chance Brock Osweiler will be their starter, so I’m tossing him in there (unlike Cody Kessler, Osweiler has started more than 16 career games).

These guys aren’t in fantasy order. No rushing stats are listed. Instead on this one, they’re listed by their NFL passer rating (a combination of completion percentage, touchdown and interception rates, and average gain per pass play.

Five quarterbacks have ratings over 100. Dak Prescott (who had the big rookie season) and four of the proven veterans: Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

Half of the quarterbacks in the bottom 10 are highly regarded passers you might think would be higher: Cam Newton, Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, Jameis Winston and Carson Palmer.

The average of these 29 quarterbacks: 4,093 yards (256 per game), with 25 TDs and 12 interceptions.

QUARTERBACKS: LAST 16 STARTS
PlayerPctYardsTDIntRating
Matt Ryan70%4,944387117.1
Tom Brady67%4,412333109.5
Dak Prescott68%3,667234104.9
Aaron Rodgers66%4,428407104.2
Drew Brees70%5,2083715101.7
Sam Bradford72%4,19722699.9
Kirk Cousins67%4,917251297.2
Andrew Luck63%4,492331396.5
Derek Carr64%4,13129795.6
Marcus Mariota61%3,45826995.2
Ben Roethlisberger65%4,388321794.0
Matthew Stafford65%4,327241093.3
Ryan Tannehill67%3,890211393.2
Russell Wilson65%4,219211192.6
Andy Dalton65%4,20618891.8
Alex Smith67%3,658171090.3
Tyrod Taylor62%3,20517689.2
Philip Rivers60%4,386332187.9
Brian Hoyer61%3,757211086.1
Carson Palmer60%4,362271586.1
Jameis Winston61%4,090281886.1
Eli Manning63%4,027261686.0
Mike Glennon58%3,438251285.4
Joe Flacco65%4,317201583.5
Josh McCown59%3,888211481.9
Carson Wentz62%3,782161479.3
Cam Newton55%3,762201478.9
Blake Bortles59%3,905231678.8
Brock Osweiler60%3,235161873.8

—Ian Allan