NFL Week 5 Backup Quarterback Rankings For 2024

Only a crazy person would rank the backup quarterbacks, so we did it! The top ten backups for NFL Week 5 of 2024. Once you see the field, you’re out.

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Anyone can list the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL. Heck, one could throw together a top 32 pretty easily based on all the evidence we have of these pros and rookies coming in, how they fit in their offense, and what success they may or may not find. 

However, it takes a different mind entirely to rank QBs 33 through 42. That’s what we attempt to do at the Backup QB Rankings. September is over and NFL Week 5 is upon us, meaning the backups all have a proven track record of successfully standing there quietly holding a clipboard.

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One player was elevated off the list this week, while another is now the starter without EVER making our list! So, what makes the best backup QB? It certainly isn’t NFL success.

Perhaps its the best pure passer who happens to not hold a starting gig. Or maybe its the best situation, someone primed for starts in the future. However, it’s a fine line, because as soon as that backup becomes a starter, he drops off the Backup QB Rankings until he’s back on the sidelines with that clipboard. Guys have to be careful if they want to hold their standing.

 

NFL Week 5 Backup Quarterback Rankings

 

1. (–) Jameis Winston – Deshaun Watson’s backup, Cleveland Browns

Todd Salem: A defensive battle ended in a loss for Cleveland. Could Winston have supplied a bit more oomph at the quarterback position, or at least, avoided more negative plays? Perhaps. The Browns should begin to think of Watson’s guaranteed contract as a sunk cost and play the better passer. Maybe they have, and maybe they are, but I’m dubious of that.

Dan Salem: Something has to give in Cleveland, because the season is slowly slipping away. Now perhaps the Browns don’t actually care about winning. This is a business and money is made either way. But one needs to assume for sanity sake that they do in fact want to win and compete for the playoffs. This puts Winston in prime position to rise up and become the starter, because sometimes change itself is enough to turn the tides, even if the change is swapping one tomato for another tomato.

2. (–) Tyrod Taylor – Aaron Rodgers’ backup, New York Jets

Todd Salem: Nothing to see here.

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Dan Salem: Taylor could see the field if New York finds itself in another blowout situation, but that’s unlikely to occur over the next three weeks. When they face New England again, perhaps Taylor gets some action.

3. (–) Jake Browning – Joe Burrow’s backup, Cincinnati Bengals

Todd Salem: Nothing to see here.

Dan Salem: Since the Bengals won, we are nowhere closer to seeing Browning on the field. Do I want to see him play? No, I do not.

4. (–) Drake Maye – Jacoby Brissett’s backup, New England Patriots

Todd Salem: Brissett wasn’t expected to find much success against the San Francisco defense, and he delivered in…not delivering. Yet one stat column that probably speaks to New England’s reasoning for holding off on giving Maye an extended look is that Brissett was sacked another six times on Sunday, bringing his season total to 15 in four games. Many sacks are the quarterback’s fault, but that many sacks are often on the offensive line, and this franchise is not ready to put Maye’s long-term health at risk.

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Dan Salem: No matter how bad the New England offensive line is, or how few offensive weapons the Patriots may have, at some point Maye must start for this team. He’s not exactly learning much from the bench right now, considering how poorly the play on the field is. Sure, protect his health, but for how long? Maye needs to play to improve.

5. (–) Michael Penix – Kirk Cousins’ backup, Atlanta Falcons

Todd Salem: Nothing to see here.

Dan Salem: Penix can actually learn a lot from the bench, unlike Maye. But he can also gain a lot more on the field, because Atlanta is a decent team. The Falcons are aiming for the playoffs, so Penix will stay on the bench.

 

 

6. (–) Russell Wilson – Justin Field’s backup, Pittsburgh Steelers

Todd Salem: Week after week, Fields was struggling to get the Pittsburgh offense in gear. The second half of Week 4 could be a turning point to unleashing George Pickens and the rest of the Steeler pass catchers even as the team suffered its first loss. If Fields can begin to generate consistent gains through the air, paired with his production on the ground, he should bury Wilson on the bench for the foreseeable future.

Dan Salem: I’m not of the opinion that Wilson has any more upside than Fields right now. He has more experience, but so what? Pittsburgh continues to prove that it will win at least nine games and likely make the playoffs no matter who is playing quarterback. Wilson is the backup.

7. (⬆1) Jarrett Stidham, Bo Nix’s backup, Denver Broncos

Todd Salem: Nix passed for 60 total yards in a win Sunday. If you want to count “wins” as a QB stat, it’s pretty much the only stat Nix has been able to accrue thus far. He has been comically bad. Though, I’m not sure what else was to be expected from an over-drafted rookie QB who projected as a career backup coming out of college. It may have been strategic for Denver to enter the year with a bad backup like Stidham, rather than risk alienating the locker room by leaving someone competent on the bench in favor of the rookie.

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Dan Salem: Nix is bad, but at least he has that fresh rookie smell! Barring an injury, there’s no way Stidham moves ahead and starts. He’s too boring of an option.

8. (⬆1) Drew Lock – Daniel Jones’ backup, New York Giants

Todd Salem: There are similarities between the Broncos’ and Giants’ quarterback situations. Jones, like Nix, can’t throw the ball down the field with any accuracy or anticipation. Lock, like Stidham, is a less-than-stellar replacement option that fans are never going to be clamoring for. The main difference is nothing major; it’s just that Jones is a sixth-year veteran making $48 million this season instead of a rookie in his fourth career game.

Dan Salem: It’s become painfully obvious that Jones is holding the Giants back, but let’s be real. This is not a good team and he gives them the best chance to win, as sad as that may be. Lock is on the bench.

9. (⬆1) Aidan O’Connell – Gardner Minshew’s backup, Las Vegas Raiders

Todd Salem: A win for the Raiders clouded over perhaps Minshew’s worst start of the season. Now, Davante Adams was absent, so there wasn’t a lot for him to work with. But, how much longer before a solid roster feels it is being let down by Minshew’s low ceiling? This could be yet another case of the backup feeling so underwhelming that everyone is fine with continuing to roll with Minshew anyway.

Dan Salem: I thought Minshew was halfway decent and assumed his ceiling was higher than Aidan, but I think I’m wrong. The Raiders can compete for a playoff spot, so this is a fluid situation. I expect Aidan to shoot up our rankings soon.

10. (NEW) Jimmy Garoppolo – Matthew Stafford’s backup, Los Angeles Rams

Todd Salem: Despite his struggles to make throws down the field and spotty resume in recent seasons, Garoppolo is a better passer than a number of players ahead of him on the Backup QB Rankings. However, his chance to play for Los Angeles is zero unless Stafford gets hurt. The Rams are playing without a wide receiver corps right now, and if Stafford can’t find success, pretty much no one would be able to.

Dan Salem: Jimmy G. always finds his way back onto the field, no matter what. Is this the year he stays on the bench? With Stafford’s track record of getting hurt, probably not.

Hath Risen (to starter, off the list): Joe Flacco

Risen Before His Time (to starter, never on list): Mason Rudolph

 

Meet our NFL Week 5 Writers:

Dan Salem is Lead Editor and Co-owner of BuzzChomp. He’s an award winning Actor, Director and Producer. Visit M Square Productions for his film work, or get lost in his old-school comedy on Pillow Talk TV. You can follow him on X, TikTok and Instagram. His latest film ‘Alone’ is now on Amazon.

Todd Salem is a Staff Writer and Contributing Editor at BuzzChomp. He’s also a champion of fantasy football and fantasy baseball, dominating leagues for over two decades. Comment below on his unfiltered opinions.

NFL Week 5 Backup Quarterback Rankings – This Is The End

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