Which quarterback would you most want to lead your team? Well, if it’s up to the consensus over at Pro Football Focus, you’d have to go through quite a few names before getting to Bryce Young.
PFF released its annual quarterback rankings on Thursday. And among the NFL’s 32 starters, Young comes in on the bottom half at No. 20:
Young is perhaps the biggest enigma among the NFL’s current starting quarterbacks. Including the postseason, he ranked 12th in the NFL in big-time throws (25). However, his 6.3 yards per attempt ranked 34th among 43 qualifying quarterbacks. He produced PFF passing grades above 78.0 in five games while earning grades below 52.0 in five others. Young’s ability to find consistency will be the key to Carolina’s success in 2026.
The non-PFF numbers tell a similar story. Of his 17 starts from the 2025 campaign, including the postseason, Young threw for at least 200 yards in only five of them.
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That lack of production could, in part, be holding up a potential extension for the former No. 1 overall pick. For now, after having his fifth-year option officially exercised this spring, he’ll be under contract in Carolina for 2026 and 2027.
But the arrow is pointing up for Young and the Panthers, who are fresh off their first playoff appearance since 2017 and their division title since 2015. And in getting there, Young tossed for career-highs in yards (3,011), touchdowns (23) and completion rate (63.6 percent).
A similar sentiment may be shared by PFF:
Young’s willingness to attack downfield makes a massive difference in Carolina’s offense. The Panthers went 5-2 during the 2025 regular season when Young completed multiple passes that traveled at least 20 air yards. They went 3-7 when he completed one or fewer. Continued downfield chemistry with Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and Carolina’s other weapons will play a major role in the Panthers’ success this season.
The rankings have Young sandwiched between Denver‘s Bo Nix (No. 19) and Minnesota‘s Kyler Murray (No. 21).
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Where does Panthers’ Bryce Young stand in PFF’s QB rankings for 2026?
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