Rodgers, Maye among NFL's Week 2 quarterback letdowns
The short version
- Yahoo Sports ranked Week 2 QB underperformers using EPA and CPOE data from NFL Pro
- C.J. Stroud earned honorable mention as Houston fell to 0-2 without injured Nico Collins
- Trevor Lawrence and Baker Mayfield ranked fifth and fourth with negative EPA showings
- Jordan Love ranked third, 13.2 EPA points below his 2025 per-game average in rainy conditions
A Yahoo Sports analysis using EPA and CPOE data identified the established quarterbacks who fell furthest below their standards in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season.
An analytics-based review of Week 2 in the 2026 NFL season highlighted several established quarterbacks who fell well short of their usual level. Yahoo Sports used expected points added and completion percentage over expected, sourced from NFL Pro, to compare each passer's Week 2 output against his 2025 baseline.
The approach excludes quarterbacks with low expectations, focusing instead on respected players who underperformed. Houston's C.J. Stroud earned honorable mention, posting minus-5.6 EPA against a 2025 average of 2.4 per game while missing receiver Nico Collins and dealing with offensive line issues in a loss that dropped the Texans to 0-2.
Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence ranked fifth after Denver limited him to a 58 percent completion rate and minus-7.3 EPA. Brian Thomas Jr. managed only three catches on eight targets, and the Broncos' run defense curtailed the play-action game that had worked in Week 1.
Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield placed fourth at minus-9.9 EPA in a loss to Cleveland, the team that drafted him. Browns pressure and tight coverage contributed to a rough day on downfield throws.
Green Bay's Jordan Love ranked third, with his EPA falling 13.2 points below his 2025 average amid heavy rain and the loss of wide receiver Jayden Reed in a game following a Week 1 defeat. The report's headline also named Aaron Rodgers and Drake Maye among the week's biggest quarterback disappointments.
