NFL Media's Nick Shook sparked debate a week ago when the first installment of his 2026 quarterback rankings had San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy listed at No. 15.
Purdy made a statement in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, leading the 49ers to a 27-7 win in Melbourne, Australia. He completed 73.5% of his passes for 205 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
Shook initially placed Purdy among his third-tier quarterbacks. However, his impressive performance against the Rams earned him a seven-spot jump to No. 8 in his Week 2 quarterback rankings, moving Purdy into the second tier.
"Brock Purdy was incredibly sharp in Australia and confidently cooked the Rams defense even after losing De'Zhaun Stribling to injury," Shook wrote.
Stribling is headed to injured reserve and is expected to miss about 10 weeks after suffering an ankle injury in Week 1. Still, Purdy continued to distribute the football to his playmakers, with each of his three touchdown passes going to a different receiver: Mike Evans, Demarcus Robinson, and Deebo Samuel.
"The Uncs of the world enjoyed watching him connect with three different thirty-something receivers for touchdowns, and I'm sure Purdy was happy to have Mike Evans on his side to start the season," Shook added.
Ahead of Purdy in Tier 2 are Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Joe Burrow.
Purdy will have another chance to climb the rankings with a strong performance when the 49ers host the Miami Dolphins at Levi's Stadium this weekend.
Mentioned in this article: Mike Evans, Brock Purdy, Demarcus Robinson, Deebo Samuel, De'Zhaun Stribling
Comments