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Is Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud being properly rated going into the 2026 NFL season?
Recently, ESPN revealed its top 10 quarterbacks for the upcoming season. Naturally, Stroud, whose lasting image of last season was seen tossing four interceptions in the divisional round to the New England Patriots, didn't make the list as even an honorable mention.
In fact, the former No. 2 overall passer only finished with one vote. And even though a vote counts toward the standings, keep in mind that Stroud was the first honorable mention going into last season following a sophomore slump.
It's fair to criticize the fourth-year quarterback who currently is looking for a contract extension from the Texans. On one hand, Stroud cut down on the turnovers last season and upped his completion percentage to 64.5 percent. On the other hand, he did finish with just 19 touchdowns and threw for a career-low 3,041 yards.
Stroud missed three games due to a concussion, but the Texans didn't miss a beat with him gone. While Davis Mills shouldn't be considered a full-time signal-caller, he did guide Houston to a 3-0 record and started the nine game winning streak that propeled the AFC South franchise into the playoffs.
Stroud must play better in the offensive personnel under play-caller Nick Caley. His arsenal should be improved with rookies having a full season underneath them, plus a more refined offensive line leading the charge. A sufficient run game should also take pressure off Stroud of having to play hero ball.
But where does the most perplexing quarterback rank going into the 2026 NFL season? Texans Wire has ranked all 32 quarterbacks based on their entire body of work and determined that Stroud, while not a top 10 quarterback, still fits in the top 20.
Texans Wire's QB Power Rankings For 2026 Season
- Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
- Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
- Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
- Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
- Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
- Drake Maye, New England Patriots
- Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
- Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
- Jared Goff, Detriot Lions
- Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
- Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
- Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
- Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
- Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
- CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
- Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
- Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
- Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
- Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
- Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
- Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
- Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
- Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
- Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
- Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
- Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
- Geno Smith, New York Jets
- Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
The top four quarterbacks for this upcoming season could be rotated, but they remain the top names to watch for on the regular. They have all have won MVPS in the last eight seasons and competed in the conference title game.
Burrow, who nearly won Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, could be higher, but the injuries continue to be a concern that derails his career. At some point, he'll have to prove his value as a member of the consenus top five.
After the top five, there are about nine names to consider. Stability with Goff netted him a ranking above Love and Williams since he's a much safer option. Mayfield could be erratic, but the good makes him a legit MVP contender. And while Prescott hasn't been able to get the Cowboys over the dismal play of the divisional round, he's been a 4,000-yard passer four times and finished with three 30-touchdown seasons.
As for the Tier 3 rankings, this is where Stroud must come into play. With two wins, he'll be the fastest quarterback. to 30 wins in franchise history. He also has been to the postseason in all three years, something Lawrence can't say with Jacksonville. And given his past three seasons combined, Stroud has thrown for more yards (10,876 vs. 10,068), more touchdowns (68 vs. 61) and fewer interceptions (33 vs. 25) with a higher passer rating (93.5 vs. 92.8).
There's plenty for Stroud to fix in his craft, but he remains a quarterback with potential. After this season, conversations of being replaced could be welcomed and even expected inside the fanbase.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Where does Texans' C.J. Stroud truly rank among QBs for 2026?
