One would think San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has done enough to validate his status among the NFL's top signal-callers. However, his place among the league's elite quarterbacks remains a subject of debate.
NFL Media's Nick Shook, an Around The NFL writer, released his quarterback rankings ahead of Week 1, evaluating the league's best passers entering the 2026 NFL season.
Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills claimed the top spot, which is understandable. Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL MVP and quarterback of the Super Bowl LXI favorite Los Angeles Rams, ranked No. 2.
Patrick Mahomes and Drake Maye round out Tier 1, which features the league's four highest-ranked quarterbacks. Nine quarterbacks make up Tier 2, including Dak Prescott, Caleb Williams, Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence, and Jordan Love.
One name missing from Tier 2 is Purdy, who landed in Tier 3.
Shook ranked Purdy No. 15 among NFL quarterbacks entering Week 1, making him the second quarterback listed in Tier 3, behind Baker Mayfield. Shook noted that injuries hampered many Tier 3 quarterbacks, including Purdy, who played just nine games last season while dealing with a turf toe injury.
Despite the setback, Purdy completed 69.4% of his passes for 2,167 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in those nine games. He also posted a 100.5 passer rating and helped guide the 49ers to a playoff berth.
Given his position near the top of Tier 3, Purdy could quickly make his way into Tier 2 with a strong start to the 2026 season, especially with Shook's rankings set to be updated weekly.
The 49ers quarterback also has plenty of offensive weapons around him, including Christian McCaffrey, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, De'Zhaun Stribling, and George Kittle. If Purdy can stay healthy and build on his strong production from last season, he could quickly put any doubts about his standing among the NFL's top quarterbacks to rest.
Mentioned in this article: Mike Evans, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel, De'Zhaun Stribling
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