The QB Index is a statistical measure of passing efficiency. Similar but more in depth than the passer rating metric, it measures and weights six different statistical categories to give an efficiency rating out of 100%. Drew Brees is the defending QB Index champion, finishing the 2017 season with a 66.0% rating. The Week 1 numbers have been calculated, so here’s the breakdown of the 34 passers to attempt 10 or more passes in the opening slate of games.
The average rating for Week 1 was 47.2%. This is compared to 48.4% for the opening week of the 2017 season.
The surprise early leader in the QB Index is none other than Ryan Fitzmagic himself, who had a career day with a rating of 97.0% as the Buccaneers upset the Saints. Fitzpatrick’s previous highest rating was 95.0%, which he achieved back in the 2014 season when he was a Houston Texan. Both the 417 passing yards and 14.9 yards per attempt were also career highs for the 14th year passer. Fitzpatrick’s sensational day through the air was topped off with 36 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, which gave him a league leading 42.28 fantasy points. This was the highest fantasy score by a quarterback since Cam Newton during his MVP season in 2015, and is one of the top-15 QB fantasy performances of all-time. It was also the highest opening week rating since the 2005 season when Ben Roethlisberger had a perfect 100% rating against the Titans. Fitzpatrick faces the Eagles and their Super Bowl calibre defense in Week 2, so it will be interesting to see if he continues to be as aggressive against their fearsome pass rush.
Fitzpatrick might have been near perfect, but defending QB Index champ Drew Brees wasn’t far behind. His 84.8% rating was driven by the highest completion rate of the week as Brees completed 82.2% of his passes and passed for three touchdowns of his own but couldn’t quite keep up with Fitz’s magical day.
Aaron Rodgers’ led a sensational comeback against the Bears and finished with the third highest rating of the week with 80.3%. It was his highest rating for two years and achieving it whilst dealing with a knee sprain only adds to his status of one of the best to ever play the game.
Patrick Mahomes far exceeded expectations in his first game as the Chiefs’ starter, passing for 256 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 72.7% rating against the Chargers.
We also had an extremely solid performance from the only 2018 rookie to start in Week 1, Sam Darnold, who overcame a pick-6 from his first ever pass in the NFL to pass go 16 of 21 for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns as he led the Jets to an impressive 48-17 road win in Detroit.
Jimmy Garoppolo, who excited so many in his five starts at the end of the 2017 season, came back down to earth against the loaded Vikings as he posted a 33.3% rating after completing just 45% of his passes and throwing three interceptions in a 24-16 loss.
At the wrong end of the index comes poor Nathan Peterman, who makes history of his own as he posted a 0.0% rating. His 5 of 18 for 24 yards and two interceptions led to the first 0.0% rating since Chris Simms in the 2010 season for the Broncos and the first in Week 1 since Bob Gagliano for the Chargers in 1992. His -2.94 fantasy points is the lowest posted since his own 5 interception-in-the-first-half meltdown against the Chargers last season (-6.96 points).
How does the QB Index match up against what you saw in week 1? Let me know in the comments below.