12. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s fair to wonder if Ben Roethlisberger is getting a boost by virtue of his stacked receiving corps and solid offensive line. Over the past year or two, Roethlisberger has shown flashes of losing his fastball, and doesn’t quite seem like the same quarterback we’re used to seeing. Still, he’s leading a Steelers team that’s won eight of its first 10 games, and is still ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in passing yards per game. However, Roethlisberger is on pace to throw for 25 touchdown passes, which would be his lowest total for any season he’s played 15 or more games over the past 10+ years.
11. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
A year ago, we were already writing off Jared Goff as a draft bust, despite the fact that he was finishing up only one year in the NFL, and playing for a totally inept coaching staff. Now, with a brand new coaching staff led by wunderkind Sean McVay, Goff looks like a totally different quarterback, leading the NFC West-leading Rams. After throwing for only 1,089 yards in seven games as a rookie, Goff is on pace to throw for over 4,100 yards in his second year. While he still has a fair amount of development still needed, his career trajectory has undergone a total 180 since this time last year.