The NFL season is now eight weeks old, and Carson Palmer and Drew Brees are moving up, while Colin Kaepernick is not.
Using two different advanced stats and a metric from fantasy football, we came up with a formula to rank all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks.
The formula uses Football Outsiders' DYAR metric, ESPN's total QBR metric — both look at a quarterback's overall effectiveness in different ways — and the percentage of teams that own each quarterback in ESPN's Fantasy Football game.
Think of the fantasy data as a job-approval rating, an indication of how fans think of each quarterback's potential moving forward.
In the case of injuries, we will continue to rank the injured starter unless he is out for the rest of the season or there is doubt about his role once healthy.
Here is how the 32 starters are ranked so far.
32. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers
Last week: 28
Team record: 2-6
DYAR rank: 32
QBR rank: 25
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 32.8%
One thing to know: Kaepernick has been benched and it looks like his time with the 49ers will soon be over. That means draft bust Blaine Gabbert will make his debut on this list next week.
31. Nick Foles, St. Louis Rams
Last week: 32
Team record: 4-3
DYAR rank: 27
QBR rank: 29
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 8.3%
One thing to know: The Rams have won two of their last three games despite Foles completing just 53% of his passes with two touchdowns and four interceptions in that stretch.
30. Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles
Last week: 31
Team record: 3-4
DYAR rank: 28
QBR rank: 32
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 38.4%
One thing to know: Bradford says the mistakes are what is hurting the Eagles, according to Philly.com: "We've said that after several games. We need to find a way to eliminate the self-inflicted wounds. When we do that, we're a pretty good offense. And when we continue to make mistakes we've made since Week 1, we've put ourselves in bad situations."
29. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
Last week: 30
Team record: 1-6
DYAR rank: 29
QBR rank: 28
One thing to know: Jason Wolf and John Glennon write that Mariota is "preparing to start" Sunday after missing two games with a knee injury. It would be Mariota's first game under new head coach Mike Mularkey.
28. Josh McCown, Cleveland Browns
Last week: 25
Team record: 2-6
DYAR rank: 17
QBR rank: 21
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 9.5%
One thing to know: McCown has a rib injury that has made breathing, sleeping, and moving difficult, according to Mary Kay Cabot. That means it is Johnny Football Time! Johnny Manziel will get the start Thursday.
27. Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
Last week: 21
Team record: 5-2
DYAR rank: 26
QBR rank: 17
One thing to know: Rich Gannon on Bridgewater, according to TwinCities.com: "There's a lot to like about [Bridgewater]. He's really poised. When things don't go well around him, he doesn't become unraveled. But you look at the numbers. The completion percentage is pretty good and the interceptions [five] are OK, but there's not enough explosive plays."
26. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Last week: 27
Team record: 2-6
DYAR rank: 22
QBR rank: 27
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 46.4%
One thing to know: Jon Meoli notes that Flacco has three 1-yard rushing touchdowns this season and has become their "de-facto short-yardage back."
25. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Bucs
Last week: 29
Team record: 3-4
DYAR rank: 19
QBR rank: 20
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 23.9%
One thing to know: In the three games since his ugly four-interception loss to the Panthers, Winston is completing 65% of his passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions. More importantly, the Bucs are 2-1 in those games and, against the Redskins, are a late-game defensive stop away from being 3-0.
24. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins
Last week: 22
Team record: 3-4
DYAR rank: 24
QBR rank: 31
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 75.3%
One thing to know: Adam H. Beasley notes that the Dolphins have never won a game in Buffalo with Tannehill as their quarterback. They are also just 3-7 in road games against divisional opponents under Tannehill. The Dolphins play in Buffalo this weekend.
23. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Last week: 26
Team record: 3-5
DYAR rank: 16
QBR rank: 24
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 39.7%
One thing to know: The Chiefs lost Jamaal Charles to a season-ending injury, but still got four rushing touchdowns in their Week 8 blowout of the Lions. One of those came from Smith, who rushed for 78 yards.
22. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
Last week: 23
Team record: 3-5
DYAR rank: 30
QBR rank: 30
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 99.7%
One thing to know: Ian Rapoport says that Luck is "fully healthy" after he reportedly was playing with broken ribs. Luck was a little less definitive, saying only that he feels healthy: "I do feel healthy, with no limitations."
21. Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
Last week: 19
Team record: 3-4
QBR rank: 19
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 7.2%
One thing to know: Cousins says that his goal is to reach the level of Tom Brady: "[Brady] has kind of set the standard for all of us to follow. It's a high standard to meet. That's the goal, certainly, every year, every offseason: To work and to prepare to try to play at the level he does, week in and week out."
20. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
Last week: 17
Team record: 1-7
DYAR rank: 23
QBR rank: 23
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 68.2%
One thing to know: The Lions fired their president and GM this week, a week after firing their offensive coordinator. Stafford could be next as Ian Rapoport says that the "future beyond 2015 for Matthew Stafford is very much in doubt."
19. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
Last week: 24
Team record: 7-0
DYAR rank: 31
QBR rank: 22
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 93.1%
One thing to know: Manning looked good in the Broncos' win over the Packers, and now the team has filled its biggest offensive weakness, by trading for tight end Vernon Davis. On Davis, Manning called the move "exciting."
18. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
Last week: 20
Team record: 2-5
DYAR rank: 14
QBR rank: 14
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 23.6%
One thing to know: Rich Campbell notes that Cutler didn't turn the ball over in the Bears' loss to the Vikings, and this was just the sixth time he has done that in his last 32 starts.
17. Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
Last week: 14
Team record: 2-5
DYAR rank: 21
QBR rank: 18
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 57.4%
One thing to know: Kevin Seifert on Bortles' maturation this season: "Put simply, Bortles has been more aggressive and dealt far more effectively with pressure than he did as a rookie. He is extending plays, reducing sacks and taking better advantage of the Jaguars' scoring opportunities."
16. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Last week: 18
Team record: 7-0
DYAR rank: 25
QBR rank: 26
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 96.2%
One thing to know: Newton's numbers are not much different than they have been earlier in his career, but the Panthers are now 7-0 and MVP talk has started. One thing that has changed, according to Joseph Person, is that there is no more sulking: "The Gatorade towels he pulled over his head, his 'suggestion box' comment after a loss to the Giants in 2012 — all of it became fodder for the critics ... Now that the Panthers are 7-0 and the last unbeaten team in the NFC, Newton's sideline sulking from his first two seasons seems like a long time ago."
15. Brian Hoyer, Houston Texans
Last week: 15
Team record: 3-5
DYAR rank: 13
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 15.2%
One thing to know: As messy as things have been for the Texans in the first half of the season, it makes sense that Hoyer would treat the second half like a new season: "I think it's good to go into this bye, recollect our thoughts, obviously go in with a good feeling coming off a win, a divisional win. Then get ready to go for the next eight games, which to me, is really like a whole new season."
14. Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills
Last week: 12
Team record: 3-4
DYAR rank: 15
QBR rank: 16
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 52.8%
One thing to know: According to Tyler Dunne, Taylor's teammates are confident that this week we will see the Taylor we saw before he got injured. Coach Rex Ryan said Taylor is "healthy as he's been all season."
13. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
Last week: 16
Team record: 2-5
DYAR rank: 18
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 41.6%
One thing to know: Romo is not eligible to return until November 22, but this week he started practicing for the first time since breaking his collarbone, and he did it in pads.
12. Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets
Last week: 11
Team record: 4-3
DYAR rank: 11
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 23.9%
One thing to know: Fitzpatrick will start Sunday despite a torn ligament in his thumb, an injury that will eventually need surgery.
11. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Last week: 9
Team record: 4-4
DYAR rank: 20
One thing to know: Casey Mabbott points out that Wilson has not been the same quarterback this season. He has no rushing touchdowns and has thrown six interceptions. Last year Wilson had three rushing touchdowns after eight games and he threw seven interceptions all season.
10. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
Last week: 13
Team record: 4-3
QBR rank: 13
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 47.8%
One thing to know: The Raiders have a good thing going, a competent quarterback, and a future all-world receiver (Amari Cooper). But where will that future be — in Santa Clara?
9. Eli Manning, New York Giants
Last week: 10
Team record: 4-4
DYAR rank: 12
QBR rank: 10
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 87.6%
One thing to know: Only Eli Manning would throw six touchdown passes in a loss. Sometimes it feels like Manning is the most disrespected quarterback of this generation. He won two Super Bowls!
8. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Last week: 6
Team record: 6-2
QBR rank: 11
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 95.5%
One thing to know: The Falcons suffered the biggest upset of Week 8, a loss at home to the Buccaneers, and now Terry Bradshaw is saying Ryan needs to go back to quarterback camp to work on his mechanics.
7. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
Last week: 7
Team record: 2-6
QBR rank: 12
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 95.3%
One thing to know: Things have already been rough, and now Rivers is without wide receiver Keenan Allen, who suffered a lacerated kidney and had to be hospitalized.
6. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Last week: 5
Team record: 4-4
DYAR rank: 10
One thing to know: After missing four weeks with a knee injury, Roethlisberger returned and threw three interceptions in a loss to the Bengals. He is also now without Le'Veon Bell, who tore a knee ligament and is out for the year.
5. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Last week: 8
Team record: 4-4
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 97.8%
One thing to know: The death of Brees' career was greatly exaggerated. The 505-yard, record-tying seven-touchdown performance against the Giants was great, but Brees has now been good for most of the past five games.
4. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
Last week: 4
Team record: 7-0
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 89.5%
One thing to know: Paul Dehner Jr. writes that we have seen these highs from Dalton before. What we haven't seen is the lack of low moments.
3. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Last week: 1
Team record: 6-1
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 99.9%
One thing to know: Rodgers is good, although he struggled against the Broncos. He is also amazingly competitive.
2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Last week: 2
Team record: 7-0
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 99.6%
One thing to know: Brady is better than ever. It also helps that he has Rob Gronkowski to throw to, a target unlike any other in the NFL.
1. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
Last week: 3
Team record: 6-2
ESPN Fantasy Owned: 95.3%
One thing to know: Palmer threw for 374 yards and four touchdowns against the Browns and is on pace for career-highs in passing yards and touchdowns. He is also 35 and leading a legit Super Bowl contender.
Now check out which teams are on top:
NFL POWER RANKINGS: Where all 32 teams stand going into Week 9
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