Colts' Daniel Jones ranks ahead of Stroud, Nix in Week 1 QB rankings

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones is zipping into the 2026 season with respect ahead of certain NFL starting QBs.

CBS Sports' Garrett Podell ranked Jones No. 19 among the NFL's 32 starting quarterbacks in his Week 1 QB power rankings, putting him one spot ahead of Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 20 and two spots in front of Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix at No. 21.

"Daniel Jones profiled like a top 10 quarterback before he suffered some lower body injuries that eventually came back to bite him in the form of a torn Achilles tendon. ... Perhaps he can build upon that in Year 2 in Shane Steichen's offense," Podell wrote.

The veteran set career highs with a 68% completion rate, 238.5 passing yards per game, and 8.1 yards per attempt in 2025. Now back for his second season in Shane Steichen's offense, Jones has an opportunity to build on that production.

Stroud's placement is prominent considering his early-career success. The Texans quarterback has won a playoff game in each of his first four seasons, but CBS Sports pointed to his turnover-filled 2025 postseason as a worry.

Nix threw for 3,931 yards in 2025, but his 6.4 yards per attempt ranked 28th among qualified quarterbacks. CBS Sports also noted that Denver punted 75 times, third-most in the NFL, while questioning whether the Broncos will put more on Nix's plate this season after he returned from a broken ankle suffered in January.

For Jones, surpassing both Stroud and Nix indicates how he's perceived compared to playoff-bound quarterbacks from 2025.