Chris Simms put together his ranking of the NFL’s top 40 quarterbacks ahead of the 2024 season–a list that can draw the ire of many fan bases. So where does he have the Indianapolis Colts’ Anthony Richardson (and Joe Flacco) landing?
Richardson brings big play ability with his legs and has elite arm strength. In a small sample size of four games last season, we saw his playmaking ability and improvement as he adapted to the NFL game taking place. Richardson would complete 50 of his 84 pass attempts for 577 yards with three touchdowns to one interception. He also rushed for another 136 yards and four touchdowns.
However, with only 98 career dropbacks, Richardson is still an inexperienced player, and with that comes some unknowns. There is likely still going to be a learning curve that he will have to navigate this season, but to what degree remains to be seen.
With that said, the recipe for a successful second season for Richardson is certainly there as he enters an ideal situation to make a Year 2 jump. For one, he’s uber-talented, but it’s not as if he has to do it all on his own, either.
Richardson will be playing behind one of the best offensive line units in football. Around him at the skill positions will be Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, Adonai Mitchell, and Josh Downs. There is also the added familiarity and continuity of being in Shane Steichen’s offense for a second season–a system that has proven to be quarterback-friendly.
“I really believe Anthony Richardson can take a big leap this year for a number of reasons,” said Mina Kimes on ESPN’s NFL Live. “One, Shane Steichen confirmed last season what we all believed when he was hired from Philadelphia: he is a brilliant play-caller. Remarkably quarterback-friendly offense for Gardner Minshew despite some up-and-down play from the quarterback.”
Now, on to Simms’ quarterback rankings from No. 1 through No. 40: