I’ve always believed in Bryce Young. His start to 2026 is another reason to give a first overall pick time to develop. I still believe in C.J. Stroud, too. Two games offer a comparison, not a final verdict on either quarterback.
Bryce Young has thrown six touchdown passes through the first two games of 2026, completing 46 of 73 attempts for 648 yards with one interception. C.J. Stroud has completed 56 of 93 for 627 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Young has 21 more passing yards on 20 fewer attempts. His passer rating is 113.3; Stroud’s is 87.5.
| Through Week 2, 2026 | C.J. Stroud | Bryce Young |
|---|---|---|
| Completions / attempts | 56 / 93 | 46 / 73 |
| Completion percentage | 60.2% | 63.0% |
| Passing yards | 627 | 648 |
| Yards per attempt | 6.74 | 8.88 |
| Passing touchdowns | 2 | 6 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 1 |
| TD passes per attempt | 2.2% | 8.2% |
| Passer rating | 87.5 | 113.3 |
Calculated from the Chicago–Carolina game line, Carolina’s Atlanta report, Stroud’s Buffalo game line and Cincinnati–Houston box score.
Young threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns against Chicago, then completed 23 of 36 passes for 287 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday’s 34–3 win at Atlanta. He also scored a rushing touchdown in the opener, giving him seven combined passing and rushing touchdowns. NFL Week 1 log; Panthers Week 2 report.
Stroud opened with 274 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against Buffalo, but lost two fumbles in a 36–31 defeat. Against Cincinnati, he completed 30 of 55 passes for 353 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions, as Houston lost 20–6. Buffalo report; Cincinnati box score.
Houston played the Bengals without Nico Collins. Its running backs combined for 18 rushing yards. AP game report.
Young’s progress, year by year
Young’s completion percentage, touchdown passes and passer rating all increased in each of his first three seasons.
| Young’s regular-season passing | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion percentage | 59.8% | 60.9% | 63.6% |
| Passing touchdowns | 11 | 15 | 23 |
| Passer rating | 73.7 | 82.2 | 87.8 |
Carolina Panthers career statistics. The 2026 totals above cover only two games; these are full-season figures.
How they finished last season
Both quarterbacks threw eight touchdown passes and two interceptions over their final five regular-season appearances of 2025.
| Final five regular-season appearances, 2025 | Stroud | Young |
|---|---|---|
| Completions / attempts | 90 / 146 | 89 / 135 |
| Completion percentage | 61.6% | 65.9% |
| Passing yards | 1,063 | 880 |
| Passing yards per game | 212.6 | 176.0 |
| Yards per attempt | 7.28 | 6.52 |
| Passing TD / INT | 8 / 2 | 8 / 2 |
| Passer rating | 96.3 | 97.8 |
Stroud: December 7, 2025–January 4, 2026. Young: November 30, 2025–January 3, 2026. Playoffs excluded. Calculated from Stroud’s game log and Young’s game log.
Young’s final five regular-season games included 206 yards and three touchdown passes against the Rams, 54 yards and an interception against Seattle, and 266 yards with two touchdowns and one interception at Tampa Bay. His first two games this season have produced 324 passing yards per game, compared with 176 across that five-game finish. Young’s 2025 game log.
In the playoffs, Stroud completed 41 of 79 passes for 462 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions, a combined 51.8 passer rating. Four interceptions came in the loss at New England. Young’s lone playoff appearance produced 264 passing yards, one touchdown pass, one interception and a rushing touchdown. Stroud’s playoff log; Young’s playoff log.
Carolina selected Young first overall in 2023; Houston took Stroud second. Stroud won Offensive Rookie of the Year and received four fifth-place MVP votes that season. By September 2024, Young had been benched and was being publicly labelled a bust, including by Fox Sports Radio’s Rob Parker. Draft order; rookie award; MVP voting; Parker’s commentary.
Stroud’s rookie season included 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 100.8 passer rating. That remains evidence of what he can do. Houston Texans career record.
I’m pleased to see Young’s progress and hope it continues. Stroud has already shown he can play at a high level. I’ll be watching to see whether he can get Houston back on course this season.
Statistics checked September 20, 2026, after both Week 2 games. Combined passer ratings are calculated from aggregate passing totals; they exclude sacks, fumbles and rushing. Figures are not adjusted for opponents.
