The 2 Things Bryce Young is Exhibiting That Make Him a Top-10 QB

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It's a small sample size, but through two games, Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young has been one of the best in football, not just the NFC South. So far, Young ranks second in the league in passing yards with 648 and is tied for first in passing touchdowns with 6.
Efficiency has remained impressive as well; it's not a situation where Young isn't throwing the ball every down and doing so with a sub-60 % completion rate. Young currently sits at a 63% completion percentage for the season.
The start he's having this season is vital. Young has a potentially massive multi-year contract looming over him, as Carolina is waiting to extend him and instead exercised Young's fifth-year option.
Now entering Week 3 vs. Cleveland, Young faces another test, against a team making its home debut for the second week in a row. So far it's been great, and Carolina has posted 34+ points in back-to-back weeks. Young's effectiveness stems from two important things.
Bryce Young Touted as Top 10 QB for 2nd Consecutive Week

NFL.com's Nick Shook released his Week 3 NFL QB rankings. For the second week in a row, Young ranks toward the end of his top 10. Young even moved up a spot entering Week 3, slotting in at No. 9 overall.
This is no surprise; Young didn't notch the 300-yard mark against the Falcons in Week 2, but still has a comparable performance to that of Week 1 against the Bears in Week 1.
Whether it was finding Tetairoa McMillan for chunk plays or making picture-perfect throws in the red zone for Darren Waller touchdowns, Young's accuracy was on point and then some. 23 of 36 pass attempts were completed, for 287 yards and 3 touchdowns in the air.
The performances look even better now after the Falcons' defense made Packers QB Jordan Love look awful on Thursday Night Football.
Young's stellar play stems from two key factors.
Why Bryce Young is Playing So Well Right Now

One thing that's stood out on screen while watching Young operate is how much more confident he is than ever before.
Young's confidence shows in how quickly he gets the ball out, how composed he is in the pocket, not panicking if theres pressure, but making the right play, whether it's a short throw or just throwing the ball out of bounds.
The next part of Young's game that has leveled up is his conviction. Young's completely dialed in to what he has to do, and he hasn't thought twice or hesitated on any read that he makes.
Young's willingness to push the ball downfield has always been a strength of his, but now even more so because of how aggressive offensive coordinator Brad Idzik's play calling is.
In both games so far, Young has completed over 50 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Coker in Week 1. In Week 2, a 55-yard pass down the middle to Xavier Legette to set up another scoring drive.
Bryce Young drops it in the 🪣 to Xavier Legette!
— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026
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A breakthrough seems to be on the horizon, but big-time plays like that have to continue for Young to fully earn respect.

Preston is an experienced sports writer focusing on NFL, College Football, NBA, and MMA topics. He is a passionate Charlotte and Oklahoma sports fan and graduated from the University of Science and Arts Oklahoma in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree with a focus in journalism.