Bryce Young’s second season as the Carolina Panthers’ starter is off to a fast statistical start, and after two weeks of the 2026 NFL season, the numbers show a quarterback stacking quality performances instead of just one good Sunday.
Young has opened with back-to-back strong outings, first in a high-scoring loss to the Chicago Bears and then in a dominant win over the Atlanta Falcons. For the first time in his pro career, he has put together two excellent starts in a row, and that has pushed him into some eye-catching territory across the league’s passing categories.
He’s not sitting in the top 10 everywhere, but he’s getting close in a lot of the stats that matter most. In several categories, he’s already among the best in football. Here’s where Young stands heading into Week 3:
Completion rate: 63.0 percent (23rd)
Passing yards: 648 (second)
First downs: 29 (tied for second)
Yards per attempt: 8.9 (third)
Passing touchdowns: 6 (tied for first)
20+ yard passes: 10 (second)
Passer rating: 113.3 (sixth)
QBR: 81.4 (sixth)
EPA/play: 0.308 (seventh)
Success rate: 47.6 percent (15th)
CPOE: 9.1 percent (sixth)
Air yards: 9.6 (eighth)
Young deserves most of the credit for the jump, but the Panthers’ play calling has also been part of the story. The sample is still small, yet offensive coordinator Brad Idzik looks like a real upgrade in that area over head coach Dave Canales. That has helped Young get closer to the ceiling Carolina has been waiting to see.
The next test comes against the Cleveland Browns, who no longer have two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to chase quarterbacks around. Through two weeks, Cleveland ranks 16th in passing yards allowed per game at 205.0 and 22nd in scoring defense.
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The Browns now have a short week ahead of their next game, which could factor into how they handle the position moving forward. For the Panthers, it means preparing for a Cleveland team with an unsettled quarterback situation hanging over it, and possibly one more headline waiting to surface after this one. [Read more 🡒]