Niner Noise
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NFC West quarterback power rankings: Where does 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo rank?

By Peter Panacy

HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass in the third quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass in the third quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 03: Quarterback Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up on the field before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at CenturyLink Field on December 3, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 03: Quarterback Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up on the field before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at CenturyLink Field on December 3, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images) /

Niner Noise looks around the San Francisco 49ers’ division, the NFC West, and lists each starting quarterback power-rankings style. Where does Jimmy Garoppolo finish heading into 2018?

There’s been quite a turnaround in the NFC West, and the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are no longer considered the dredges of the division.

Thankfully.

This old-time geographical rivalry should pick up steam again, with the Rams coming off an impressive 11-5 finish last year, while the Niners finished 2017 on a five-game winning streak.

At the heart of both the 49ers and Rams’ ascendance has been quarterback play. After a forgettable rookie year that forced many to believe he was a bust, one-time first-overall draft pick Jared Goff found his stride under Rams head coach Sean McVay a year ago.

San Francisco counters, of course, with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo — the signal-caller who helped turn a one-win Niners team into an undefeated squad over his five starts last year.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks have seen a decline since once being the top dogs in the division. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will have to do a lot more in 2018 amid a roster reconstruction, while the Cardinals have turned their hopes over to veteran Sam Bradford.

That is until their own first-round draft choice, quarterback Josh Rosen, is ready to go.

So who’s the best quarterback in the division?

To set the criteria, we’ll look at each starting QB’s overall impact, traditional stats and analytics to determine the NFC West’s best quarterback in 2018 power-rankings style.

Let’s get this thing going from the very bottom. Sorry, Arizona fans.