NFC West QB rankings heading into Week 1
By Ryan Heckman
![San Francisco 49ers, Brock Purdy San Francisco 49ers, Brock Purdy](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4210,h_2368,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/42/01h98pakrmqc14wmjsrc.jpg)
2. Matthew Stafford, Rams
I know what you're thinking. Matthew Stafford didn't play a full season in 2022, looked less than himself and now he's coming in at no. 2 in these rankings?
Yep, you got it.
Listen, Stafford clearly wasn't healthy to begin the 2022 campaign. It was evident, even though he wanted us to think he was fine. In nine starts, Stafford threw for just over 2,000 yards with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He was clearly not his normal self, not healthy and I think we can give him the benefit of the doubt.
As he enters 2023, he's healthy and still under a Sean McVay offense, therefore I'm projecting him to be back on track as a very, very capable quarterback in this league.
So long as Stafford is in McVay's system and has weapons like Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson and Tutu Atwell, I think he is going to be just fine. This is a guy who has thrown for over 4,000 yards in nine seasons, including one over 5,000. He's not done just yet, and if he can stay healthy this year, chances are he's going over that 4,000-yard mark once again.