Who Leads The NFL In Passing Yards This Season?
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After 7 weeks of NFL play, it’s time to take a look at the statistics and see who is leading the league in passing yards.
Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Super Bowl LI may have just ended, but that doesn’t mean that the NFL season is over. In fact, there’s plenty of regular season left to be played! So, who leads the NFL in passing yards this season?
As of February 6th, 2017, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots leads the NFL in passing yards with 4,577. That’s an impressive feat, especially considering that Brady is 39 years old. Brady is followed closely by Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, who has thrown for 4,381 yards so far this season.
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
With 5,208 passing yards so far this season, Drew Brees leads the NFL in passing yards. Brees is on pace to break the single-season record for passing yards, which is currently held by Peyton Manning (5,477 yards in 2013).
Brees has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL over the past few years, and he shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, he’s actually getting better with age; at age 39, he’s having one of his best seasons ever.
If Brees can keep up his current pace, he’ll not only break Manning’s record, but he’ll also cement his place as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
With 4,613 passing yards this season, Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons currently leads the NFL in passing yards. Ryan has been the Falcons’ starting quarterback since 2008, and has led the team to a Super Bowl appearance and a divisional championship. He was also named the NFL MVP in 2016.
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings leads the NFL in passing yards this season with 4,298. He is followed by Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints with 3,887 and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs with 3,865.
Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers
Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers – 4,308 passing yards
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Entering Week 13, Wilson leads the NFL in passing yards with 3,608. He’s on pace to throw for over 4,800 yards this season, which would be a career high. Wilson has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league this season, completing 65.2 percent of his passes and throwing 26 touchdown passes against just six interceptions.
Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
Rams quarterback Jared Goff leads the NFL in passing yards this season with 4,688 yards. He is followed by Tom Brady of the New England Patriots with 4,577 yards and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints with 4,334 yards.
Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders is currently leading the NFL in passing yards this season. He has thrown for 3,496 yards so far, and is on pace to break the single-season passing yards record. Carr is a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback, and is one of the best young quarterbacks in the league. He has a strong arm, and is accurate with his passes. Carr has helped lead the Raiders to a 6-6 record this season, and they are in contention for a playoff spot.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys leads the NFL in passing yards this season with 4,054. Prescott is followed by Tom Brady of the New England Patriots with 3,748 passing yards and Philip Rivers of the Los Angeles Chargers with 3,724 passing yards.
Alex Smith, Washington Redskins
With 4, de facto starter Alex Smith has accumulated the most passing yards in the NFL this season.
A 14-year veteran, Smith was drafted 1st overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2005 NFL Draft. He spent his first 8 seasons with San Francisco, where he made 3 Pro Bowls (2011, 2012, 2013), before being traded to Kansas City in 2013.
Smith spent 5 seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to 4 playoff appearances and 1 AFC West division title. He was traded to Washington this offseason in a blockbuster deal that sent cornerbacks Kendall Fuller and Marcus Peters to Kansas City.
In 9 starts this season, Smith has completed 285 of 430 passes (66%) for 3381 yards (7.9 Y/A), 24 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He has also rushed for 2 touchdowns.
