Last year, the conversation surrounding rookie quarterbacks was heavily tilted in favor of the Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud.

After all, he snagged the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and steered his team all the way to the second round of the AFC Playoffs. Meanwhile, Bryce Young, the first overall draft pick, faced a rocky debut season with the Carolina Panthers, ending with a 2-14 record as the starting quarterback.

His stats were less than stellar, as Young completed only 59.8 percent of his throws, amassing 2,877 yards, managing 11 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.

Fast forward to 2024, and it’s been a tale of transformation for Young, who found himself benched for veteran Andy Dalton at one point. Since his comeback, following Dalton’s injury, Young has seemingly turned over a new leaf.

Over the past six games, things have really started to flip when comparing Young and Stroud. According to Opta Analyst’s breakdown, while Stroud has slightly more passing yards (1,454 to Young’s 1,273), Young has been more precise with a higher completion rate of 64.4% compared to Stroud’s 62.2%.

He’s also outperformed Stroud in the touchdown-interception department, posting 7 touchdowns to Stroud’s 5, and cutting down on mistakes with 4 interceptions to Stroud’s 5.

Even though it’s a limited sample size, these performance markers are a ray of hope for Carolina and an indication that Young might be finding his stride. For Houston, however, the challenges are stacking up.

The offensive struggles aren’t solely on Stroud’s shoulders; he’s been under more pressure than most QBs this season. Additionally, the absence of key playmaker Stefon Diggs has been a significant blow to their offensive rhythm.