5 Starting Quarterbacks That Will Get Benched This Season

The NFL regular season may still be a couple of weeks away, but that doesn't mean there isn't any quarterback speculation. Plenty of starting gunslingers will find their way to the bench this year as they do every season, and these five players in particular will be the first ones to go.

5. Jameis Winston

Winston's inaccuracy sent him spiraling down the depth chart last year, and it's going to send him to the bench again this year. Even though the only suitable option behind him is Blaine Gabbert, Winston seems destined to play himself out of a starting job. If he's anywhere close to his 3.7% interception rate from 2018, he'll be on the sidelines in the blink of an eye.

4. Eli Manning

Manning is on his last leg, there's simply no way around it. Things have gone downhill fast for the Giants quarterback for a number of reasons, and they're not getting any better. He's got a subpar offensive line, an extremely thin receiving corps, and now oft-mocked first-round pick Daniel Jones is hot on his tail. He's not going to be able to hold onto his starting role for much longer with no protection, no pass-catchers and a young quarterback behind him.

3. Ryan Fitzpatrick

It's going to take some serious Fitzmagic for the 36-year-old journeyman to hold onto a starting job down in Miami. Even though head coach Brian Flores seems to favor him, the upside 2018 first-round draft pick Josh Rosen brings to the table is undeniable. He simply won't have enough juice left in the tank to hold off his young adversary, and he'll ultimately go back to being a No. 2.

2. Case Keenum

Let's face it, this is Dwayne Haskins' team. Keenum is coming off of a lackluster year in Denver, and although he's likely to start the season under center in the nation's capital, he won't be there for long. Haskins has flashed some serious arm strength in the preseason, and he should find his way into the starting spot while Keenum makes his way to the bench early on in the regular season.

1. Joe Flacco

Flacco lost out on the starting job in Baltimore to Lamar Jackson after just nine games last year, and there's reason to believe that he might hit the sidelines even faster in 2019. The 34-year-old has played only marginally better than second-round draft choice Drew Lock, and if he doesn't find his ever-elusive elite form early on in the season, he'll be on the bench before he knows it.