Where does Desmond Ridder among NFC South starters?

1. Derek Carr

Ranking Derek Carr first heading into the season is less about the expectations with the Saints and more about respecting the numbers the veteran has put up throughout his career. In nearly a decade Carr has played in only one playoff game and failed to score twenty points in his lone appearance.

While the production has been there winning rarely has and it is hard to see that changing. Carr was benched with the Raiders despite having one of the best tight ends and receivers in the league with a solid running back option.

New Orleans lacks close to the same level of talent that the 2022 Raiders had at the skill positions. Carr is going to be facing unfair expectations for a New Orleans team that should have started a rebuild two years ago.

However, Carr has shown an ability to produce at a high level with a dysfunctional organization demanding respect and earning the veteran the number one spot on this list for the time being.