2026
2026 season · QB · #9 · 3rd season
Michael Penix Jr.
Age 26 · 6'3" · 220 lb · Washington; Indiana · Pick 8 overall (2024). Listed QB1 on the 3WR 1TE depth chart. Snap share 99% across 6 games.
- How goodPenix Jr.'s +4.3 EPA is 20th of 38 quarterbacks.
- Where it comes fromThe biggest share comes after the catch (+80.0, 75th percentile per dropback).
- Fantasy13.8 standard points a game, QB24 of 34.13.8 half-PPR points a game, QB25 of 34.13.8 PPR points a game, QB25 of 34.
- How he's usedHe beats the blitz: +0.13 EPA a dropback better when blitzed than not (league -0.10).
- LatelyDropbacks are steady: 32 a game over his last three against 29.5 for the season.
- This weekA middle-of-the-pack matchup: the Bengals rank 11th vs the pass, allowing -0.01 EPA per dropback.
How good is hehis line against the league at his position
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per dropback | +0.02 | 21st of 38 | 46th | |
| CPOEcompletion over expected | -4.6 | 33rd of 38 | 14th | |
| Sack rateper dropback, lower is better | 5% | 11th of 38 | 72nd | |
| Yards per attempt | 7.6 | 11th of 38 | 72nd | |
| TD rateper attempt | 5% | 10th of 38 | 75th | |
| INT rateper attempt, lower is better | 3% | 31st of 38 | 20th |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depth of targetair yards per attempt | 7.3 | 26th of 38 | 33rd | |
| Rush EPA per game | +0.20 | 23rd of 38 | 41st | |
| Success rate | 43% | 24th of 38 | 38th | |
| ANY/A | 6.67 | 15th of 38 | 62nd | |
| Total EPA | +4.3 | 20th of 38 | 49th |
How this is measured
Each bar is the league at his position; the marker is him. Right is better, the dashed line is the median. Ranks are out of the qualifying pool, ties shown as T-, and move every week as the pool changes.
Penix scores 13.8 standard points a game, QB24 of 34 QBs with enough games. Most weeks land between 12.7 and 20.4; 0 boom weeks (25+) and 1 bust (under 12). Next up, in Week 9, the Bengals allow the 16th-most standard points to QBs, 17.8 a game.
Penix scores 13.8 half-PPR points a game, QB25 of 34 QBs with enough games. Most weeks land between 12.7 and 20.4; 0 boom weeks (25+) and 1 bust (under 12). Next up, in Week 9, the Bengals allow the 16th-most half-PPR points to QBs, 17.8 a game.
Penix scores 13.8 PPR points a game, QB25 of 34 QBs with enough games. Most weeks land between 12.7 and 20.4; 0 boom weeks (25+) and 1 bust (under 12). Next up, in Week 9, the Bengals allow the 16th-most PPR points to QBs, 17.8 a game.
How this is measured
Fantasy points are nflverse's standard and full-PPR scoring (6 points for a rushing or receiving touchdown, 4 for a passing touchdown, minus 2 for an interception or a lost fumble); half PPR is the average of the two. Ranks are points a game among players at his position with at least half the most games played. Most weeks is his 20th to 80th percentile game. Bars are green on a boom week and red on a bust; the dashed line is the starter line, the points a game of the QB12 in a 12-team league. The format you pick is remembered on this device.
How he's usedhis fingerprint, where the ball finds him and when
He beats the blitz: +0.13 EPA a dropback better when blitzed than not (league -0.10). He works under center more than most: 71% of his dropbacks come from the gun (league 79%). He stays in the pocket: 3% of his dropbacks end in a scramble (league 4%).
How this is measured
Every trait is a share of his own dropbacks, so volume does not move it. The marker is him among the league's qualifying quarterbacks; the dashed line is the median. Styles are not grades: a high or low percentile is a description, not a verdict. Play action, screen, RPO, motion and blitz flags come from FTN charting and read low in a week it has not published.
Penix Jr.'s +4.3 EPA is 20th of 38 quarterbacks. The biggest share comes after the catch (+80.0, 75th percentile per dropback). Incompletions cost him more than most (-57.7, 7th percentile).
career +0.05 over 2024–2025 · the lowest of his 3 seasons
How this is measured
Every dropback and run this season, split by what happened. Completions divide at the catch: the yards in the air, and his credited share of what came after (nflverse's air EPA and QB EPA). Per dropback counts scrambles as dropbacks. The percentile is him among the qualifying quarterbacks, higher is better, so a cost smaller than most ranks high. The parts add up to the totals above; the career strip counts seasons with at least 50 attempts.
He throws behind left 1.8× as often as the league (13% of his attempts against 8%) but averages -0.36 EPA a throw there.
How this is measured
Every pass attempt with a charted depth and direction this season; sacks and throws with no charted direction are left out. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. Cells with fewer than three throws show no EPA.
On the field
By depth of target
Who he works withthe connection, and the rest of the huddle
By depth
Week by weekthe shape of his season, the game log and the defenses behind it
The game
vs BengalsBernabeu
CIN −3 · O/U 52.5
The defense vs the pass
a middle-of-the-pack matchup
His history
First meeting this season
His status
A middle-of-the-pack matchup: the Bengals rank 11th vs the pass, allowing -0.01 EPA per dropback. He has averaged 226 yards a game against middle defenses this season.
| Wk | Opponent | Defense | Snap | Cmp/Att | Yds | TD | INT | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at PIT L 13-20Did not play · Out (knee) | |||||||
| 2 | vs CAR L 3-34Did not play · Out (knee) | |||||||
| 3 | at GB W 35-145th D | 5th vs the pass | 100% | 18/25 | 256 | 1 | 1 | +9.5 |
| 4 | at NO W 45-2423rd D | 23rd vs the pass | 100% | 15/20 | 223 | 1 | +10.6 | |
| 5 | vs BAL L 23-3021st D | 21st vs the pass | 95% | 19/32 | 240 | 1 | +7.6 | |
| 6 | vs CHI L 23-3115th D | 15th vs the pass | 100% | 19/33 | 225 | 3 | -9.8 | |
| 7 | vs SF W 29-2018th D | 18th vs the pass | 100% | 25/34 | 213 | 3 | +9.2 | |
| 8 | at TB L 0-162nd D | 2nd vs the pass | 100% | 8/24 | 125 | 4 | -24.1 | |
| 9 | vs CINSun Nov 8 · next up | |||||||
| 10 | vs KCSun Nov 15 | |||||||
| 11 | Bye week | |||||||
| 12 | at MINSun Nov 29 | |||||||
| 13 | vs DETSun Dec 6 | |||||||
| 14 | at CLESun Dec 13 | |||||||
| 15 | at WASSun Dec 20 | |||||||
| 16 | vs TBSun Dec 27 | |||||||
| 17 | vs NOSun Jan 3 | |||||||
| 18 | at CARSun Jan 10 | |||||||
| 6 games | 99% | 104/168 | 1282 | 9 | 5 | +3.1 |
| Wk | Opponent | Defense | EPA/DB | CPOE | aDOT | Sk | Sk % | Rush EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at PIT L 13-20Did not play · Out (knee) | |||||||
| 2 | vs CAR L 3-34Did not play · Out (knee) | |||||||
| 3 | at GB W 35-145th D | 5th vs the pass | +0.38 | +8.8 | 6.0 | 0% | 0.0 | |
| 4 | at NO W 45-2423rd D | 23rd vs the pass | +0.51 | +1.8 | 6.5 | 1 | 5% | 0.0 |
| 5 | vs BAL L 23-3021st D | 21st vs the pass | +0.22 | -5.0 | 6.6 | 3 | 9% | -1.7 |
| 6 | vs CHI L 23-3115th D | 15th vs the pass | -0.26 | -7.3 | 9.8 | 5 | 13% | -0.7 |
| 7 | vs SF W 29-2018th D | 18th vs the pass | +0.27 | +5.5 | 5.9 | 0% | -2.5 | |
| 8 | at TB L 0-162nd D | 2nd vs the pass | -1.00 | -31.3 | 8.7 | 0% | +6.1 | |
| 9 | vs CINSun Nov 8 · next up | |||||||
| 10 | vs KCSun Nov 15 | |||||||
| 11 | Bye week | |||||||
| 12 | at MINSun Nov 29 | |||||||
| 13 | vs DETSun Dec 6 | |||||||
| 14 | at CLESun Dec 13 | |||||||
| 15 | at WASSun Dec 20 | |||||||
| 16 | vs TBSun Dec 27 | |||||||
| 17 | vs NOSun Jan 3 | |||||||
| 18 | at CARSun Jan 10 | |||||||
| 6 games | +0.02 | -4.6 | 7.3 | 9 | 5% | +1.2 |
| Wk | Opponent | Defense | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at PIT L 13-20Did not play · Out (knee) | |||||||||
| 2 | vs CAR L 3-34Did not play · Out (knee) | |||||||||
| 3 | at GB W 35-145th D | 5th vs the pass | 18 | 25 | 72% | 256 | 10.2 | 1 | 1 | 101.4 |
| 4 | at NO W 45-2423rd D | 23rd vs the pass | 15 | 20 | 75% | 223 | 11.2 | 1 | 127.7 | |
| 5 | vs BAL L 23-3021st D | 21st vs the pass | 19 | 32 | 59% | 240 | 7.5 | 1 | 93.2 | |
| 6 | vs CHI L 23-3115th D | 15th vs the pass | 19 | 33 | 58% | 225 | 6.8 | 3 | 108.8 | |
| 7 | vs SF W 29-2018th D | 18th vs the pass | 25 | 34 | 74% | 213 | 6.3 | 3 | 118.9 | |
| 8 | at TB L 0-162nd D | 2nd vs the pass | 8 | 24 | 33% | 125 | 5.2 | 4 | 12.0 | |
| 9 | vs CINSun Nov 8 · next up | |||||||||
| 10 | vs KCSun Nov 15 | |||||||||
| 11 | Bye week | |||||||||
| 12 | at MINSun Nov 29 | |||||||||
| 13 | vs DETSun Dec 6 | |||||||||
| 14 | at CLESun Dec 13 | |||||||||
| 15 | at WASSun Dec 20 | |||||||||
| 16 | vs TBSun Dec 27 | |||||||||
| 17 | vs NOSun Jan 3 | |||||||||
| 18 | at CARSun Jan 10 | |||||||||
| 6 games | 104 | 168 | 62% | 1282 | 7.6 | 9 | 5 | 90.9 |
Dropbacks are steady: 32 a game over his last three against 29.5 for the season. At or above a starter's median in yards in 4 of 6 games. Week 8 was his season low in yards. EPA / dropback is falling too: -0.26 over the last three.
How this is measured
Bars are his week. The shaded band is the league's middle half at his position, every qualifying player-game this season, and the dashed line is its median. The solid line is his trailing three games. An × on the baseline is a game his team played without him; a dotted tick is the bye.
He has faced the 5th-toughest slate vs the pass: his opponents rank 14.0 of 32 on average (league middle 16.6). Ahead: 3 of his next 9 are top-10 vs the pass and 2 are bottom-10, starting with the Bengals (11th) in Week 9.
The slate · played solid, ahead dashed
His line by defense faced
| Defenses | G | Att/g | Yds/g | EPA/db |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ranked 1 to 10Top-10 defenses | 2 | 24.5 | 191 | -0.30 |
| 11 to 22Middle | 3 | 33.0 | 226 | +0.07 |
| 23 to 32Bottom-10 | 1 | 20.0 | 223 | +0.51 |
| All games | 6 | 28.0 | 214 | +0.02 |
Yards against the rank of the defense
How this is measured
His yards climb as the defense gets softer (r = 0.48): the schedule has been doing some of the work.
Careerseason by season, back to his rookie year
His best year was 2025, 1,982 passing yards in 9 games. This season's 213.7 a game puts him on pace for 3,632 over 17, a career high.
| Season | Team | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | TD | INT | Y/A | Rating | EPA/db |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATL | 5 | 61/105 | 58% | 775 | 3 | 3 | 7.4 | 78.9 | +0.13 |
| 2025 | ATL | 9 | 166/276 | 60% | 1,982 | 9 | 3 | 7.2 | 88.5 | +0.02 |
| 2026 | ATL | 6 | 104/168 | 62% | 1,282 | 9 | 5 | 7.6 | 90.9 | +0.02 |
| Career | 1 tm | 20 | 331/549 | 60% | 4,039 | 21 | 11 | 7.4 | 87.4 | +0.04 |
How this is measured
Regular season only, from nflverse weekly stats back to 1999. This season is partial and drawn hollow; the pace is his per-game rate over 17 games. Bold cells are career highs.
Intel & playsthe report, his best snaps, his teammates
- Depth chart
- QB1 · 3WR 1TE
- Injury report
- clean
- Red zone touches
- …
- Third down
- …
- Explosive plays
- …
- CPOE
- -4.6 pts over expected
- Sack rate
- 5%
- Play action
- …
- Blitzed
- …
| Player | Touches | Yds | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bijan RobinsonRB | 183 | 983 · 5 TD | -13.4 |
 Drake LondonWR | 64 | 628 · 1 TD | +21.3 |
 Brian RobinsonRB | 59 | 241 · 4 TD | +2.9 |
 Kyle PittsTE | 32 | 197 · 4 TD | +2.0 |
 Jahan DotsonWR | 30 | 337 · 2 TD | -5.4 |
 Olamide ZaccheausWR | 13 | 21 | -12.5 |
 Zachariah BranchWR | 13 | 72 | -0.6 |
 Austin HooperTE | 11 | 76 · 1 TD | +8.3 |