Grading NFL's next generation of QBs, Week 16: Bryce Young has best game as pro, Bailey Zappe sharp in win – CBS Sports

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It’s happening late in the season, but No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young has started to play some quality football. It hasn’t been effortless, and he’s still taking plenty of hits, but the former Alabama star is looking more like his Crimson Tide self of late. He was impressive against the Packers. 
The same goes for Bailey Zappe against the Broncos. Great performance. Oh, and Brock Purdy wasn’t quite as bad as the stat line would indicate in the loss to the Ravens. 
There were a grand total of six first- or second-year quarterbacks who qualified for this series in Week 16. 
Let’s dive deep into the individual efforts of each quarterback and assign a grade on a per-snap basis, taking every individual aspect of their performance into account. More than 10 attempts were needed to qualify for this piece, which runs every Tuesday.
High-Caliber Throws/Plays:
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays: 
Summary: Certainly a down performance from Purdy, but one of his interceptions was a tipped pass on a screen and the other came when he was hit as he threw the ball. The 49ers pass catchers didn’t separate as frequently as they have throughout the season in this one. Not as many impressive throws as normal from Purdy.
Grade: C-
Season Grade: B-
High-Caliber Throws/Plays:
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays: 
Summary: Unequivocally, Young’s best game as a professional. There were some incompletions, of course, but only one that was egregiously bad. He made a bunch of impressive throws while under pressure with outstanding trajectory and placement which helped the Panthers make it a wildly entertaining game against the Packers. 
Grade: A
Season Grade: C-
High-Caliber Throws/Plays: 
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
Summary: A rare game without a stellar throw from Howell, and beyond that, it was a throwaway and dropped pass fest for the Commanders offense in the crazy game against the Jets.
Grade: D+
Season Grade: C+
High-Caliber Throws/Plays: 
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
Summary: Outside of the fourth-quarter lull that helped the Broncos get back in the game, Zappe was impressive on the road in prime time. Not a ton of bad decisions or inaccurate throws and plenty of courageous and ultimately successful throws at the intermediate level and down the field. 
Grade: A-
Season Grade: C
High-Caliber Throws/Plays: 
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
Summary: Unique, low-volume game from O’Connell in the Raiders huge win in Arrowhead. He was mostly ineffective as a thrower throughout, but the play-calling took the ball out of his hands.  
Grade: D+
Season Grade: C+
High-Caliber Throws/Plays: 
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
Summary: Not much from DeVito or the Giants pass game early against the Eagles. He stayed away from the big mistake and wasn’t taking a bunch of hits. There weren’t wow throws or plays however. 
Grade: D+
Season Grade: C-
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