What’s wrong with Eli Manning?

Every Wednesday during the NFL season, USA TODAY is assessing everyone’s favorite topic: quarterbacks. Who’s hot? Who’s not? Who has the most exciting matchups? Here’s this week’s QB Hot Sheet:

Five to watch this weekend

1. Drew Brees, Saints: In Monday night’s game against the Redskins, Brees is almost certain to make history. He needs 99 yards to pass Brett Favre for second place on the all-time list and 201 to eclipse Peyton Manning (71,940) for No. 1. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s leading the NFL in completion rate (75.8 percent) and has an 8-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

2. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: The early front-runner in the MVP race, Mahomes is fresh off of erasing a 10-point deficit at the Broncos. Still, his toughest test awaits. In what should be a fascinating matchup, Mahomes (still without an interception as he paces the NFL with 14 touchdown passes) faces an aggressive Jaguars defense that leads the league in passing defense (164.2 yards per game).

3. Carson Wentz, Eagles: He dropped big numbers in a loss against the Titans (33-50, 348 yards, two touchdowns), but Philly’s offense is struggling in the red zone. The Eagles are converting just 57.1 percent (16th) of their trips into TDs one year after leading the league at 65.5 percent. Against a Vikings defense still searching for consistency, Wentz might try to establish a better red-zone connection with tight end Zach Ertz, who doesn’t have a score yet this year.

4. Dak Prescott, Cowboys: Things got a little bit better for Prescott and the Cowboys in a victory against the Lions, but Dallas would still benefit from establishing a threat beyond running back Ezekiel Elliott. In a prime-time showdown with the Texans, the Cowboys are likely going to need their leading wide receiver to have more than 53 yards, which was Cole Beasley’s output last week.

5. Baker Mayfield, Browns: His receivers didn’t help his case with several drops, but Mayfield still had an up-anddown first career start in a loss against the Raiders. It doesn’t get any easier with the stingy Ravens defense that frustrated the Steelers coming into town.

Three trending up

1. Mitchell Trubisky, Bears: Coach Matt Nagy got creative in scheming players open, and Trubisky took advantage with dramatic improvement in his deep ball accuracy for a 354-yard, sixtouchdown showing against the Buccaneers. The Bears have their bye, but the second-year quarterback will have to prove in a Week 6 tilt against the Dolphins that he can sustain this progress.

2. Joe Flacco, Ravens: Healthy this season and armed with a bolstered receiving corps creating more opportunities, Flacco is on pace to reach career highs in yards (currently 1,252), touchdowns (eight), and passer rating (96.9). After carving up the Steelers on Sunday night, Baltimore is tied for first in the AFC North at 3-1.

3. Andy Dalton, Bengals: The other tied team in Baltimore’s division, the Bengals are getting a huge boost from Dalton. With the emergence of receiver Tyler Boyd, Cincy has a reliable target to pair with A.J. Green. Dalton (who went 29-of-41 for 337 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against the Falcons) is carrying a team that has struggled with injuries and defensive lapses.

Three trending down

1. Eli Manning, Giants: He missed open targets, especially receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and seemed tentative in pockets that were mostly clean. Rather than checking it down, he averaged 6.2 yards per attempt in a loss against the Saints, it might be time to take chances down the field.

2. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buccaneers: Well, #FitzMagic was fun while it lasted. Struggles with accuracy and carelessness with the ball in a blowout loss against the Bears ended Fitzpatrick’s stint as a starter with the Bucs. Jameis Winston will start Week 6 after Tampa’s bye.

3. Case Keenum, Broncos: Tied for second-most interceptions in the NFL with six, Keenum, who threw seven all of last season, does not look like the answer for Denver. A misfire to a wide-

open Demaryius Thomas streaking down the right sideline on what should have been the go-ahead score in the final minute sums up his time with the Broncos so far.

Season rankings

1. Patrick Mahomes (last week: 1), Chiefs: When Mahomes, a righty, is completing left-handed passes on a game-winning drive on the road as Broncos linebacker Von Miller chases him, you know things are going well.

2. Brees (2): The Saints’ rushing game led the charge in a victory against the Giants, but Brees stands pat.

3. Jared Goff (NR), Rams: With impressive accuracy and downfield passing production, Goff (72.4 % completion rate, 1,406 yards, 11 TDs, 2 picks) is looking every bit like the franchise quarterback L.A. expected him to be when it selected him with the No. 1 pick in 2016.

4. Matt Ryan (NR), Falcons: He posted back-to-back games in which he threw at least 350 passing yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. But, according to ESPN, he became the first player to put up those stats in consecutive games and lose.

5. Philip Rivers (NR), Chargers: Whether it’s to receivers, running backs or tight ends, Rivers is simply spreading the ball (25 completions, 250 yards, three touchdowns and one pick in the victory against the 49ers to eight different targets). Dropped: Fitzpatrick (3), Aaron Rodgers (4), Ryan Tannehill (5)