Below are players that can set historic marks or reach career milestones in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, including:
- QB Matthew Stafford
- QB Justin Herbert
- QB Jalen Hurts
- QB Baker Mayfield
- RB Derrick Henry
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs
- RB Christian McCaffrey
- WR Ja’Marr Chase
- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
- WR Justin Jefferson
- TE Travis Kelce
- TE Brock Bowers
- TE George Kittle
MATTHEW STAFFORD
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and a career-high 46 touchdown passes in 2025 and ranks third with 423 touchdown passes since entering the league in 2009.
With three touchdown passes on Thursday night against San Francisco in Melbourne, Australia (8:35 p.m. ET, Netflix), Stafford can surpass Phillip Rivers (425 touchdown passes) for the sixth-most touchdown passes in NFL history, trailing only Tom Brady (649), Pro Football Hall of Famers Drew Brees (571) and Peyton Manning (539), Aaron Rodgers (527 entering Week 1) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre (508).
The players with the most passing touchdowns in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | TOUCHDOWN PASSES |
| Tom Brady | New England, Tampa Bay | 649 |
| Drew Brees HOF | New Orleans | 571 |
| Peyton Manning HOF | Indianapolis, Denver | 539 |
| Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay, N.Y. Jets, Pittsburgh | 527* |
| Brett Favre HOF | Green Bay, N.Y. Jets, Minnesota | 508 |
| Phillip Rivers | San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis | 425 |
| Matthew Stafford | Detroit; L.A. Rams | 423* |
| *entering Week 1 |
JUSTIN HERBERT
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert enters the 2026 season with 24,820 passing yards in 95 career games.
With 180 passing yards against Arizona on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), Herbert can become the fourth-fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 25,000 career passing yards (96 games), surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning (97 games) and Kurt Warner (97) as well as Jared Goff (97). Only Patrick Mahomes (83 games), Matthew Stafford (90) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (92) reached the mark faster.
The fastest players to reach 25,000 career passing yards in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 83 |
| Matthew Stafford | Detroit | 90 |
| Dan Marino HOF | Miami | 92 |
| Jared Goff | L.A. Rams, Detroit | 97 |
| Peyton Manning HOF | Indianapolis | 97 |
| Kurt Warner HOF | St. Louis Rams | 97 |
| Justin Herbert | L.A. Chargers | 95* |
| *has 24,820 pass yards entering Week 1 |
JALEN HURTS
Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts leads all quarterbacks with 63 rushing touchdowns and has 29 career regular season games with both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown since entering the NFL in 2020.
On Sunday against Washington (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Hurts can become the fifth quarterback all-time with both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown in at least 30 career games, joining Josh Allen (50 games, entering Week 1), Cam Newton (45), Aaron Rodgers (32, entering Week 1) and Pro Football Hall of Fame Steve Young (31).
BAKER MAYFIELD
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield enters Week 1 with 197 touchdown passes in 123 career games since entering the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
With three touchdown passes at Cincinnati on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Mayfield can join Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (243 touchdown passes) and Matthew Stafford (216) as the only quarterbacks selected No. 1 overall all-time with at least 200 touchdown passes in their first 125 career games.
DERRICK HENRY
Baltimore running back Derrick Henry leads the NFL with 14,819 scrimmage yards (13,018 rushing, 1,801 receiving) and 122 rushing touchdowns since entering the league in 2016.
With a rushing touchdown at Indianapolis on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Henry can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen (123 rushing touchdowns) for the third-most rushing touchdowns in NFL history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith (164) and LaDainian Tomlinson (145).
The players with the most rushing touchdowns in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS |
| Emmitt Smith HOF | Dallas | 164 |
| LaDainian Tomlinson HOF | San Diego | 145 |
| Marcus Allen HOF | L.A. Raiders, Kansas City | 123 |
| Derrick Henry | Tennessee, Baltimore | 122* |
| *entering Week 1 |
JAHMYR GIBBS
Since entering the league in 2023, Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs leads the NFL with 49 scrimmage touchdowns (39 rushing, 10 receiving) and ranks third with 5,029 scrimmage yards (3,580 rushing yards, 1,449 receiving yards) in 49 career games.
With two touchdowns against New Orleans on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Gibbs can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen (51 scrimmage touchdowns) for the third-most scrimmage touchdowns by a player in their first 50 career games in NFL history. Only Chuck Foreman (55 scrimmage touchdowns), Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown (53) and Larry Johnson (52) have more.
The players with the most scrimmage touchdowns in their first 50 career games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SCRIMMAGE TOUCHDOWNS |
| Chuck Foreman | Minnesota | 55 |
| Jim Brown HOF | Cleveland | 53 |
| Larry Johnson | Kansas City | 52 |
| Marcus Allen HOF | L.A. Raiders | 51 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | Detroit | 49* |
| *in 49 career games | ||
With a rushing touchdown in Week 1, Gibbs can become the fourth player all-time with at least 40 rushing touchdowns and 10 touchdown receptions in his first four career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen, Todd Gurley and Alvin Kamara.
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey ranks second with 12,979 scrimmage yards (7,589 rushing, 5,390 receiving) and third with 98 touchdowns (62 rushing, 36 receiving) since entering the NFL in 2017.
With a touchdown reception on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia (8:35 p.m. ET, Netflix), McCaffrey can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (36 touchdown receptions) for the most touchdown receptions by a running back in the Super Bowl era.
With 21 scrimmage yards on Thursday, McCaffrey can tie Adrian Peterson (113 games) as the seventh-fastest running back to reach 13,000 scrimmage yards in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers LaDanian Tomlinson (104 games), Jim Brown (105), Edgerrin James (108), Eric Dickerson (109), Marshall Faulk (109) and Barry Sanders (112) reached the mark in fewer games.
The fastest running backs to reach 13,000 scrimmage yards in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES |
| LaDanian Tomlinson HOF | San Diego Chargers | 104 |
| Jim BrownHOF | Cleveland | 105 |
| Edgerrin James HOF | Indianapolis, Arizona | 108 |
| Eric Dickerson HOF | St. Louis Rams, Indianapolis | 109 |
| Marshall Faulk HOF | L.A. Rams, Indianapolis | 109 |
| Barry Sanders HOF | Detroit | 112 |
| Adrian Peterson | Minnesota | 113 |
| Christian McCaffrey | Carolina, San Francisco | 112* |
| *has 12,979 scrimmage yards entering Week 1 | ||
JA’MARR CHASE
Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase ranks second with 520 receptions for 6,837 yards and 54 touchdown receptions since entering the NFL in 2021.
With nine receptions against Tampa Bay on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Chase can surpass DeAndre Hopkins (528 receptions) for the fifth-most receptions by a player in his first six seasons in NFL history, trailing only Justin Jefferson (579), CeeDee Lamb (571), Jarvis Landry (564) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (547, entering sixth season).
The players with the most receptions in their first six seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | RECEPTIONS |
| Justin Jefferson | Minnesota | 579 |
| CeeDee Lamb | Dallas | 571 |
| Jarvis Landry | Miami, Cleveland | 564 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | Detroit | 547* |
| DeAndre Hopkins | Houston | 528 |
| Ja’Marr Chase | Cincinnati | 520* |
| *entering Week 1 |
AMON-RA ST. BROWN
Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown leads the NFL with 547 receptions since entering the league in 2021.
With at least five receptions against New Orleans on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), St. Brown can tie DeAndre Hopkins (63 games) for the fourth-most games with at least five receptions by a player in his first six seasons in NFL history. Only CeeDee Lamb (68 games), Jarvis Landry (66) and Justin Jefferson (64) have more.
The players with the most games with at least five receptions in their first six seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | GAMES |
| CeeDee Lamb | Dallas | 68 |
| Jarvis Landry | Miami, Cleveland | 66 |
| Justin Jefferson | Minnesota | 64 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | Houston | 63 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | Detroit | 62* |
| *entering Week 1 | ||
JUSTIN JEFFERSON
Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson leads the NFL with 8,480 receiving yards in 94 career games since entering the league in 2020.
With at least 20 receiving yards against Green Bay on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), Jefferson can become the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 8,500 receiving yards, trailing only Julio Jones (90 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth (90).
TRAVIS KELCE
Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce leads all tight ends with 1,080 receptions for 13,002 yards and 82 touchdowns since entering the NFL in 2013.
With at least 45 receiving yards against Denver on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC), Kelce can surpass Jason Witten (13,046 receiving yards) for the second-most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (15,127).
BROCK BOWERS
Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers has 176 receptions for 1,874 yards and 12 touchdowns in 29 career games entering the 2026 season.
With 111 receiving yards against Miami on Sunday (4:35 p.m. ET, FOX), Bowers can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr. (1,984 receiving yards) for the second-most receiving yards by a tight end in his first 30 career games in NFL history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (2,116).
The tight ends with the most receiving yards in their first 30 career games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | RECEIVING YARDS |
| Mike Ditka HOF | Chicago | 2,116 |
| Kellen Winslow Sr. HOF | San Diego Chargers | 1,984 |
| Brock Bowers | Las Vegas | 1,874* |
| *in 29 career games | ||
GEORGE KITTLE
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle ranks second among tight ends with 595 receptions since entering the NFL in 2017.
With five receptions on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne (8:35 p.m. ET, Netflix), Kittle, who can appear in his 125th career game, can join Travis Kelce (695 receptions) and Jason Witten (605) as the only tight ends in NFL history with at least 600 receptions in their first 125 career games.
About The Author
