Jayden Daniels Fantasy Impact

By T.J. Besler | May 7, 2024

Jayden Daniels Fantasy Impact

The Washington Commanders selected LSU QB Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The pick came as no surprise, especially after the Chicago Bears selected USC’s Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. While you never know how a young quarterback will ultimately develop, Daniels has all the tools to have a successful career at the next level, with some even believing he’ll be the best quarterback to come out of this year’s draft. I’m not sure I’m there yet, but I do see signs that he should be able to be productive in a system that feels like a perfect fit for him. With great accuracy, mobility, and elite athletic ability, Daniels should be able to adapt to the faster speed of the NFL. The major issue with him is size. With a slender frame of 6’4”, 181 pounds injuries will have to be a concern. But I expect him to put on weight this offseason and be ready when the regular season kicks off on September 5th. Here are my fantasy expectations for Daniels in both season-long and Dynasty formats.

Fantasy Value

Even as a rookie, Daniels should have a safe floor. He can make plays with his arm and legs, and I expect offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to rely on both. Daniels will be the Day 1 starter and as such should have plenty of opportunities to produce for his fantasy managers. There will be growing pains and rookie mistakes but with top-12 upside and a floor that should keep him in the top-20, Daniels is an intriguing option for those in 1QB leagues who wait until the later rounds to grab their QB and he’s an excellent selection as a No. 2 QB in 2QB/Superflex leagues. The talent surrounding him isn’t as good as what fellow rookie Caleb Williams will be walking into, but the Commanders do have enough talent to help put Daniels in a position to produce. Because of all the unknowns surrounding rookie QBs and the injury risk that comes with Daniels, I would not be willing to choose him as my starting QB, but he is an excellent pick to stash on your bench if you have the space to carry two QBs. If he hits closer to his ceiling then you have a solid, potential game-changing starter down the stretch. If he’s more floor, then you can either cut bait or hold onto him for next year if it’s a keeper league.

Dynasty Value

Daniels may be the hardest QB prospect to predict because I view his range of outcomes as being quite wide. With his excellent traits (arm quality, accuracy, excellent speed, etc.) he could play at a high level, utilizing all his skills, and become the next Lamar Jackson or prime Russell Wilson. On the other hand, there’s also the possibility that his body simply can’t hold up to the brutalities of the NFL and his career takes a trajectory closer to that of Robert Griffin III. Or he could land somewhere in between. He did manage to avoid any sort of catastrophic injury in college. Still, the NFL is faster, the players are better and stronger, and he is likely to get hit more often, so there’s no guarantee he’ll have the same success avoiding injuries that he did in college. But that may be the only risk when looking at Daniels. As one of the most refined throwers in the draft class and the dual-threat appeal of his game, the upside is too much to ignore. In dynasty rookie drafts, I would select him as a top-8 pick in 1QB leagues and a top-3 pick in 2QB/Superflex leagues.

Conclusion

The Washington Commanders selected LSU QB Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick. The pick makes sense for a Kliff Kingsbury-led offense. Daniels has traits similar to those of Kingsbury’s former quarterback, Kyler Murray. But Daniels is taller, faster, and younger and is considered by many to be the best quarterback in this draft class. Daniels isn’t walking into a situation as good as fellow rookie Caleb Williams, but the Commanders’ offense has talent across the board. Because of his accuracy and elite rushing ability, there is a chance that Daniels will lead all rookie signal callers in fantasy points in 2024. This could allow him (although it’s unlikely) to finish the season as a top-12 QB. In redraft, the preferred option is to get Daniels as a backup to a more established but unexciting veteran. But if you want to take the chance on Daniels as your starter, he could have a pretty safe floor because of his rushing. In dynasty leagues, he is likely a top-three pick in 2QB/Superflex leagues and a top-eight pick in 1QB leagues. There is a risk of injury with Daniels but he may have the most upside of any of the rookie QBs.

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T.J. Besler

A die hard Bears fan and fantasy sports fantastic, T.J. Besler earned his journalism (and theatre) degree from The University of Iowa. When he isn’t busy writing parodies for his YouTube channel Parodies for Charities he can be found either on stage performing or doing all things fantasy football related. Besler has traveled to nearly all 50 states either for work or leisure, and is grateful to everyone who has helped him along the way, especially his lovely wife Elsa, without whom much of this would not be possible. BEAR DOWN!

Jayden Daniels Fantasy Impact