Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has a modern skill set, and as good as that is for his NFL outlook, it’s even more promising for his immediate prospects in our game.
Fantasy football managers are salivating when it comes to evaluating Daniels’ athletic profile, and his upward-trending ADP is a clear sign of that. Where should Daniels fall in the QB hierarchy when draft season is upon us?
Should You Select Jayden Daniels at His Current ADP?
ADP: 106th Overall (QB12)
Depending on the day you look at average draft boards, Daniels is coming off somewhere in the QB12-15 range. Jared Goff, Tua Tagovailoa, and Justin Herbert are all going in the same tier as Daniels, a round behind Brock Purdy and a round or so ahead of Trevor Lawrence and fellow rookie Caleb Williams.
For me, this is a matter of roster construction. I’m not usually looking to draft two quarterbacks.
If you’re also of that belief, I’d rather play it “safe” with a player like Goff or Tagovailoa. Both are pocket passers who may not have access to Daniels’ ceiling, but in strong offensive systems with a top-10 NFL receiver at their disposal, they’re unlikely to fail dramatically.
If I pluck either of those quarterbacks off the board in Round 8, I’m not worried about picking a backup QB in the later rounds.
If you play in a league with deeper rosters or don’t mind allocating two roster spots to the position, then, by all means, be aggressive in your targeting of Daniels. Heck, if you’re worried about regression, take him ahead of Purdy (I can’t go higher than that, Kyler Murray is QB10 in ADP).
There is a QB to pair with Daniels with your last pick, but if you want to invest a little more capital in the position, a veteran pocket passer (think Aaron Rodgers or Matthew Stafford) makes plenty of sense.
Daniels has a similar build to the last quarterback brought in to save this Washington franchise. Robert Griffin III racked up 3,200 passing yards and 815 yards on the ground during his rookie campaign, numbers that are very much projectable for Daniels.
RG3’s rushing production was impactful from the jump (over 35 rushing yards in each of his first four starts and six scores with his legs across his first six games), something you’re banking on if you’re investing in Daniels in redraft leagues.
Daniels’ Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
I love Daniels. You love Daniels. Everyone loves Daniels.
The man ran for 1,134 yards last season, a ludicrous number at face value and one that is bananas when you remember how college football stats work (sacks count as negative rushing yards). That type of profile is what fantasy football dreams are made of, and that helps stabilize his Day 1 floor.
Jayden Daniels to his new WR1, Terry McLaurin! pic.twitter.com/srbnhHt97R
— Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL) May 14, 2024
When reading numbers like that, the reflex is to doubt the player as a passer — but be careful. Daniels’ completion percentage improved during all four of his full collegiate seasons, topping out at 72.2% with a loaded LSU team last season.
I’m not suggesting that he’s a threat to repeat that number this season, but if Daniels can simply be average at throwing the rock, the path to a top-12 fantasy season is pretty straightforward.
The only nit to pick has nothing to do with Daniels’ potential on an NFL field. It’s his cost. It is all about balancing that line between optimism and paying a price that leaves little room for profit.