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Jayden Daniels was made the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. He immediately burst onto the scene with one of the best rookie performances in NFL history, and it translated to lots of fantasy football success.
Some quarterbacks have a sophomore slump, while others take the next leap forward into true superstardom in their second year. Which direction will Daniels go when it comes to fantasy football?
Jayden Daniels' 2024 fantasy football statistics
Daniels was expected to make a bigger fantasy impact than his rookie quarterback peers because of his elite ability to run the football.
Despite Caleb Williams being viewed as one of the most generational prospects in recent memory, and regardless of Bo Nix, Drake Maye, and Michael Penix Jr. all earning a chance to start for their teams, it was Daniels who shined the brightest in year one.
In fact, Daniels won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award after throwing for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns. The signal-caller added 891 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in what was a Pro Bowl season.
Daniels broke a number of records in this impressive season. His 28.5 points per game and 69% completion percentage were both rookie records as was his rushing total for a first-year quarterback.
Daniels was particularly effective in the clutch. He had 12 fourth-quarter touchdown passes, five of which came in the final 30 seconds or in walk-off fashion. In year one, Daniels proved that he has all of the makings of a superstar. Daniels was QB5 in fantasy production, finishing the season with 364.7 points.
Jayden Daniels' 2025 fantasy football projections
ESPN does not expect a sophomore slump to hit Daniels. Instead, he is expected to improve to 4,112 passing yards, 27 touchdown passes, and seven rushing scores. Daniels can truly do it all as a quarterback. As a runner, he is fast, shifty, and elusive. His slight frame concerned some fantasy managers that he'd be vulnerable to injuries, but he protected himself well as a rookie.
As a passer, Daniels is accurate at all three levels of the field. He also has a new weapon to throw to in Deebo Samuel. He is a quarterback's dream when it comes to fantasy production because he is one of the best yards-after-catch players in the league.
However, Terry McLaurin is currently holding out and has requested a trade. The assumption is that McLaurin and the Commanders will eventually figure out a new deal. After all, they wouldn't want to leave their young quarterback without his favorite target. If McLaurin is traded, though, Daniels' fantasy outlook would take a huge hit.
Fantasy football quarterback rankings
Daniels has an average draft position of 30.8 and is commonly regarded as the third-best fantasy football quarterback this year. Former MVPs, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, are the two players at his position who are more highly regarded.
Rarely do quarterbacks get drafted as high as the third round in fantasy football, but managers may have to choose a signal-caller that high just to get the third-best option.
Daniels isn't a consolation prize, though. He has the potential to finish with more fantasy points than any other player this year. Defenses often figure out second-year players, but that usually applies to passing quarterbacks and not dual-threat players like Daniels.
Still, Jackson and Allen are safer bets because they've been consistent for a long time. Jalen Hurts, a fellow elite runner of the football, and Joe Burrow, last year's passing yards leader, are both going about a round later than Daniels. The Commanders' quarterbacks could be great, but he might not be the best value pick in leagues this year like he was last season.
