Daniel Jones Fantasy Football Analysis with Giants
Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Daniel Jones
- See Matthew Freedman's fantasy football analysis for quarterback Daniel Jones, who was drafted No. 6 overall by the New York Giants.
Daniel Jones Fantasy Football Analysis
- Height: 6’5” | Weight: 221 pounds
- 40-yard dash: 4.81 seconds
- School: Duke | Class: Redshirt Junior
- 2019 age: 22 | Draft position: No. 6 overall
Here we are. The impossible has become the inevitable.
Jones is the quintessence of the Round 1 reach. For some reason unknown, the Giants have convinced themselves that Jones is a viable NFL starting quarterback.
He almost certainly is not.
Jones exhibited above-average athleticism and intelligence at the combine, and after that his stock steadily rose to the day of the draft. Former NFL executive and Hall-of-Famer Gil Brandt sees Jones as a latter-day Peyton Manning.
Needless to say, I think that evaluation is off: Jones looks not at all like a first-rounder. He had just 6.9 adjusted yards per attempt in 2018 — and that was his best season.
Even though Jones is likely to be afforded the opportunity to sit on the bench as a rookie and learn behind starter Eli Manning, I very much doubt that Jones will be a long-term starting quarterback in the league. In fantasy, though, his lone saving grace might be his functionality as a runner.
While he’s not an elite rusher, Jones is admittedly good on scrambles and designed runs: In his three years as a starter, Jones rushed for 1,323 yards (including sacks) in 36 games. Still, it’s hard to be excited about a guy who completed just 59.9% of his passes over his career.
As a rookie, Jones might be streamable in the softest of matchups if he somehow makes his way into the starting lineup, but I won’t consider drafting him till the fourth round of rookie drafts — and even then I expect to be able to find other players I like better.
Of the four rookie quarterbacks expected to enter the league as first-rounders, he’s probably my least favorite.
NFL Comp: Josh Allen with less speed, size, arm strength, rushing ability and passing aggressiveness
Matthew Freedman is the Editor-in-Chief of FantasyLabs. He has a dog and sometimes a British accent. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he’s known only as The Labyrinthian.
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