Two years ago, Jayden Daniels was the single best value at quarterback in fantasy football. Last year, Daniels wound up being one of the worst picks you could make. Who is the real Washington Commanders QB?
Should You Draft Jayden Daniels in Fantasy Football?
Since 2011, 50 quarterbacks have made at least 10 starts as a rookie. Only four of them have averaged at least 20.0 PPG.
- Cam Newton (23.15)
- Justin Herbert (22.19)
- Robert Griffin (21.17)
- Jayden Daniels (20.93)
Obviously, things did not go as well in 2025. Daniels averaged 16.8 PPG, but it was really 18.9 PPG if you remove the Week 14 game he never should’ve played.
The real story of Daniels’ 2025 season is, unfortunately, the injuries. Daniels dealt with a sprained knee, a strained hamstring, and a dislocated elbow.
While the injuries are not ideal, nothing about anything Daniels dealt with should be viewed as a long-term concern. Hamstring strains can linger, but Daniels only missed one game because of it, and then it wasn’t a problem the rest of the season. We have no reason to believe Daniels’ injuries are chronic or that he is any more likely to get hurt than any other player.
Daniels is your quintessential modern fantasy QB. He provides plenty of value with his legs, raising his weekly floor and ceiling. Averaging 48.7 rushing yards per game, Daniels is essentially providing fantasy managers with a touchdown’s worth of production in rushing yardage alone.
We should feel confident in Daniels rebounding this season. The question is whether the opportunity cost will be too much for a quarterback.
Daniels’ Redraft Fantasy Football Value
In recent seasons, it’s been more viable to spend premium draft capital on a quarterback than during the 2010s. The rise of the mobile QB has resulted in the elite fantasy quarterbacks not only having higher ceilings, but being more predictable year over year.
Daniels’ positional ADP isn’t much different than last season. However, QB ADP overall is lower at the top.
The running back position really falls off a cliff after the fifth round. The wide receivers are still solid into the middle of drafts, but the position is very flat. There’s not really an advantage gained by taking the WR18 compared to the WR30. These factors combine to make taking someone like Daniels much more palatable.
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At the same time, quarterback is as deep as ever. There are several quarterbacks with QB1 upside and even legitimate top five upside going outside the top 12. Daniels has proven top five upside, but is he seven rounds better than Jordan Love or Malik Willis? That will be up to you to decide.
Elite, difference-making QBs matter. We know Josh Allen will provide that, but you have to pay for it. We know Daniels can provide it, but he’s less of a certainty and still costs meaningful draft capital. There’s way more value in what Daniels did as a rookie, that is, providing elite production from the double-digit rounds. Does that exist this season? And is it worth passing on someone like Daniels for the potential of getting that guy late?
Daniels’ Dynasty Fantasy Football Value
After his rookie season, there was a case to be made that Daniels should be the dynasty QB1. Obviously, he was not quite on the level of Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, but he’s 4-5 years younger than them.
Heading into his third season, Daniels is no longer in the discussion for the top QB in dynasty, but it’s important to remember that he was just one year ago. Daniels is only 25 years old and has the skill set to be a perennial top five fantasy QB, consistently posting 20+ PPG seasons.
TRADE NOW:PFN’s Dynasty Trade Calculator
We have Daniels as the dynasty QB4. Of the top eight dynasty quarterbacks, he’s considerably younger than everyone other than Drake Maye.
The great part about rostering Daniels, or trading for him, is that he works for any roster. Trying to win now? Daniels has QB1 upside. Rebuilding for the future? Daniels has at least 6-8 seasons of his prime in front of him.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.