Is Giants QB Daniel Jones a Valid Fantasy Football Sleeper?

The pressure might be on New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones in this, his sixth season. Still, in terms of fantasy football, Jones looks like an attractive addition for fantasy football owners, in the opinion of Pro Football Focus fantasy football analyst Nathan Jahnke.

Jahnke included Jones as one of three quarterbacks who fall into the “sleeper category,” citing his improved offensive weaponry led by rookie receiver Malik Nabers.   

“Jones finished as the QB9 in 2022, largely thanks to his rushing ability. His 708 rushing yards ranked fifth at the position, while his seven rushing touchdowns tied for third,” Jahnke wrote.

“There is reason to believe Jones could match his 2022 fantasy production this season. The wide receivers he’ll have at his disposal are much better than they were at the start of last year.”

While he shouldn’t be prioritized in fantasy drafts, Jones wouldn’t be a bad option to stash away on the bench for a bye week. Nabers has, thus far, lived up to his draft pedigree and looks poised to give the Giants their first 1,000-yard receiver since Odell Beckham Jr in 2018.  

Meanwhile, a big part of Jones’s game from 2022 was his rushing ability, when he set career highs in carries and rushing yardage. 

His ability to extend plays with his legs was a big reason the Giants won as many games as they did that season. The run game, in general, was good in 2022 but took a big step back last season due to poor offensive line play and injuries.

Although Jones is coming off a torn ACL, he has moved well in camp on both scrambles and designed runs. More importantly, the Giants have focused on consistently pushing the ball downfield this summer. 

With many speedsters at receiver besides Nabers–count Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robison, and Darius Slayton in that mix–the Giants arguably have their best-receiving corps in years.  

Jahnke, like others who follow the team, believes that with running back Saquon Barkley, once the central part of the offense, now in Philadelphia, the offense’s identity will focus on the passing game, giving Joes a chance to put up some big numbers for those who add him to their fantasy football teams.

“This season, it’s clear the Giants will put things in Jones’ hands to determine if he can be the future at the position,” Jahnke said. “This means the former first-round pick should have more opportunities and better efficiency.”

Of course, buyers need to be wary of Jones’s injury history, which Jahnke also noted in his analysis.

“The big concern is that a neck injury kept him out early last season, but a torn ACL kept him out for the rest of the campaign. The ACL tear may prevent Jones from running nearly as much as he had in past seasons, which could hurt his fantasy value more than the new receivers help him.”