Commanders QB Jayden Daniels ranked No. 1 in fantasy football projection

Jayden Daniels is the talk of the town right now. The Washington Commanders are anticipating their No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to be the franchise-changing presence sorely needed. Fans also believe this is the guy capable of spearheading their exciting new era after an exceptional transition for the young signal-caller this offseason.

Daniels has everything going for him. He's an outstanding distributor under center, can gain significant yards on the ground when opportunities arise, and boasts the high-level work ethic needed to keep progressing under the guidance of Washington's supremely gifted staff team.

Things are moving along encouragingly for Daniels over training camp. He's developing some blossoming chemistry with his primary pass-catchers and isn't overawed in the slightest despite the loftiest expectations imaginable. The Heisman Trophy isn't flawless, but he's getting better with each day that passes heading into his season debut in Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Commanders' star Jayden Daniels named No. 1 value quarterback in fantasy football

Dan Quinn hasn't officially named Daniels as the starter yet, but it's coming. There is an enormous sense of excitement surrounding the former LSU star. Something that led Marcas Grant from NFL.com to name the dual-threat weapon as the No. 1 fantasy value quarterback heading into the 2024 campaign.

"If you're looking for the first-year Pick to Click in redraft leagues, it's [Jayden] Daniels. Why? Rushing upside. It's the reason fantasy folks were so high on Anthony Richardson last year. It's the reason people are still taking late-round dart throws at Justin Fields this year -- y'know, just in case. Daniels rushed for more than 2,700 yards over his final three college seasons, including more than 1,100 in his final year at LSU. He's a more polished passer than those other two quarterbacks were when entering the league. Plus, he'll have Terry McLaurin getting downfield in Kliff Kingsbury's Air Raid offense. That's enough to believe he can far outperform his QB20 average draft position (ADP)."

- Marcas Grant, NFL.com

Daniels has electrifying traits that can't be taught. He's going to go through some rookie turmoil - C.J. Stroud was the exception to the rule last season. But there's nothing to suggest he shouldn't take the league by storm in Year 1 if the supporting cast placed around him meets their end of the bargain.

Fantasy football drafts are already happening across the country. Daniels looks like a potential sleeper to stash on the bench to start down the line depending on how he fares over the opening few weeks. In dynasty leagues, he's a sure-fire first-round pick with exceptional long-term upside attached.

The Commanders - and Daniels, in particular - won't be worrying too much about his fantasy score from week to week. He's got enough on his plate without concerning himself with something largely irrelevant to players in the grand scheme of things.

His task is to perform well enough to get this team trending in a positive direction at long last. If the Cajon High School product accomplishes this feat, everything else falls into place automatically.

Daniels has the chance to be a D.C. phenomenon. If he takes one of the NFL's most storied franchises back into the playoff picture, the benefits are vast in such a big market. If he can make some fantasy owners happy along the way, that's just a bonus.

More Commanders news and analysis