Jayden Daniels

Drafted second overall in April, Daniels is the expected Week 1 starter in Washington, even if the team holds a perfunctory competition with free-agent acquisition Marcus Mariota. Daniels is an outstanding athlete, but at 6-4, 210, his slim build causes durability concern. But that’s about the only concern. Armed with a quick release, Daniels is accurate all over the field. Unlike others in his draft, his 72.2 completion percentage last season (7th in FBS) was not built on accuracy-inflating short passes -- his average target depth (10.2) and YPA (11.7) both led the nation. Daniels has a strong arm and good velocity, and though neither is elite he’s an excellent deep-ball thrower. He operates well in the pocket but can also play on the run, and it’s that dual-threat ability that is intriguing both for Washington and fantasy owners. Daniels’ speed and burst make him a dangerous runner -- he rushed for more than 2,000 yards and 21 TDs the last two years. He at times holds the ball longer than necessary, resulting in sacks, but that’s something new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury can hone. The Commanders have quality targets in RB Austin Ekeler, WR Terry McLaurin, WR Jahan Dotson and TE Zach Ertz and added sure-handed WR Luke McCaffrey in the third round of the draft. Daniels, who’s noted for a high football IQ, seems to fit well in Kingsbury’s scheme, but if he needs time to figure out the passing game, his rushing ability should sustain his fantasy value. Read Past Outlooks