New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones made it to the playoffs this past season for the first time in his NFL career. He has been heavily criticized for the majority of the time he’s been in New York but seemed to finally get over the hump last season. In the offseason, Jones signed a four-year, $160 million contract. Expectations will rise much higher for him now.
2023 Fantasy Football: Daniel Jones Profile
Recap of 2022 season
Jones was solid in 2022, but he didn’t put up incredible passing numbers. He threw for 3,205 yards for 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. He was a good game manager and was great at limiting turnovers. One thing he did which boosted this team was the ability to run the football. On the season, he had 120 carries for 708 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He finished top-5 among QBs in rushing yards just behind Bills’ Josh Allen and Eagles’ Jalen Hurts.
By standard fantasy scoring, Jones averaged 18.4 fantasy points per week, which ranked 9th among quarterbacks. This is surprising when you see his passing touchdowns so limited, but his rushing ability makes up for the rest.
Updated Giants outlook
The Saquon Barkley situation is a scare for Giants fans as nobody really knows what he will do. However, I would expect him and the Giants to figure things out because this offense has the ability to be electric this season. The G-Men went out and added Darren Waller, who has been one of the top tight ends in the NFL over the past few seasons. Another weapon they added was Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt in the draft. It may take a few weeks for him to get on the field, but he has major upside and will be fun to watch.
They also added to a struggling offensive line, bringing in Mark Glowinski and drafting John Michael Schmitz Jr., who was considered the best center in the draft. Jones was sacked 44 times in 2023, ranking 5th among QBs.
Best-case scenario
Jones finishes as QB5-QB7 in fantasy football. His passing numbers may take a step forward this season, so I could see him throwing for 3,500 yards and around 20 passing touchdowns if everything goes well on offense. More pass attempts could lead to more interceptions, however. Still, Jones has great rushing ability and if his passing numbers improve in any capacity, it could lead to a very good fantasy season. In a perfect world, RB Saquon Barkley ends his holdout at some point and plays for the Giants in 2023. His presence in the run game only helps Jones.
Worst-case scenario
Jones doesn’t take a step forward and regresses, finishing QB14-QB18 in a disappointing season. Jones has been inconsistent in his career and just got paid big. We see players struggle after their big payday all the time. If Barkley ends up holding out the season or ends up being traded, unless a decent replacement is found, the Giants’ run game could be led by Jones, which isn’t great for his prospects of avoiding injury and durability. It would also make the Giants’ offense one-dimensional and easy to defend the pass. If injuries mount and Barkley isn’t around, it could spell disaster for Jones.
Prediction
Jones has the potential to finish as high as QB7 this season. The Giants have given him multiple weapons with an improved offensive line, which should help him get the ball out easier.
