New York Giants fans around the world are foaming at the mouth with the way this year’s offense is looking. However, there are so many options for us fantasy football players that we don’t know who to choose from. There’s obviously Kenny Golladay and Saquon Barkley, but who brings the most value for their ADP? We are trying to find the deepest and darkest sleeper within the New York Football Giants.
Overview
I’ve already talked about Evan Engram in my debut article (you can view that here). Today we are really going to focus on the receiving core and the guy getting them the ball. Players like Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, and the new guy Kadarius Toney are all landing anywhere from round 14 to round 18 in PPR drafts right now.
I suspect Toney to eventually move up to the #2 WR spot on the depth chart, but whoever ends up there will still be the fourth target on the team with Golladay, Barkley, and Engram all getting priority over them.
Those three guys are what I like to call the “Three Headed Dragon” of this offense. This is because these three will garner about 60% of the target market from Daniel Jones. This leaves 40% of targets to split between Toney, Shepard, and Slayton; and it’s not like the depth chart ends right after them.
At the most, one of these three playmakers will be your WR5, and might fit into your flex depending on injuries or match up. With that being said, I don’t see how they can qualify as a sleeper when, depending on how deep your roster is, you might not even draft these guys. A plethora of receiving options have entered East Rutherford, so what about the guy that has to throw them the ball?
A Sleeping Giant?
Daniel Jones is in a make or break year coming into 2021. He was boom or bust in his rookie season, but had way too many turnovers. He went into a sophomore slump in 2020, yet was able to bring his turnovers down from a total of 30 to 22.
But what also plummeted was his efficiency. In 2020, Daniel Jones had a touchdown percentage of only 2.5%. Simply, Daniel Jones was very bad last year.
I expect a better, healthier defense alongside a better, more coherent offense line. This will help Daniel Jones play more calmly, and not force the ball down the field. I believe the New York Giants will take a step forward and will not have to play so many games from behind in 2021. With the new and improved offense, Daniel Jones is expected to make big plays while throwing the ball 30+ times a game.
In a 17 game season I have Daniel Jones throwing 578 pass attempts. I’m really expecting a high tempo offense that keeps games close and interesting. Remember, this is the same New York Giants team that beat the Seahawks in Seattle, and only lost by two points to the Buccaneers in November of last year.
We’ve seen flashes of how gritty and competitive this team has become under Joe Judge. In hopes that Jones can take that ‘Junior Jump’, I have him completing 65% of his passes for just over 4,000 yards. I also believe that Jones will surpass 30 passing touchdowns too due to an increase in opportunity.
Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Now with great power comes great responsibility, and we all know Daniel Jones has not been known to be responsible with the football in his hands. With the uptick in work you can expect an uptick in turnovers too, but not by many.
I expect a more complete and consistent Daniel Jones, even though he’s not perfect just yet. You can count on him throwing about 15 interceptions and still fumbling the ball about five times. You know what else you can count on Daniel Jones for? Running the football!
Remember when Daniel Jones ran the RPO and had broad daylight into the endzone, but after 80 yards he tripped over himself and stumbled to the dirt with shame? Daniel Jones is a better runner than most people think. He was sixth in rushing yards among quarterbacks with 423 yards, and was seventh in carries at the position with 65.
In fantasy football leagues where touchdown passes earn four points, Daniel Jones is a great late round grab as a deceptively mobile quarterback. That rushing upside could be a weekly winner in some scenarios. Whether it’s a scramble or a designed run, you can count on both for Jones.
Speaking of scrambles, Jones was fourth in sacks last year with 45. He was also blitzed 200 times and hurried 56 times, leading to 22 scrambles. I project better offensive line play for the New York Giants in 2021, but they are not a top five offensive line just yet. Expect more RPO and impromptu scrambles leading to more fantasy points for your team.
Junior Jump
Daniel Jones has every tool necessary to take a leap in his third year. Joe Judge has surrounded him with talented weapons and a sturdy defense. If the New York Giants do not succeed, expect Daniel Jones to be packing his bags come Year 4. There are too many opportunities for Jones, and it is extremely hard to project anything other than a breakout year. If all the stars align, here is what Daniel Jones can offer for your fantasy team come September.
Daniel Jones 2021 Projections: 578 Pass Attempts with 376 Completions, 4,097 yards and 31 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. 74 carries for 513 yards, three touchdowns, and five fumbles lost.
Let’s make one thing clear, I am not claiming Daniel Jones will be a Top-12 quarterback and is the steal of the century. My main point is the New York Giants have built this team for Daniel Jones to succeed. An accelerated offense plus a rushing upside can catapult Jones into play for a Top-15 spot, making him a weekly streamer.
Daniel Jones is being drafted as the QB23 right now in the 15th round. Punting the quarterback position and grabbing a possible top-15 guy in round 15 could expedite your route to the playoffs this year. I am buying Daniel Jones as the best sleeper on the New York Football Giants this year.
