Fantasy Football Rankings: Jayden Daniels Is QB1 Over Josh Allen And Lamar Jackson

Jayden Daniels enters 2025 fantasy football with elite dual-threat upside and breakout QB1 potential thanks to improved weapons, a better O-line, and a rising offense.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrates after winning a NFC wild card playoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels enters his sophomore NFL season with sky-high fantasy football expectations after a dynamic rookie campaign that combined elite rushing with efficient passing. With Washington’s upgraded offensive line and added receiving talent, Daniels has the tools to become one of the top-scoring quarterbacks in all formats for 2025.

Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Daniels started his college career at Arizona State, where he went 18-11 over three seasons. Over his 29 games, he passed for 6,025 yards with 32 touchdowns and 13 interceptions (10 came in 2021). Daniels ran the ball 296 times with ASU, leading to 1,288 yards and 13 scores. 

The move to LSU led to him developing into a top college quarterback and winning the Heisman Trophy in 2023. After a progression year in 2022 (3,798 combined yards with 28 touchdowns and three interceptions), he blossomed into a special player passing the ball (3,812/40 with four interceptions ~ 11.7 yards per pass attempt) and as a runner (135/1,134/10 ~ 8.4 yards per carry). Daniels went 19-7 in his time at LSU.

The combination of Daniels’ explosive running and LSU’s deep passing game (Malik Nabers – 89/1,569/14, Brian Thomas Jr. – 68/1,177/17, and Kyren Lacy – 30/558/7 ~ 17.7 yards per catch combined) led to a dynamic offensive season in 2023. Daniels handled himself well in the pocket, utilizing his arm and touch to take advantage of his plus weapons. When given daylight to run, he threatened the long field with speed and elusiveness. The next step in his passing development is improving his accuracy on the run.

The starting point for his fantasy value in his rookie season was in the range of Lamar Jackson, with better top-end speed and a higher ceiling passing the ball. The challenge for Daniel is having enough talent and speed at wide receiver to force a defense to cover the long field, inviting better running lanes and more significant overall plays. The Commanders drafted him second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Over his first five NFL games, Daniels relied on his legs (57/300/4) for 42.6% of his fantasy value while almost working more as a game manager, passing the ball (1,135/4 with two interceptions). He made big plays (8.7 yards per pass attempt) with an elite completion rate (77.1). 

Jayden Daniels' top 5 plays of the season are must-watch. pic.twitter.com/l3tVnDfGmF

— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) August 5, 2025

After an early exit in Week 7, Daniels delivered his first career touchdown 300-yard passing game (326/1). The passing touchdowns (15) started to flow from Week 12 to Week 17 despite making smaller plays (6.9 yards per pass attempt). In the postseason, he was at his best passing the ball (268/2, 299/2, and 255/1) with less room to run (35/135/1 – 3.9 yards per carry).

Daniels finished fifth in quarterback scoring (400.50) in four-point passing touchdown leagues while barely playing in two matchups. He finished with strength in his rushing stats (148/891/6) while averaging 31.2 passes per game. 

Jayden Daniels 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook, Projections & Ranking

Daniels brings the “it factor” to the Commanders’ offense. Even as an active runner, he has eyes up with the mindset to move the ball via the pass. His only missing link is the receiving talent to match the Eagles and Ravens, two teams with similar offensive structures. 

Deebo Samuel should be a win based on his open-field running, and Daniels’ ability to extend the passing window with his legs. If Washington’s offensive line improves as expected after their offseason upgrades, Daniels looks poised to gain 5,000+ yards with a run at 40 touchdowns.

Daniels is the QB1 in our 2025 Fantasy Football Projections and Rankings.