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If there is something any Giants fan would have told you about Daniel Jones potential debut as a starting QB in the NFL just after he was drafted is that it wasn’t going to be good. Nobody liked Jones until they did. And oh boy do they have reason to now. Jones became the Giants starter in Week 3 following a disappointing 0-2 start with Eli Manning at the helm. And Jones made sense of his “Danny Dimes” nickname. Forget about Manning, it’s Daniel Jones’ world and we just live in it. You just have to take a look at Jones lone career stat line to find records and marks that Eli never reached in his 15th-year career. And this is only just the start.
Against an average Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, Jones made his professional debut as a starting quarterback to the tune of 353 yards on 26 completions (40 pass attempts) for two touchdowns. Not bad. Even better considering he added two touchdowns on the ground (including the game-winner) and a total of 33 yards on five rushes. Yes, he fumbled the ball three times and lost the ball every one of them while taking five sacks, but what do you expect from a rookie? Jones looked poised, secure, and never feared pressure. Will this record-setting performance (most fantasy points by a rookie QB in his debut) be the norm going forward? Hard to believe. Will Jones be able to keep it up against Washington? More than probably.
Fantasy Impact: The Giants face Washington in Week 4. Jones will, obviously, start again. Barkley will be out, making it clear for Washington’s defense to focus on the Giants passing game. Washington, though, has allowed no fewer than 24 fantasy points to quarterbacks each week, and the two teams are expected to put up 49 points per Vegas total O/U. This game will feature two of the worst defenses of the league at everything, let alone stopping the passing game. No matter if Jones is helped by Barkley’s absence, or if the game script calls for it, New York is going to throw the ball. And there is no better team to face and keep things up for Jones than Washington.
Recommendation: Start