Daniel Jones Is a Late-Round QB to Target in 2023 Fantasy Football Leagues

The NFL kicks off in just two weeks, and you probably have some fantasy drafts still to do. It's important to have a solid knowledge base heading into the draft.

We'll look at Daniel Jones in this article. He was the butt of many jokes until last season, when he recorded his best year to date. He also helped the New York Giants win a playoff game -- something not many people would have expected.

So what is Daniel Jones' outlook in fantasy football in 2023?

Daniel Jones Fantasy Football Projection

(All projections via numberFire.com)

Fantasy Points Projection: 293.07 (294.0 in 2022)
Positional Ranking: QB12
Projected Stats:

• 3,582.0 passing yards
• 21.1 passing touchdowns
• 12.0 interceptions
• 614.3 rushing yards
• 5.5 rushing touchdowns

Daniel Jones Fantasy Football Outlook

A Career Year in 2022

Daniel Jones flashed huge fantasy potential in his rookie season in 2019 with three games over 30 fantasy points. He wasn't able to repeat that in the next two seasons until averaging more points per game in 2022.

Not all of the blame can be placed on him for down seasons in 2020 and 2021. His supporting cast was not strong at all, and the coaching he was receiving was definitely questionable -- at best.

That all changed in 2022, when Brian Daboll was named head coach of the Giants. The hope was he could do for Jones what he did for Josh Allen. Daboll did a fantastic job and was named Coach of the Year in 2022.

The Giants didn't really give Jones weapons for 2022, but it didn't matter. He was still able to average 18.4 fantasy points per game, the best mark of his career.

Jones showed improvement in his passing ability with his 1.9 completion percentage over expected being the best of his career. He really limited his turnovers, throwing just five interceptions in 16 games compared to seven in 11 games in 2021.

The real fantasy appeal for Jones came via his legs. He had at least 50 rushing yards and/or a touchdown in 6 of his 16 regular season games last season. Only Justin Fields , Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen had more rushing yards at QB than Jones.

Jones finished as the QB9 by points per game last season. He's in an even better spot heading into 2023.

Weapons Upgrade in 2023

The Giants number one receiver in 2022 was Darius Slayton, who had just 724 yards. Richie James was next with 559 yards, and no one else on the team topped 500.

Jones had little to work with -- especially down the field -- which caused his average depth of target (aDOT) to drop from 7.2 in 2021 to 6.4 in 2022. New York drafted Jalin Hyatt in the third round, and he was one of the best deep-threat receivers in the 2023 draft.

This wasn't the only addition the Giants made. They also traded for Darren Waller to add a pass-catching tight end, which they were sorely lacking in the previous season. Daniel Bellinger was their leader in yards for a tight end with just 268 receiving yards.

A breakout player at times last year was Wan'Dale Robinson. The 2022 second-round pick had 9 catches for 100 yards in his final game before a season-ending injury in this game.

Robinson only appeared in six games last season, so if he can get back healthy relatively early in the season, he would be like a new addition to the team. He's starting to run routes for the team in training camp, but at the moment, he remains on the PUP list.

Jones showed he can be fantasy relevant without elite weapons, and none of these guys will probably be elite in 2023. However, they can certainly do enough to give him enough options in the passing game. Adding that to his rushing ability can make him a useful quarterback in fantasy once again.

Where Should We Draft Daniel Jones in Fantasy Football in 2023?

Jones is currently being selected as the QB14 and 111th player overall, according to Fantasy Pros.

That's below his QB9 finish from last season and below what numberFire's projections suggest. In the modern fantasy football landscape, targeting quarterbacks who will add points with their rushing ability is so important.

Last season, Jones only threw 15 touchdowns but was still able to be a starting fantasy QB in 10-12 team leagues. The 708 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns went a long way to keeping him as a QB you could use if you needed help at the position.

Some quarterbacks going ahead of Jones include Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins. While those two will likely have better passing stats, Jones can more than make up for that with his legs. He already was able to do so last season, and if he improves the passing category, he will easily be better than them in fantasy.

If you miss out on a top quarterback, waiting for Jones makes sense as your strategy. He's one of the latest quarterbacks available in drafts that has proven rushing upside. He's the type of late-round quarterback that we used to target seven or eight years ago. While the landscape has changed how we draft them, we still want to target rushing QBs in all areas of the draft.

If you draft Jones, you could also stash someone like Anthony Richardson, C.J. Stroud, or Bryce Young. These rookies might develop into high-upside quarterbacks later in the season, but you would have decent safety with Jones in the meantime. If Jones plays well, the second quarterback becomes a trade or cut candidate.

Jones is probably a little underrated in fantasy circles. He's definitely not the sexiest name but can deliver the production that makes him worthy of drafting him where he's currently going.

While you wait for Week 1's daily fantasy football slates to lock, you can get in on some best-ball fantasy football drafts on FanDuel, as well. Just draft your team and watch the points pile up throughout the season.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.