Jayden Daniels is at the doorstep of Super Bowl LIX — and history. No rookie quarterback starter has ever advanced to a Super Bowl, as each of the previous five rookie QBs to start a conference championship game failed to advance. So how does Daniels become the first?
Well, the Commanders QB simply needs to do what he has all season. Daniels excels as a dual threat and a blitz beater. During the regular season, Daniels recorded a passer rating of 114.7 against the blitz, the highest mark by a rookie since 2016, per Next Gen Stats. Blitzed on 54.1% of his dropbacks in the Divisional Round against the Lions, Daniels registered 191 passing yards in such situations, the second-most by a rookie QB against the blitz in a game (regular or postseason) since 2016.
Philadelphia is all too familiar with Detroit’s struggles. In a Week 16 meeting, the Eagles dialed up the heat on Daniels by sending their second-highest blitz rate this season (35.6%). While Philadelphia has gotten pressure on 52.4% of its blitzes against Daniels, the NFC East champion has sacked him just once. What’s more is Daniels has taken advantage of less coverage defenders and tossed for 193 yards along with three touchdowns against the Eagles’ blitz.
Daniels stays cool under pressure. In Week 16, the rookie phenom generated a +11.2 EPA under pressure, the fourth-highest by a rookie in the Next Gen Stats era, while converting more first downs (4) with his legs than the rest of his team combined (3). Daniels’ league-high scramble rate of 13% translated to 600 rushing yards on scrambles, the second-most by any QB since 2016, and a league-leading 22 first downs on third and fourth-down scrambles. Similarly, he’s made defenses pay on the ground with a league-high five rushing TDs via designed runs.
Washington clearly trusts Daniels against Vic Fangio’s defense as it deployed empty formation (leaving Daniels alone in the backfield) on a season-high 22.2% of offensive snaps in Week 16. Daniels responded with 339 scrimmage yards, five touchdowns and the win. The legend of Jayden Daniels could potentially grow in the City of Brotherly Love. (Check out this All-22 playlist of Daniels beating the Eagles’ blitz in Week 16.)
DraftKings Price: $7,000
The Eagles have been tough to crack this season, allowing just three QBs to hit 20 fantasy points in a game. But those three QBs did combine for 170 rushing yards and one rushing TD, which means the road to success might come on the ground. And the best of those performances? That would be Jayden Daniels, a month ago, when he dropped 34.4 points on Philly with 81 rushing yards and five TD passes. Daniels has been playing MVP-level ball since the start of December, averaging 27.5 fantasy points and 66 rushing yards across six full games, with 17 passing TDs and just four interceptions. He’s a stud.
