NFL fantasy diamonds for 2022 - Quarterbacks

Daniel Jones, New York Giants

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones

I already know most people reading this are rolling their eyes right now, but just hear me out.

First of all, Daniel Jones was the QB19 in fantasy points per game in the 2021 NFL season. So there you already have a slight edge if he just repeats that in 2022 for 17 games.

Next, look at the three projected receivers and running back in 11 personnel – Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Kadarius Toney and Saquon Barkley. They missed a combined 24 weeks in the NFL last season. Other than Toney (who is a sleeper this year, looking at his rare metrics in targets and yards per route run as a rookie), because we don’t have a pro reference, all of the other guys had their worst seasons in terms of per-game production.

Which brings us to the main point here, the changes in the New York Giants' coaching staff. You could argue that the team should have already taken a different path at the QB position and the franchise not picking up his fifth-year option shows that he’s entering a make-or-break season. But let’s not forget that the offensive minds he’s worked under have been Pat Shurmur and Jason Garrett, along with head coach Joe Judge. Judge had so little trust in his players that by the end of the season his teams were running QB sneaks on third-and-long.

I’m a big fan of the changes they have made to that power structure in terms of the front office personnel and the coaching staff. Jones now gets to work under Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka, who were instrumental in developing Josh Allen in the NFL. That would be a ridiculous comparison, but in terms of decision-making and utilizing his strengths, those guys have that proven track record. Plus, from a pure fantasy perspective, matching that with a defensive coordinator in Wink Martindale. Martindale likes to go for it with heavy pressure packages to get the ball back for the offense, which creates additional opportunities.

They added a top offensive tackle in the draft and two underrated free agents to boost one of the worst O-lines over the last few years. The Giants will hopefully have a healthy Saquon and Toney – who could be major bargains based on their ADPs – due to the pure athletic traits they bring to the table. They also added another YAC specialist in second-rounder Wan’Dale Robinson from Kentucky. Working for an offensive staff that really understands how to utilize dynamic skill-position players, to me the only way is up.

He’ll probably go undrafted in the majority of NFL fantasy leagues. To get a profile like Jones, who averages nearly six yards per carry in his NFL career and is set for the most quarterback-friendly fantasy schedule according to FantasyPros, this could be a steal of a QB2.

That’s if you don’t go with the OTHER New York quarterback...