Hogs Haven
A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff
A reminder of the rankings process: Voters gave us their best 10 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, more than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed helped us break any ties.
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: 10
Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: not eligible (rookie)
Daniels’ phenomenal rookie season demanded an appearance somewhere in the top 10. That he pushed his way into the top five, narrowly outdistancing Stafford in the voting, shows voters have no problem validating his hype.
Last season, Daniels posted the fourth-highest QBR in the NFL (70.6), the best mark for a rookie since Dak Prescott in 2016. But he was even better on third and fourth downs, recording a league-leading 95.3 QBR on those downs.
“Single-handedly took one of the worst franchises to the NFC title game as a rookie with a bad defense, one legitimate wide receiver, a dinosaur at tight end [12th-year pro Zach Ertz] and average-at-best OL,” said an NFL coordinator who prepared for Daniels last season. “The kid can read coverages, throw with accuracy and touch to all levels of the field, just as dangerous as Lamar and Josh Allen with his legs and has a clutch factor to him because his team already believes that if he has the ball with a chance to win, he’s going to find a way. If he repeats anything close to his rookie year, he’s no lower than No. 3 on this list next year.”
Daniels was a true dual threat in his rookie year, ranking second in the NFL in yards per rush (6.0) and first in scramble yards (570).
Sometimes the Year 1 hype can be tough to replicate. C.J. Stroud landed at No. 7 last season and struggled at times in Year 2, though he has shown enough to convince Houston he’s clearly the long-term answer. Some around the league are at least asking the question of whether Daniels’ play will taper off a bit as defenses adjust to both him and Washington’s offense. But the consensus is Daniels has too much going for him.
“Won 12 games with a mediocre-at-best defense and just a decent offensive roster around him,” an NFC coordinator said. “System he plays in requires him to play off-schedule and make plays with his feet on a regular basis for success. And he is still solid in...
