ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly from training camp through the Super Bowl with answers to a new question being posted Thursday morning. How the guest experts responded when we asked them: Now that you've seen most of them in action, which rookie will have the best career?
DAVID DOREY
Unequivocally, Jayden Daniels is looking at an impressive and long-reaching career. He's been unbelievable as a rookie plopped down in the middle of the NFL from Week 1, reading NFL-quality defenses while completing 82.1% of his passes which is not only a record for a rookie in his first four games, but it is the highest completion rate for any QB over a four-game span since 1950. That's not scary good, that is almost other-worldly.
Dorey co-founded The Huddle.com in 1997. He's ranked every player and projected every game for the last 26 years and is the author of Fantasy Football: The Next Level. David has appeared on numerous radio, television, newspaper and magazines over the last two decades.
JASON WOOD
It's tempting to say Jayden Daniels for two reasons. One, he's had arguably the great first month by a quarterback in NFL history. Two, I was fairly worried about him in the preseason because of his unwillingness to avoid contact as a runner. But since I suspect Daniels is the easiest answer, I'll instead say Malik Nabers. Every defensive coordinator understands Nabers is Daniel Jones' pass funnel. Every defensive back knows he's getting targeted one out of every three throws. Yet, he's been effectively unstoppable regardless of the coverage scheme. Presuming the Giants move on from Jones soon, and upgrade at quarterback, Nabers should be a perennial All Pro.
Wood is Senior Editor at Footballguys.com and has been with the company since its start in 2000. For more than 20 years, Footballguys has provided rankings, projections, and analysis to help fantasy managers dominate their leagues.
IAN ALLAN
I think the short list would include Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams, Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison. Daniels is better than Williams right now, but I worry about his ability to stay in one piece, with his playing style and lean build. I think there’s still a chance Williams will have a better career. Similarly with the wide receivers, Nabers seems to be better right now. He’s more athletic than Harrison. But part of the difference can be attributed to him seeing a lot more usage. I would think there are still some teams that like Harrison more than Nabers. If I were running an NFL team, I think it would still be Caleb Williams going first overall.
Allan co-founded Fantasy Football Index in 1987. Since that time, he’s written and edited most of the content published in the magazines, newsletters and at www.fantasyindex.com. Allan is a member of the FSGA Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame and the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.
SAM HENDRICKS
I would have said Jayden Daniels, but until he learns to run less and slide more, he is a season/career injury waiting to happen. So I will go with Malik Nabers. I will caveat this with it is WAY too early to make a best NFL career prediction. But he passes the eye test. He looks like a winner. Wins jump ball competitions and runs great routes. Who will throw to him for the rest of his career is the big question mark. But my money is on Nabers.
Hendricks is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook, Fantasy Football Tips and Fantasy Football Basics, all available at ExtraPointPress.com, at all major bookstores, and at Amazon and BN.com. He is a 30-year fantasy football veteran who participated in the National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and finished 7th and 16th overall in the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC). He won the Fantasy Index Open in 2013 and 2018.
ANDY RICHARDSON
I like the positive vibes that Jonathon Brooks is giving off. No but seriously, it's hard not be blown away by what Malik Nabers has been able to do. He's certainly a defensive focus, he's not working with a top quarterback, and yet there seems to be a good chance that if he stays healthy he's going to break the rookie records that Puka Nacua set just last year. Whatever LSU has been able to do in scouting, acquiring and developing talent, I'm impressed. Nabers looks like he's going to be a first-round fantasy pick for a lot of years.
Richardson has been a contributing writer and editor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and www.fantasyindex.com since 2002. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections and various site features, and he has run the magazine's annual experts draft and auction leagues since their inception. He writes a weekly gambling newsletter, Index Bets, during the NFL season and also previews all the games on Saturdays and writes a wrap-up column on Mondays.
