Jaxson

Dart

Dart bounced back from a 33-yard performance in the Week 16 loss to the Vikings to throw for 207 yards in the win over the Raiders Sunday. The 22-year-old signal caller’s future with the organization is a topic for discussion with the Giants currently in control of the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and the team’s coaching situation in flux. While Kafka could remain the head coach next year, the Giants are said to be interested in speaking with a list of candidates that could include Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman. In a sense, an endorsement from Kafka is relatively meaningless as he doesn’t currently have much of a say in the future direction of the franchise. Dart will have one more chance to make an impression against the Cowboys in Week 18 before what’s likely to be an offseason full of changes in New York.

Dart refrained from running until the Giants’ fourth drive, in which he totaled three carries for 21 yards and one touchdown. He somehow avoided a concussion check after his 12-yard touchdown run despite getting sandwiched by two defenders as he entered the end zone. Dart ran a little more freely after that, and the Giants even called a few designed runs today, including one on a fake handoff that went for a two-yard touchdown scamper late in the fourth quarter. His passing box score leaves a little to be desired, but his connection with slot WR Wan’Dale Robinson is something to get excited about for 2026. Dart is a QB1 against the Cowboys next week.

Dart was flustered by Brian Flores’s blitz-heavy defense for most of this game. The Vikings got home on him for five sacks, on which he lost 20 yards. His net passing of 13 yards is one of the worst marks of the season. Dart added a measly two carries for seven yards. Interim head coach Mike Kafka has made it a point of emphasis to limit Dart’s rushing. While Dart might be taking fewer concussive hits under Kafka, he looks out of place as a pocket passer. Dart’s interception was a tipped pass by Theo Johnson, but the throw was high and opened Johnson up to a big hit over the middle. Dart’s fantasy luster is entirely gone without his rushing production. He will barely register as a QB2 for Week 17 against the Raiders.

Duggan pointed to comments from Commanders head coach Dan Quinn ahead of Washington’s Week 15 game against Dart and the Giants as evidence that New York opponents are targeting Dart based on his willingness to take big hits, even to the head. “The quarterback is a very competitive dual-threat guy. He will try to run the ball like a running back,” Quinn told his defense last week. “He will try to run you over. He will try to stiff-arm. He doesn’t really run out of bounds. He doesn’t slide a whole bunch. We can get the ball off of him.” Dart took yet another shot to the head in the Giants’ Week 15 loss to the Commanders and was checked for a concussion before re-entering the ballgame. Dart has missed time with brain injuries this season and continues to lower his head as a rusher in the open field. It’s something he’ll need to change if he wants to have a long NFL career.

Dart did briefly leave to be examined for a head injury — as usual — but he returned two plays later. The 2025 first-round pick’s day was pretty impressive from a fantasy perspective. It was not as fun to watch, as he had accuracy issues and made a poor decision late in the second quarter that was intercepted and took away a scoring opportunity. He did show off his athleticism, however, and the upside with Dart is ever-so-obvious. He’ll be back at it Sunday against the Vikings in Week 16 in another borderline QB1 spot.

Hits on Dart spurred no less than two on-field scuffles, the worst of which was a hit by Christian Elliss on a scramble in the first quarter down the sideline. Tight end Theo Johnson immediately came to his aid, sparking the tussle near the New England bench. Speculation that we would see fewer designed runs for Dart were proven accurate as the electric rookie attempted only four rushes against the stout Patriots defense. The Giants were unable to get anything going offensively, struggling to just 239 yards of total offense as the Patriots ran up a 30-7 lead at the half, too much to overcome after the break for a floundering team. Dart and the Giants limp to their Week 14 bye before hosting the Commanders in Week 15.

Dart has taken a number of hard hits this year and landed himself in concussion protocol after going down in Week 10 against the Bears. The rookie signal-caller has totaled 57 carries this season, with 36 of those attempts coming on designed runs. Dart’s rushing upside has been an integral part of his fantasy value, as the rookie has finished in the top-12 in four of his last five starts while finding the end zone six times over that span. Any cutback in designed runs could put a dent in his weekly fantasy ceiling, but the Giants would be wise to find ways to cut back Dart’s rush attempts until he can better protect himself.

This was to be expected after it was announced on Thursday that Dart cleared the league’s concussion protocol. The rookie signal-caller is expected to take first-team reps with the offense for the remainder of the week in the days leading up to Monday night’s tilt with the Patriots. Dart finished as a top-12 fantasy QB in four of his last five starts and will profile as a high-end QB2 against the Patriots.

Dart is practicing fully at this point. Prior to suffering a concussion in Week 10 against the Bears, Dart had finished as a QB1 five games in a row, including three finishes inside the top four. Astonishingly, he was the overall QB1 in Week 10. Dart can be safely returned to starting lineups this weekend.

Dart has missed the past two weeks after suffering a concussion in Week 10. The rookie quarterback has been pulled from a game for a concussion check several times this year, so it made sense to sit Dart down for multiple weeks before throwing him back into the lineup. A full practice on Wednesday puts him on track to clear the league’s concussion protocol before Sunday’s game versus the Pats. Dart will return to the QB1/2 border for his first game back in action.