NFC East stock up, down: Two top rookies can't be ignored

A quarter of the way through the 2024 NFL season, we're assessing who's trending up and down in each division.

Here's the NFC East stock report from Weeks 1-4:

Stock up: Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels

Finally, some good news from our nation’s capital. After six years of getting by with quarterbacks like Sam Howell, Colt McCoy and Carson Wentz, the Commanders may have finally found their next franchise quarterback.

Daniels came to Washington as the second pick in this year’s draft and last year’s Heisman Trophy winner. He’s currently the NFL’s 12th-leading passer with 897 yards and three touchdowns and the Commanders’ second-leading rusher with 218 yards and four scores.

More importantly, the talented rookie seems completely comfortable running Kliff Kingsbury’s offense after three straight wins. Daniels now owns the league’s best completion percentage (82.1%) and completed an absurd 91.3% of passes in a 38-33 victory over the Bengals in Week 3.

Barring injury or a mid-to late-season collapse, Daniels is a lock to win the next Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Stock down: Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts

Is Daniels already the NFC East’s best quarterback? It’s certainly not Hurts right now. In retrospect, Hurts’ Super Bowl appearance in 2023 has been a blessing and a curse for the league’s 16th-leading passer. On one hand, his performance led to a five-year, $255M contract. On the other hand, it may have set the bar too high for the 26-year-old quarterback.

Since losing to the Bills in Week 12 of the 2023 season, the Philadelphia Eagles are 3-6 in games with Hurts as the starter. After throwing a career-high 15 interceptions last season, he already has four interceptions and 13 sacks with a lost fumble.

Unlike Daniels, Hurts looks lost under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Fortunately, both have a Week 5 bye to work out the kinks and improve the quarterback’s performance.

Stock up: New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers

If Daniels doesn’t take Offensive Rookie of the Year, the sixth-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is making a strong case to win the award. Only Houston’s Nico Collins has more yards (489) than Nabers and among rookie receivers, only Arizona’s Marvin Harrison Jr. has more touchdowns (four).

So far, Nabers has 32 receptions on 52 targets for 386 yards and three touchdowns. He’s already made a number of spectacular catches but his most underrated play came against the Cowboys on Thursday night when the six-foot, 200-pound wide receiver used a double move to shake off a Dallas defender for a 39-yard gain.