NFC East power rankings, QB edition: Dak struggles, Jayden Daniels makes his case

The start of the 2024 NFL season has not gone as planned for the Dallas Cowboys. However, one team's struggles is another's opportunity, and the Washington Commanders (surprisingly) find themselves in first place in the division after a win over the Cincinnati Bengals are Monday Night Football. The Cowboys, meanwhile, have lost to the Saints and Ravens in back-to-back games.

It's tough not to overreact to another impressive showing by Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels. Washington has long waited for its quarterback of the future, and they may finally have it in Daniels assuming he can stay healthy.

Over the long haul that is the 2024 regular season, the Cowboys and Eagles remain the likely favorites to win the NFC East. Tough schedules tend to weed out the contenders from the pretenders, and Washington has the look of a team that starts hot, but fades fast. Daniels, though, could be the real deal.

NFC East Power Rankings: Which team should be favored to win the division?

The NFC East has been flipped on its head to start the season, but it's important to note that we're only three weeks in. Washington has a first-year head coach and quarterback. At some point, that inexperience is bound to catch up with them, despite Quinn's past success in Atlanta.

The Eagles picked up a huge win on Sunday over the New Orleans Saints, another likely contender in the NFC South. The Giants shocked the world and defeated the Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson, and the Cowboys comeback attempt fell short against the Baltimore Ravens and Derrick Henry.

Despite some personnel and coaching flaws, the Eagles have looked like the best team in the division through three weeks. Were it not for a last-second loss to the Atlanta Falcons, this wouldn't even be a conversation. For now, Daniels ascent to the top will have to wait.

NFC East quarterback power rankings: Where does Jayden Daniels rank?

Now this is a much tougher question to answer. Daniels doesn't have the pedigree of Prescott, Jalen Hurts or Daniel Jones, but it's tough to argue with what the rookie from LSU has shown in his first three games. Rankings are always subject to change, of course, and the first three weeks of a season is a very small sample size.

If I were a Commanders fan, this would make me mad, too. However, Prescott and Hurts are both perennial Pro Bowl-caliber players. Prescott just signed the richest contract in NFL history for a reason. Hurts -- at his best -- finished second place in MVP voting just a few years ago. That's tough to beat in just three games of action.

Daniels does have an edge over Danny Dimes, though, which is a step in the right direction!