No sophomore will face more pressure in 2026 than Jaxson Dart in the bright lights of New York. 

The Giants believe in him as their franchise quarterback after he burst onto the scene in Week 4 last season and immediately established himself as an effective dual-threat quarterback. 

Dart led the Giants to their first win of the season over the Chargers and did it using his legs. He notched 54 scrimmage yards on four carries and the rest was history. 

When Brian Daboll was fired from his post as head coach after Dart suffered a concussion in Week 10, his scrutiny for endangering Dart’s health by relying on designed runs behind a leaky offensive line emphasized the need to protect him moving forward. 

The rookie took five trips to the blue tent, and it’s fair to question whether this style of football is sustainable.  

But when Dart returned for the Giants’ remaining five games, he still recorded double-digit scrimmage yards in all but one of them and hit at least 40 in two.

He crossed 40 yards in seven games on the year, including that Week 10 game against Chicago where he matched 66 rushing yards with two rushing scores. 

Maybe it’s the Giants’ concerns over more head injuries, the change of guard to John Harbaugh on the sidelines or the return of sensational talent Malik Nabers as a top target — someone Dart didn’t share a full game with last season. Whatever the reason, sportsbooks are bearish on Dart’s rushing contributions this year.

Dart’s rushing yardage line is set at 449.5 at DraftKings, which is a 37.5-yard drop from a season in which he only started 12 games.

A healthy Nabers will certainly offer Dart the opportunity to pass first. If Dart could whip up 767 yards and three touchdowns with Wan’Dale Robinson, Nabers will be like the keys to a Ferrari. 

Cam Skattebo’s return from a gruesome leg injury will also inevitably absorb many of the hazardous carries, too. 

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But if there’s anything Harbaugh will establish, it’s the same brand of power-running offense that he ran in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry as a one-two force.

Dart proved wise beyond his years in how he protected the football. The then 22-year-old only tossed five interceptions and fumbled a modest five times in his 12 starts.

He scrambled on 9.5 percent of his dropbacks, fourth-most amongst NFL quarterbacks, and substantiated himself doing so: When outside the pocket, Dart was the No. 1 quarterback in EPA. 

Expect Harbaugh to use these tools at his disposal. 

THE PLAY: Jaxson Dart Over 449.5 Rush Yards (-110, DraftKings)

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.