The Giants spent 12 days and 10 practices tucked away in West Virginia to open John Harbaugh's first training camp in East Rutherford, and by the end of it, the team looked like it left in better shape than it arrived. That's a low bar after the last few years in the building, but it's not nothing. The secluded setup did what it was designed to do: no distractions, more bonding, and an offensive line that reportedly held its own for two straight weeks against a defense that had no shortage of bright spots.
The real story, though, is Jaxson Dart trying to learn a whole new language. Harbaugh's scheme is a blend of his old Baltimore system with pieces borrowed from Andy Reid's Kansas City playbook, and that means Dart is spending camp relearning footwork and playing more snaps under center than he ever did as a rookie. Progress showed up throughout camp, but by ESPN's own account the offense still looked "pedestrian" for stretches. That's the honest version of this story: a talented young quarterback grinding through an install, not a finished product lighting up joint practices.
Dart doesn't have much to lean on right now, either. With Malik Nabers working his way back, Isaiah Likely emerged as the guy Dart trusted most in camp, which says as much about the state of the receiver room as it does about Likely's game. Once Nabers is fully cleared, the offense should look completely different, but until that happens, Dart's answering a lot of hard questions with a shorter cheat sheet than the fantasy hype from last spring suggested.
Remember, this is a guy who finished as the QB14 last season on 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and 487 rushing yards with 9 rushing scores in just 12 starts. Those 9 rushing touchdowns are a Giants franchise record for a quarterback and the third-most by a rookie QB ever, behind only Cam Newton and Billy Kilmer. That kind of rushing floor is exactly why dynasty managers fell in love with him last winter.
None of that has stopped his draft stock from sliding this summer. Dart has reportedly slipped from a QB8 range earlier in the offseason down toward QB11-to-QB13 territory now, with an overall ADP hovering around pick 90-to-121 depending on the site. A brand-new scheme, a shaky receiver depth chart behind Nabers, and a coaching staff still figuring out its own identity are the obvious culprits, and none of that is unfair given what camp actually looked like.
For fantasy purposes, that dip is the opportunity. Dart's rushing floor alone makes him a viable QB2 in most redraft formats, and if Nabers comes back healthy and the scheme clicks the way Harbaugh's stuff usually does in Baltimore, there's real QB1 upside sitting there at a QB11 price. He's not someone to chase in the first 8 rounds, but as a value pick once the board thins out, especially in superflex and dynasty leagues where his age-23 profile and legs still matter more than a clean camp tape, he's worth stashing.
Keep an eye on Likely's role once Nabers is back, since a real 2-tight-end or flex role for him would be a nice byproduct of the QB room searching for answers. Also worth tracking is the receiver room fight behind Nabers, where Odell Beckham Jr. is scrapping with Braxton Berrios and Dalen Cambre for a roster spot; whoever wins that battle becomes Dart's likely No. 3 option and a late-round dart throw in deeper leagues. The preseason games will tell us a lot more than joint practices ever could, so don't overreact to camp buzz in either direction just yet.