With Jaxson Dart out, what's next for Giants, Jameis Winston?

Just like that, Jaxson Dart's sophomore season with the New York Giants is over.

The quarterback injured his left MCL and meniscus on the opening drive of the Giants' Week 2 game, wiping away all the optimism from the arrival of coach John Harbaugh and a season-opening win against the Dallas Cowboys. He is expected to have season-ending knee surgery, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo Wednesday.

Giants fans just don't seem to be allowed nice things these days. Really, how else do you explain it?

Even after Dart was injured against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, there was hope that there wouldn't be a "devastating outcome." But after further tests, that is exactly what it turned out to be.

This was supposed to be the season the Giants made the jump after seven wins in the past two seasons combined. Dart looked primed to become one of the league's better quarterbacks, especially if he was more efficient out of the pocket and protected himself better.

It all looked so promising with the way he played while dismantling the Cowboys the first week. And then it all came to a crashing halt five plays into the second game of the Giants' season, when he was high-lowed by Rams edge rushers Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart.

Just like that, everything changed.

ESPN's Giants reporter Jordan Raanan, national NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, analytics writer Seth Walder and fantasy football writer Michael Florio get into the implications of Dart's injury and its effect on the Giants going forward.

Is the Giants' 2026 season lost?

Lost? It's not like they were winning the Super Bowl anyway. As one NFL assistant coach said after watching their first two games in primetime, they "still have a lot of holes" on their roster.

But with Dart, the Giants could've -- should've -- been a playoff contender. At the very least, the expectation was to be part of the "In the Hunt" graphic shown when outlining the playoff picture come December.

If Dart made massive leaps as a passer, the Giants would have been a dangerous out. Now they'll be lucky to flutter around .500 with veteran Jameis Winston as their starter. (He of the 36-53 career record as a starter.)

The Giants believe in him, though.

"Jameis is one of our guys who obviously is here for a reason," Harbaugh said. "He's a very good football player."

He's just not anywhere near as dynamic as Dart and struggled mightily in Monday night's 28-6 loss to the Rams. -- Raanan

Should the Giants have serious concerns about Dart's viability as their QB of the future considering his injury history?

It seems premature to come to this conclusion. Sure, Dart spent an inordinate amount of time in the blue medical tent as a rookie. But the reality is he missed only two games with a concussion.

This injury to his knee has nothing to do with a reckless style of play or even his desire to run. It came on a normal third-down dropback. He was hit 3.1 seconds after the snap on a play that was out of sync from the start.

Harbaugh came to the Giants in part because he watched Dart's tape and was convinced this was his best chance among the available options to win. Nothing he saw from the summer or opener should sway him otherwise.

The Giants organization truly believes Dart is going to be one of the league's best quarterbacks and, with the way he works and cares about football, the rehab and comeback won't be anything he can't handle. -- Raanan

How does the offense adjust under Winston?

It's going to look different. Winston doesn't have the same running ability as Dart. That much was obvious against the Rams when Winston rushed for 1 yard in three-plus quarters. That will hurt their traditional running game, too, since they designed an offense around Dart's athletic skill set.

But the Giants believe Winston is a capable quarterback who can win them games. They didn't want it to be over a 15-game stretch, but there is a reason they handed the veteran a two-year, $13 million extension earlier this month.

The problem is that the Jameis experience comes with fire quotes, plenty of chuckles and a wide range of play. It's not uncommon to see a spectacular tight-window throw down the field followed by a pass that sails 15 yards over a receiver's head. It will be on this veteran offensive coaching staff, led by coordinator Matt Nagy, to limit the latter. Don't ask Winston to do too much. Rely on the physical running game to downplay his proclivity for mistakes and interceptions.

Jake Haener, who joined the team mid-summer, will serve as Winston's backup for now. Don't be surprised to see veteran Brandon Allen re-signed, either. -- Raanan

Should New York consider signing or trading for another QB, or will it roll with Winston?

Yes, the Giants should consider it, but they are only as good as their options. And options are scarce. Jimmy Garoppolo is the most viable free agent option, but he has considered retirement, and it's uncertain whether either side is interested.

The best play might be making a phone call to Minnesota, where J.J. McCarthy is buried on the depth chart. Some teams I've talked to believe that McCarthy could come at a value because he does not appear to be in the Vikings' long-term plans.

And the Giants did heavy homework on the 2024 quarterback draft class. But for at least one week, the Giants can see what Winston will do with a full week of game-planning around his skill set. -- Fowler

What does ESPN's Football Power Index say about the Giants' hope to stay in contention?

It says those hopes vanished. With Dart out for at least the foreseeable future, the Giants fell all the way to 32nd in FPI's rankings. Yes, last. I'm surprised the fall was that severe, too. But the model was particularly bullish on Dart, a young quarterback who had shown promise, so it seems the drop-off between him and Winston is large. Winston recorded a 17.2 QBR in relief against the Rams on Monday night.

The Giants' projections have taken a tremendous hit. Heading into Week 2, sitting at 1-0 and with a healthy Dart, the Giants had a 43% chance to make the playoffs. One quarterback injury (and a blowout loss) later, that dropped to 1%.

The good news? The Giants now have an 11% chance to earn the No. 1 draft pick in April -- though Giants fans must be distraught that we're already talking about their draft slot in September. -- Walder

How does the change at QB impact Giants players in fantasy?

Winston is the next man up. While that has meant good things for his receivers in the past, his play looked rough Monday. Winston is purely an option for superflex leagues and is more of a depth QB3 than a starter.

Given Winston's past tendencies to lock in and pepper his top wide receiver with targets, him throwing to Malik Nabers provides fantasy hope. While this news drops Nabers into more of the WR2 range for the rest of the season, he still brings upside given his immense talent ... just expect more weekly volatility as well.

Isaiah Likely remains a TE1, even though his fantasy ceiling takes a hit here. While this news could mean the Giants become a more run-heavy offense, that would help keep Cam Skattebo afloat for managers. His fantasy value still takes a slight hit as there will be fewer consistent scoring chances without Dart, but he should see enough volume to remain in the low-end RB2 range. -- Florio