EAST RUTHERFORD — Brian Daboll made it no secret when he appeared on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants.’ He wanted Jayden Daniels to be his next quarterback. Of course, the Giants never had a realistic chance to trade up with Washington for the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft in April. So the Giants pivoted to surrounding incumbent quarterback Daniel Jones with the most possible talent, selecting wide receiver Malik Nabers with the No. 6 pick. But now Daboll must face Daniels and the Commanders as the Giants prepare to travel to Washington this weekend. “Looks like a good football player to me,” Daboll said Wednesday when asked if Daniels looked like a rookie in his first career start this past Sunday. “He’s athletic, he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands whether he’s a passer or a runner.” Despite falling 37-20 to the Buccaneers in Week 1 on the road, the Commanders are currently a 1.5-point favorite for Sunday’s game. That’s because they’re at home, because of how bad the Giants looked in their 28-6 loss to the Vikings at home, and because Daniels has already shown he’s going to be a dynamic play-maker for Washington’s offense. “He’s a good quarterback that definitely did some good things that we saw in college on tape,” Daboll said. The rookie ranked seventh in total yards (272) among all NFL quarterbacks in Week 1. He completed 71 percent of his passes for 184 yards and carried the ball 16 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns. He did also fumble three times, but Washington recovered all of them. It’s an entirely different matchup from Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, who ran only three times against the Giants but still torched them by completing 19-of-24 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. “I think (there’s) a difference between like a Lamar Jackson and a Jayden Daniels just on the simple fact of the experience,” outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said. “For younger dudes, you see more of a one read, run; one read, run. So it’ll be similar to where it may be hard to sack him or it may he’s gonna be moving around the pocket and if his first read isn’t there, he’s taking off running. But like I said, just continuing to stay disciplined in your rush, disciplined in your game plan.” It’s an awkward situation for Daboll considering that his own quarterback is coming off a horrific opener in which Jones averaged merely 4.4 yards per pass attempt with no touchdowns and two interceptions. When asked about the sixth-year pro’s confidence level coming off that deflating performance, Daboll noted that it was only one game and “no one did good enough that first game.” But he also talked about building relationships with players and the importance of mental toughness. “Keeping a positive attitude, doing the things that you need to do each and every week to prepare for a game, which he’ll do,” Daboll said. “And then handling things with the right mindset. Be able to persevere through things, let your passion show, have competitive stamina. Mental toughness is a real thing.” Jones said he believes his mental toughness is in a good spot, despite taking even more heat than usual from fans who waited outside to boo Jones when he exited the stadium. “They’re upset and frustrated, and we’re frustrated, too,” Jones said. “So I understand that. I’m not easily offended. I understand how it works, and I know I’ve got to play better. We’ve all got to play better.” Injury Report Wide receiver Darius Slayton (concussion protocol), wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (groin), linebacker Darius Muasau (knee) and cornerback Nick McCloud didn’t practice Wednesday. Slayton, Muasau and McCloud worked off to the side of the practice fields with trainers, suggesting their absences may not be long-term. But Olszewski, the primarily punt returner during training camp, was not spotted during practice and is likely to go on injured reserve. “It’s going to be weeks here for him,” Daboll said. “How many weeks, not sure quite yet, but you won’t see him for at least a few weeks.” The Giants signed wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette on Monday, and he’s a candidate to serve as the punt returner on Sunday, especially if Slayton can’t go. Smith-Marsette returned 37 punts for 322 yards and one touchdown with Carolina last season. Inside linebacker Micah McFadden, who didn’t play in the opener, was listed as a full participant in practice despite nursing a groin injury and should be a full go for the Washington game.