After two seasons, the Detroit Lions have to be pretty happy that they were able to land Jared Goff in the Matthew Stafford deal along with a bevy of draft picks. Seen by some as a throw-in to sweeten the deal and give Detroit a forgettable bridge to a top-pick signal-caller, Goff has turned into a reliable performer who should help give the Lions their most realistic shot at the playoffs in a long time. Oh, and he’s turned into a decent fantasy football option too.
2023 Fantasy Football: Jared Goff Profile
Recap of 2022 season
Goff helped lead the Lions to a 9-8 record last year, their first season above .500 since 2017. Along the way, he threw for 4,438 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just seven picks.
Updated Lions outlook
The Lions have a projected win total of 9.5, and the over doesn’t feel like a stretch for the first time in a long time when it comes to this team. They brought back wide receiver Marvin Jones in the offseason, parting ways with DJ Chark. They made some draft picks who should instantly help, too. In the first round, the Lions picked Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who should be a solid upgrade over D’Andre Swift, who got traded. They also filled a need at tight end when they landed Iowa’s Sam LaPorta early in the second round. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown proved he can be a top wideout in the NFL while second-year receiver Jameson Williams could take a big step forward following a six-game suspension.
Best-case scenario
Goff may never be one of the league’s top-tier quarterbacks, but it feels like there’s still room under his ceiling. He could throw for 30+ touchdowns for the second time in his career this year if his receivers can stay healthy for most of the season.
Worst-case scenario
The pick-prone Goff we saw during his last two seasons with the Rams could return, putting a cap on his production and Detroit’s hopes. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that year’s performance was the outlier for Goff.
Prediction
The reality is that Goff’s numbers are going to end up looking a lot like they did last season. That’s enough to put him in the middle tier of fantasy quarterbacks.