Jared Goff makes a solid debut with Lions in Week 1 NFL preseason

Jared Goff looked decent in his first game in a Detroit Lions uniform on Friday night in a 16-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He led the Lions to an 18-play field goal drive in his second of two series he saw the field in their first preseason game.

Stats

Goff completed 7 of 9 passes for 56 yards and did not throw a touchdown or interception. He also had one rushing attempt for four yards.

Analysis

Goff and the Lions offense did not look great in the first series, but they rebounded for a nice drive and can send their new quarterback into Week 2 with some confidence. With a sample size of two drives, it’s tough to take too much away from that. He also did not have starting wide receiver Breshad Perriman. The Lions will likely take a step back at the quarterback position in the Goff-for-Matthew Stafford swap and will look different offensively. Still, it was good to see Goff lead the Lions to a key drive early on.

Fantasy implications

Despite an okay performance in his first preseason game, this doesn’t change the fact that Goff is not likely to be a huge fantasy football difference-maker in 2021. He did not light up the stat sheet with the Los Angeles Rams, and he is joining a team that might have the worst wide receiver corps in the league. Goff’s yards per completion stat wasn’t too impressive, and it’s tough to get excited for what this passing game can be. If he gets drafted in fantasy leagues, he’s a late-round QB who should be looked at as a quarterback No. 3 for your fantasy team. There are many more options with better upside we’d advise you to go after.