As we inch closer to the fantasy football draft season, it’s time to start building a solid draft strategy. One approach I like to take each year is to not draft quarterbacks too high. There are plenty of viable quarterbacks to be had on the second-tier line that can put up solid numbers. After finishing as QB10 last season Jared Goff is a quarterback that fits this criteria. Can he finish as a top 5 quarterback in fantasy next season?
Stats Don’t Lie
If you decided to take a chance and draft Jared Goff last season you were rewarded. Goff finished with 290.3 fantasy points and averaged 17.1 FP per game. He had an impressive 29 passing touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. This propelled Goff to finish 1st in touchdown/interception ratio at (4.14) in 2022. Goff was also only sacked 23 times last season which was just behind Tom Brady (22) for the least amount of sacks in 17 games played. What that shows is Goff is making quicker decisions in the pocket and throwing the ball away if needed.
When you look closer at Jared Goff’s 2022 advanced quarterback statistics it’s hard to not be impressed. For example, he was tied for 4th in passing attempts that traveled 50+ yards. Goff was not afraid to move the ball down the field and as we pointed out was smart about when to take shots in the pocket. Also, factor in that Goff had the 5th most drops by his receivers at 34. Even with the emergence of Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions receiving core was middle of the pack at best.
Jared Goff’s Fantasy Outlook for 2023
Now the big question is, can Goff build on an impressive 2022? The Detroit Lions were able to retain offensive coordinator Ben Johnson this past offseason. Johnson was a hot commodity on the market and rightfully so as the Lions finished 3rd in total yards (6,460). Goff should thrive again in Johnson’s system in 2023.
Detroit also made headlines this offseason when they traded running back D’Andre Swift to the Eagles. Alabama rookie Jahmyr Gibbs takes his place and will be an asset to Goff in the passing game. The Lions also brought back receiver Marvin Jones Jr. in free agency. Jones will help bolster this receiving core and take some of the pressure off St. Brown.
As it stands now Jared Goff has an ADP of #96 overall. To me, this is great value if you can draft Goff in this range. In our recently updated fantasy football rankings, I have Goff as QB9 and trending upward. If the Lions offense can take another step forward, I could see Goff finishing as high as QB6. He won’t quite crack the top 5 but will be awfully close and at this ADP that would be a huge steal.
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