Jared Goff Is A Sleeper QB Option In Fantasy Football, Again

Like a metronome, Jared Goff is primed to put up another season with at least 4,500 yards and 30+ touchdowns, yet he'll be drafted as a backup QB in most fantasy leagues this summer. Will you take advantage of the discount in your draft? Ian Hartitz breaks it down as part of his Detroit Lions Team Preview.

Where's the love for Jared Goff among the fantasy football community?

QB1: Jared Goff (QB18 in Fantasy Life ranks)
QB2: Teddy Bridgewater

The man has largely done nothing except smash preseason ADP in recent years.

2022: QB27 ADP, QB13 finish in fantasy points per game
2023: QB18 ADP, QB15 finish
2024: QB19 ADP, QB7 finish
2025: QB18 ADP, QB12 finish

Goff has ripped off three consecutive seasons with at least 4,500 passing yards. The rest of the NFL has *6* combined. Still only 31 years young, Goff is projected to throw for more passing yards than anyone not named Dak Prescott in our fantasy football projections. Only Joe Burrow and Matthew Stafford are projected to throw for more yards.

The only real question here is whether or not new playcaller Drew Petzing could mess things up. After all, the Cardinals ranked only 24th, 12th and 23rd in scoring during his three seasons in charge–should we really expect fireworks in Detroit?

Answer: Probably. This is still an offense LOADED with playmakers.

Lions rank in Supporting Cast Rating

2022: 9th
2023: 2nd
2024: 2nd
2025: 7th

Additionally, there's not much reason to expect an overly run-heavy approach in 2026 considering: 1.) Petzing's Cardinals led the league in pass attempts in 2025, and 2.) The team's decision to trade Montgomery this offseason.

Goff's utter lack of a rushing floor will continue to make him cheap in drafts and cause fantasy nerds to claim he has "no upside." Well, Goff has eight top-5 finishes during the last two seasons, which literally only trails Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow. That's it. That's the entire f*cking list. I'd say the man is pretty capable of putting up big point totals!

Admittedly, I don't like the idea of leaning on Goff in January, Chicago weather in Week 17 either, but fun fact: You have to win a lot of fantasy football matchups to make it to the championship in the first place. Goff is (again) an underrated late-round/second-QB option ESPECIALLY in leagues that reward more than four points for passing touchdowns.

Also note: Teddy Two Gloves is back to work as the backup QB. He didn't throw a regular-season pass in this role back in 2023 or 2024, but he did orchestrate a thrilling 73-yard touchdown drive when briefly thrust into action against the Commanders in the 2024 playoffs. Look at this execution!