Jared Goff - Fantasy Points Outlook

What You Need to Know:

• Goff's first season with the Lions turned up six top-14 fantasy weeks. He maxed out as the QB6 (vs. Minnesota).
• He tossed 0 TDs in 5 outings, hurt by a Lions offense that lacked depth and reliable pass volume. Goff tossed 30 or fewer passes 5 times.
• Goff played through an oblique injury in Week 10, forcing 1 absence. He missed Week 16 on the COVID list and Week 17 with a knee injury.
• T.J. Hockenson and D’Andre Swift also combined to miss 9 games.
• Goff’s play did improve down the stretch, right alongside the emergence of Amon-Ra St. Brown. Goff hit 2+ TD passes in 4 of his final games. He completed 69.6% of his passes over that stretch.
• Per Pro Football Reference, Goff ranked 26th among 33 qualifiers in net yards per attempt. He sat 22nd in TD rate; 12th in completion rate.
• The latter mark isn’t too surprising considering his 6.4-yard average depth of target. That set a career low and ranked last in the above sample.
• Following seasons with 2, 2 and 4 rushing scores, Goff posted 0 rushing TDs in ’21.
• The ’22 Lions let OC Anthony Lynn walk. New OC Ben Johnson takes over after serving as the team’s TE coach. It’s not yet clear if Johnson or HC Dan Campbell will call plays.
• St. Brown talked up Johnson’s role in OTAs. Note that Johnson assumed the role of pass-game coordinator in the middle of last season. “I think Ben stepping in halfway through the season really helped us as an offense with the pass game. I love him,” St. Brown said. “I think he’s one of the better coaches I’ve ever been around, and I’m super excited for him to be the offensive coordinator.”
• The Lions added free agent WR D.J. Chark as a vertical field stretcher. However, he missed most of 2021 with an ankle fracture.
• Detroit used a Round 1 pick on Alabama speedster Jameson Williams. Coming off a December ACL tear, though, he’s no better than 50/50 to play Week 1.
• Led by OTs Taylor Decker and Penei Swell, Goff’s O-line at least profiles as an asset.
• Per Lions beat writer Kyle Meinke, “the table is set for [Jared] Goff to improve dramatically this season.” Goff might enter the spot-start radar for fantasy, but a lack of rushing upside makes him a clear QB2 for season-long projecting.

Draft Sharks Bottom Line:

Last year, Goff showed flashes of why he was the top pick back in 2016.

Ultimately, he finished just outside the top-20 in fantasy PPG.

While his supporting cast improved for 2022, Goff’s unlikely to be a go-to streamer this fall.