The Detroit Lions did not draft a quarterback this year, and that makes Jared Goff a clear post-draft winner in fantasy football.
Whether you think he’s closer to the quarterback he was late last season that what he was early or not, it’s clear Jared Goff has a lot at stake during the 2022 season. Not just for his possible future as the Detroit Lions quarterback, but for his career.
There was some mock draft sentiment the Lions could draft a quarterback this year, perhaps as early as No. 2 overall. That didn’t happen, and then they passed on what was considered a lackluster quarterback class completely.
With only Tim Boyle and David Blough as his backups, Goff has great job security as the Lions starting quarterback for the 2022 season. If not for a positive COVID test and a couple injuries, he would have started all 17 games last season. Only an injury will prevent him from actually doing so in 2022, barring a situation-jarring trade for Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo.
Jared Goff lands as clear post-draft fantasy football winner
Ian Hartitz of Pro Football Focus listed post-draft fantasy football winners by position. The criteria is straight forward (talent added, competition not added, etc.)
Goff was on the quarterback list of post-draft fantasy winners. If Hartitz was ranking them, and it appears he was, the Lions’ signal caller almost feels too low at No. 5 out of the five “winner” signal callers.
Here’s what Hartitz wrote:
"Just like Mills and Lock, Goff isn’t shooting up the ranks in fantasy land, but he’s also suddenly projected to start 17 games after the Lions refrained from adding a single quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft. He’ll also have two new weapons at his disposal in electric field-stretching wide receiver Jameson Williams and underrated pass-catching tight end James Mitchell. Goff wasn’t anything overly special last season as a fantasy asset but did at least turn in four separate top-12 performances. He’s a fine QB3 to finish off a best-ball roster with, particularly if you already took Williams or Amon-Ra St. Brown."
I’m a little higher on Goff than Hartitz is, putting him in the QB2 (top-24) conversation as a fantasy quarterback for 2022. There’ll be better talent and more harmonious structure around him from the start this year, so a push past streamer consideration in the right matchups could easily be coming.