Week one in the NFL has arrived, and that means the journey to fantasy football glory has too. Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was at the top of nearly every draft board, as he could be in line for a record-breaking season. The Lions are set to open the 2026 campaign at home against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, and quarterback Jared Goff could get off to a hot start.
Without Cam Jordan threatening to sack Goff on Sunday, he has a great chance to get off to good start to kickoff the season. Of course, that's assuming the Lions' offensive line holds up in their first game together, but all signs are positive on that front with Jordan out.
According to NextGen Stats (NGS), Goff has averaged the fourth-most fantasy points per game (20.61) at home since 2022. However, the Saints should be worried about Goff for a couple more reasons.
Jared Goff could be ready to pick apart the Saints defense
The Saints allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards in the NFL last season (3,046), but it shouldn't matter when they're at Ford Field on Sunday. Their defense ran zone coverage 81.6% of the time in 2025, which was the third-highest rate in the league (NGS). Goff was elite against the zone last season, recording the second-most yards (3,425), touchdowns (18) and fantasy points (191), behind only Stafford.
The Lions last played the Saints on Dec. 3, 2023, in New Orleans. Detroit came away with a 33-28 victory, and Goff put together one of his best performances of the season with a passer rating of 117.6.
READ MORE: A confident Lions team is aiming to return to form in 2026
This time around, the Saints' defensive coordinator is Brandon Staley, and Goff has enjoyed playing his units in the past. The Lions faced the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 while Staley was head coach, and Goff torched his defense. The Lions put up over 40 points and Goff had 333 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
In the aforementioned matchup with the Chargers, Goff took zero sacks. Of course, the Lions' offensive line is much different in 2026, but the Saints will be without Cameron Jordan on Sunday, so it should help keep Goff upright. As long as he stays on his feet, Goff should have a strong start to the season.
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