Okay, let’s talk about this Goff versus Fields thing. It pops up a lot, especially when you’re prepping for fantasy drafts or just thinking about quarterback situations. I actually spent some time digging into this myself recently, trying to figure out who I’d lean towards.
My Process: Goff vs. Fields
So, the first thing I did was just clear my head. You hear a lot of noise, right? Fields has this crazy upside, Goff is steady but maybe boring. I wanted to start fresh.
I grabbed my laptop and started pulling up some basic stuff from last season. Didn’t get too crazy with advanced stats, just the main things:
- Passing yards
- Touchdowns (passing and rushing)
- Interceptions
- Rushing yards (especially important for Fields)
Looking at the numbers, you see the story right away. Goff had a really solid year passing. Consistent, good yardage, managed the game well for the Lions. He doesn’t run much, obviously, that’s not his game.
Then you look at Fields. The passing numbers weren’t as good as Goff’s last year. More ups and downs. But, man, the rushing totals jump out. That’s where he racks up fantasy points like crazy. It’s a totally different style.
Digging Deeper Than Just Stats
Stats are cool, but they aren’t everything. The next step for me was thinking about the situation for each guy this year.
For Goff, things look pretty stable. He’s still in Detroit, same offensive coordinator Ben Johnson (which is huge!), great offensive line, and he’s got weapons like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and those running backs. It feels like a safe spot. You pretty much know what you’re gonna get: solid QB2 numbers, maybe low-end QB1 some weeks.
Now, Fields… this is where it got tricky. He got traded to the Steelers. Okay, new start. But then Pittsburgh also brought in Russell Wilson. I spent some time checking news feeds, reading reports from team insiders, just trying to get a feel for the QB room there. It became pretty clear, pretty fast, that Wilson is gonna be the starter, at least to begin the season. Fields is the backup.
That changed my whole perspective. A backup quarterback, even one with Fields’ running ability, isn’t someone you can rely on week-to-week in most fantasy leagues.
Making the Call
So, I laid it all out:
Goff:
- Pros: Proven starter, great offensive system, good weapons, consistent production, safe floor.
- Cons: Limited rushing upside, ceiling isn’t massive.
Fields:
- Pros: Elite rushing ability (massive ceiling if he plays), strong arm.
- Cons: Inconsistent passer, likely backup role to start the season, very low floor if he doesn’t play, new team/system.
Thinking about it practically, especially for something like a standard redraft fantasy league, the choice became much simpler after looking into the current situation.
Goff is the guy who’s actually going to be on the field, leading a good offense. You can plug him into your lineup and expect decent points most weeks. He’s reliable.
Fields has that lottery ticket appeal. If Wilson gets hurt or plays poorly, Fields could step in and potentially be a league-winner because of his legs. But you can’t draft him expecting immediate starter production. The risk is just way too high right now because he’s QB2 on the depth chart.
So, after going through that process – looking at past numbers, checking the current team situations, and weighing the reliability versus the potential upside – I landed pretty firmly on Jared Goff for immediate value and reliability. Fields is more of a stash, a hope-and-pray kind of player for now, unless something changes drastically in Pittsburgh.
That’s how I walked through it. It wasn’t just about who the ‘better’ player is in a vacuum, but who is in the better position to actually produce right now. Hope sharing my steps helps!
