Who Should I Start? Jared Goff or Taylor Heinicke

Sunday, February 22, 4:46 AM

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had another strong season in 2025, completing 68% of his passes for 4,563 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also lost five fumbles. Goff ranked as the overall QB9 in fantasy football, delivering his fourth consecutive top-10 finish. The Lions dealt with a lot of adversity last season, including the departure of superstar offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and Detroit ultimately missed the playoffs. However, from a fantasy perspective, Goff appeared unaffected. He turned in his lowest interception total since 2022, though his increased fumble total wasn't ideal. Part of Goff's fantasy success can be attributed to the superstar group of offensive weapons around him, but he deserves plenty of credit, too. The veteran quarterback has learned how to protect the football while still making aggressive passes that rack up yards or result in a touchdown. Goff doesn't have the rushing upside that makes so many fantasy quarterbacks great, but his talent as a passer keeps him in the top-10 range for 2026 redraft leagues. Dynasty managers might consider selling high on Goff, because he is a candidate for regression over the next few seasons, even if it doesn't happen right away.

Tuesday, August 26, 8:05 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers have released quarterback Taylor Heinicke, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Heinicke was outplayed in the preseason by Trey Lance, who has made the team and will serve as the backup to Justin Herbert in Los Angeles. The 32-year-old Heinicke has played seven seasons in the NFL and made 29 starts. He's been a capable backup for stretches of his career and should be able to find a new home rather quickly. For fantasy purposes, a Herbert injury would now make Lance a priority waiver-wire addition due to his dual-threat ability at the quarterback position.