NFL Fantasy: Opinions Differ on QBs Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff
Former Cal quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff are of interest to NFL Fantasy experts this week, but those experts differ on whether Fantasy players should start or site Goff and Rodgers.
In fact, CBS Sports and NFL.com have exact opposite advice on those two players.
CBS Sports recommends starting Rodgers against the Giants, with this comment:
Rodgers is starting to get rolling with three consecutive games with 20 Fantasy points. Does he have a higher ceiling than that? Let's hope so, and we'll see if he can light up this Giants defense in London in Week 5. Ryan Tannehill in Week 1 scored 22 Fantasy points against the Giants, and he's the only quarterback to top 14 points against New York this year. That's probably because the other three opponents have been Baker Mayfield, Cooper Rush and Justin Fields. This is Rodgers' first trip to London, and he should put on a show. His receivers are starting to make plays with Romeo Doubs, Allen Lazard, Robert Tonyan and Christian Watson all making an impact over the past two games against Tampa Bay and New England. This could be Rodgers' breakout game of the season.
And CBS Sports puts Goff under its "Bust Alert" category, suggesting he will have a tough time against the Patriots. Here's its reasoning.
Goff was listed as a sleeper in Week 4 against Seattle, and he had a monster performance with 41 Fantasy points. That's now two games this season with at least 34 Fantasy points, but he should struggle this week at New England. His two best games have come at home, and he scored just 15 Fantasy points in his lone road game at Minnesota in Week 3. While Goff was great in Week 4 without Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) and D.J. Chark (ankle), he will likely need those guys against the Patriots. This New England defense is not as formidable as in past years, allowing an average of 23.5 Fantasy points per game, but part of that is Lamar Jackson going off for 46 points in Week 3. Goff is fine as a starter in 14-team leagues, but he's not a must-start option in 12-team leagues or smaller.
NFL.com has a very different take. NFL.com lists Goff as one of four quarterbacks Fantasy players should start this week, making this argument:
Raise your hand if you thought Goff, without his top playmakers, would be the QB1 in Week 4! Who out there thought he would be a top-five fantasy QB at this point? Guessing not many, but here we are with the top-scoring Lions offense. What also helps is the Lions have been torched on defense all year long. So, no matter who they play and how many points Goff and the offense put up, it’s not enough. They need to keep throwing and scoring to keep up with their defense. Plus, the Pats defense is not as scary as it usually is. In fact, they’ve allowed the ninth-most fantasy PPG to QBs (20.45). Until we see otherwise, Goff is a QB1 this week and moving forward.
And NFL.com suggests that Fantasy players sit Rodgers this week against the Giants, making its case with this.
Rodgers is a two-time reigning MVP who has been one of the best fantasy QBs in the game since he stepped on the field. That is until this year. Rodgers has scored under 17 fantasy points every game this season. He has not topped 260 passing yards in a game or thrown for more than two touchdowns. He also does not run at all anymore, and he is not throwing as much or as efficiently as in recent years. That all equals up to a QB2 in fantasy football. Which is exactly what Rodgers has been, as his next top-10 finish will be his first. Plus, the Giants have been stingy, limiting QBs to just 13.8 fantasy PPG. Rodgers is purely a QB2 this week and moving forward.
So what do other Fantasy sites say?
The Sporting News lists Rodgers among its "Stronger Starts" for this week, with this brief rationale:
Aaron Rodgers, Packers (vs. NYG in London). He won't need to do a ton, but the Giants' secondary stinks, so 250 yards and two TDs are easy pickings.
But The Sporting News has Goff among its "Weaker Starts" and provides this assessment:
Jared Goff, Lions (at NE). Bill Belichick will find a way to fluster him, too.
However, Pro Football Focus has a different opinion about Rodgers, labeling him and Matthew Stafford as the two quarterbacks Fantasy players should sit this week. Here is PFF's reasoning on Rodgers:
--Rodgers currently sits at QB21 on the season, with no single week as a top-12 fantasy quarterback.
--He faces a Giants team that has averaged only 200 passing yards allowed to quarterbacks so far this season, the seventh-lowest mark.
--Rodgers’ yards per attempt has dropped from 8.2 when facing zone defenses to 7.4 when facing zone man over the last two seasons.
--The Giants have run man defense on the fourth-higher percentage of pass plays compared to every other team.
Obviously there is no consensus regarding what to do with Goff and Rodgers this week, so it depends on which Fantasy experts you trust. Some luck is involved too.
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Cover photo of Jared Goff by Jeffrey Becker, USA TODAY Sports
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