Jared Goff vs Joe Flacco: Who Should You Start?
Two quarterbacks who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) finished the 2025 season averaging 17.9 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Joe Flacco (Cincinnati Bengals) came in at 12.1 PPG over 13 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Jared Goff carries a 5.8-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both lean on arm talent and offensive scheme as traditional pocket passers. Jared Goff threw for 4564 yards and 34 touchdowns, while Joe Flacco posted 2479 yards and 15 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
One scheduling note: Jared Goff is off Week 5 and Joe Flacco Week 12. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in quarterback for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
