Seahawks' Geno Smith or Lions' Jared Goff: Who should I start?

Geno Smith and Jared Goff are two quarterbacks in radically different situations heading into week 14 of the NFL season.

On the one hand is Geno Smith, a nine-year veteran quarterback playing as the starter for only the third season. The interesting part is that Smith started this season as a place-holding QB for the Seattle Seahawks as they contemplated which QB to select in a stacked 2023 QB Draft Class.

However, he has far exceeded expectations and led them to an improbable Playoff push. All in their first year without franchise legend Russell Wilson who forced a trade out of Seattle and into Denver.

Jared Goff's situation couldn't be more different, as the year seven veteran used to be a starter for a Super Bowl contender up until a blockbuster 2021 trade. The trade involved the Los Angeles Rams moving him and some picks to Detroit in exchange for Matthew Stafford.

The Rams won the trade, as they became 2022 Super Bowl champions, while Jared Goff has been left to rot calling shots for the Lions. He does his best to keep the Lions afloat and respectable, but most times, it feels like he's fighting a losing battle.

As such, we recommend starting Geno Smith rather than Jared Goff for week 14 of your fantasy league.

Why do we recommend starting Geno Smith rather than Jared Goff?

We recommend starting Geno Smith rather than Jared Goff due to the intangibles Smith brings to the field compared to Goff. First, Smith is playing with a chip on his shoulder this season, as he knows this is his last shot to be an NFL starting quarterback. He came into the season with that mentality, making the Broncos look silly for giving the Seahawks a king's ransom for Russ.

Smith is also playing on a much better side compared to the one that Goff is heralding. The Seahawks are decent defensively and solid offensively. Sadly, we cannot say the same about the Detroit Lions.

Finally, Smith has a very winnable week 14 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, while Goff's Lions face the Minnesota Vikings. We all know whose team will likely come out on top at the end of the week.

Geno Smith vs. Jared Goff - Key Stats

Smith is having a career year in the 2022 NFL season, with the West Virginia University alum stepping into Russell Wilson's big shoes. He is putting up a stat line of 3,169 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 12 games.

On the other hand, Goff has improved greatly across all statistical categories from his 2021 performance as QB1 for the Lions. He is currently putting up a stat line of 3,022 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 12 games played for the team this season.