Rookie Report Card: Jared Goff and Leonte Carroo
Each week throughout the season, I’ll cover at least two rookies in the Rookie Report Card and try to always include the biggest performers from that particular week. On top of reviewing my expectations for each player coming into the league and covering how he’s performed at the NFL level to this point, I’ll actually give him a grade in three categories. Those categories are performance to date, 2016 potential and long term upside.
The series continues with a look at Jared Goff and Leonte Carroo.
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Jared Goff, QB LA
Week 12 Stats: 20/32 (62.5%) passing, 214 yards, three touchdown passes, one interception
Although many thought that of the two, Goff was more “day one ready” than fellow rookie Carson Wentz, he was the one who had to wait a few months to get his first NFL start under his belt. After a relatively lackluster debut against the Dolphins in week 11, he filled the box score against the Saints on Sunday to the tune of 214 passing yards and three touchdowns.
So how should fantasy owners digest the rookie’s first big fantasy day?
First, he looked really good… in the first half.
Goff got off to a hot start on the Rams’ first series, completing a 31-yarder to Todd Gurley and throwing an impressive rainbow to Tavon Austin for a 24-yard score. The toss to Gurley out of the backfield was a busted coverage but the throw to Austin was a beautiful one. With the Saints blitzing, he locked in on Austin in the left slot, who was in man-to-man coverage. Austin ran a quality flag route and Goff feathered a perfect pass over his outside shoulder for the score.
Although we all knew from his time at Cal that Goff has the ability to read a defense and excellent touch on his throws, it was encouraging this early in his time on the field to see him identify the blitz before the snap, stand in the pocket with a free rusher bearing down on him, and make an accurate throw with perfect touch to make the defense pay for blitzing.
Another part of Goff’s game that onlookers were interested to see translate from college to the pro level is his quick decision-making and release. That was also on display in the first half on Sunday following a Saints turnover. On the first play after getting the ball, Goff took the shotgun snap, faked a handoff to Gurley and instantly slung the ball to his right to Kenny Britt on a quick slant for a six-yard score. He got the ball out quickly on the play, was very accurate, and put good zip on his pass to give the receiver a chance to make a move and get into the end zone.
On his third touchdown pass of the first half, Goff displayed yet another of his strengths from college – timing and anticipation. On second-and-ten from the 15 yard line, with less than a minute left in the first half, he dropped in the pocket from the shotgun and threw a bullet to Lance Kendricks on a hitch at the two-yard line. Kendricks made the catch and battled his way into the end zone for the score but the most Impressive part of the play came from the pocket. Goff stepped up in the pocket, released the throw before Kendricks had even made his break, and hit him directly between the numbers. It was a strong throw against the zone that was delivered on time and with pin-point control which is incredibly impressive to see from a rookie in just his second start.
Overall in the first half, Goff was decisive and accurate with a quick release and good footwork in the pocket to avoid the rush and keep the Rams on schedule. To go along with his touchdown throws, his back shoulder throw to Britt early in the first quarter was perfectly placed and the strike he threw to Kendricks on third and two late in the first half was impressive considering he took a few steps out of the pocket first, reset his feet the best he could, and threw a dart despite not being able to get everything behind the throw.
Goff was brilliant in the first half, completing 12 of 20 passes for 167 yards and three scores, and we saw many of the strengths that he displayed at Cal during that first 30-minutes of football. Unfortunately, we saw a couple of the weaknesses that he showed in college during the second half.
Goff looked like a completely different passer after halftime. He completely telegraphed his interception in the third quarter by locking on to Kendricks and throwing into traffic, and struggled to feel the rush in the pocket. Almost walking into sacks, he was no longer avoiding the rush by stepping up in the pocket. Instead, he looked lost on a few drop backs, retreating backwards and into the outside rush rather than letting them run past by moving forward.
Through two games, Goff has been inconsistent but looked brilliant at times. He hasn’t appeared nearly as comfortable under center as he has from the shotgun which many anticipated due to him working out the gun almost exclusively in college, so he needs become more accustomed to working at the line of scrimmage – especially considering the Rams want to be a run-first offense.
Although I was more of a Wentz fan than a Goff fan during draft season, I still liked Goff and felt like he had low-end QB1 upside due to his accuracy, arm strength and quick release. Seeing him play two games isn’t going to change those thoughts one way of another but at the very least, watching him play so well for a half certainly helps dynasty owners be more confident in their rookie quarterback.
Goff can’t be trusted enough to put in a fantasy lineup just yet but has the upside to be a regular QB2 as soon as next season.
Leonte Carroo, WR MIA
Week 12 Stats: one reception, 15 yards, one touchdown reception (one target)
Being a fan of Big Ten football, I had a lot of opportunities to watch Carroo at Rutgers. Every time I watched him play, I came away thinking he had a bright NFL future as a possession receiver.
Due to how physical he is, Carroo is strong off the line of scrimmage and doesn’t have a lot of trouble getting off of press coverage. A good route runner, he has sharp footwork at the top of his breaks and accelerates well to get separation on short to intermediate routes. Also strong at the point of the catch, he doesn’t have a problem going over the middle or making a catch in traffic.
Although he isn’t getting a lot of playing time and has only made three catches so far as a rookie, I still feel like Carroo has upside to be a fantasy contributor as an underneath pass catcher at some point in the future. One of the reasons why I feel that way was on display on Sunday.
Early in the fourth quarter on second and 12 from the 15-yard line, Carroo lined up in the slot to the right and ran a five-yard out. After a sharp break on his route, he made the catch in stride and immediately turned up field. Although cornerback Jimmie Ward made contact with him at the eight yard line, he stiff armed and powered through the smaller defensive back, carrying him to the end zone.
Carroo is powerful and physical and showed those skills on his first career touchdown on Sunday. Although he doesn’t appear to have the speed (4.50 40-yard dash) to be a consistent vertical threat in the NFL, his size (6’-0”, 211 pounds), route running and physical run after catch abilities remind me at times of Anquan Boldin – which is a lofty comparison, no doubt.
Carroo has gotten off to a bit of a slow start to his career (unlike Boldin) but has the upside to be a fantasy contributor as a WR3/flex play if he continues to hone his skills as a route runner and stay out of trouble and out of the coaches dog house off the field, which was a problem for him in college.
Currently buried behind Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills in Miami, Carroo’s short term upside is limited due to him having an uphill battle for playing time. His situation, no matter how bleak it may be, creates a potential buying window however. Dynasty owners looking to add a developmental wide out should consider inquiring about the former Scarlett Knight. If he ends up half as good as Boldin, he’ll be a steal at his current cost.
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- League Tycoon: Dynasty Salary Cap Fantasy Football - December 15, 2023
- Final Dynasty Rookie Report Card: Wide Receivers, Part Two - March 22, 2023
- 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Offensive Player Dynasty Review - March 10, 2023
