Golden Tate
Dec 14, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate (15) before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
I’m a Notre Dame fan, so it’s always a tad bittersweet when former Golden Domers find their way onto the Lions roster. In the end though, I’m happy they do well in the NFL and Tate certainly did just that last season. In his career-best year and first with the Lions, Tate hauled in 99 receptions for 1,331 yards and four TDs.
Tate’s reception total ranked him sixth in the NFL and if you owned him in a PPR league, you were loving his production — especially during the times that Johnson sat or was used at a lesser capacity to keep defenses honest. Stafford is a high volume passer and that isn’t likely to change, so it’s a good bet Tate has another solid year.
Approaching 100 grabs again in 2015 may not be in the cards for Tate and his TD numbers might remain low since he’s not a primary red zone target in the Lions offense. He will, however, get plenty of looks in short-to-intermediate routes and it seems safe to pencil him in for 75-85 receptions. If you’re in a PPR league, grab him in the middle rounds and watch the points roll up.
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