Golden Tate

After four and a half productive seasons with the Lions and a lost half-year in Philadelphia, Tate signed a three-year deal with the Giants this offseason, replacing Odell Beckham Jr. opposite Sterling Shepard. But while the Giants needed receiver depth, Tate was an odd signing for a few reasons: (1) The Giants are rebuilding, and Tate turns 31 in August; (2) Tate is a short-pass-catching slot receiver whose skill set overlaps with Shepard's; and (3) both tight end Evan Engram and tailback Saquon Barkley also figure to operate in the short areas of the field, i.e., the Giants needed a field-stretcher like DeSean Jackson rather than Tate. At 5-10, 197, Tate is strong and quick, and he ran a 4.42 40 at the 2010 combine. Tate's best skill is breaking tackles and running after the catch - he ranked top-2 among wideouts in yards after the catch in 2016 and 2017. He's also been incredibly durable, missing only one game since 2010 (last year he played only 15 games because the trade to the Eagles gave him a second bye week). Tate's per-play production (7.5 YPA) was roughly in line with his career marks before he was traded to the Eagles, so if he's lost a step it's not obvious yet. The bigger issue is the crowded slot area in which he'll operate in New York, along with the likelihood of substandard quarterback play from an on-his-last-legs Eli Manning. As if that weren't problematic enough, Tate will be suspended four games for a failed drug test he attributes to a fertility treatment.

Every year Tate gives you what you'd expect - 90-odd receptions for 1,000-ish yards and a handful of TDs. If that's not golden, it's at least silver, especially in this WR environment. Tate can make an occasional big play - seven catches for 40-plus over the last two years spanning 255 targets - but short receptions and yards after the catch (he led all wideouts in YAC the last two years) are his bread and butter. Don't expect an increase in TDs, either, as Tate was targeted only seven times in the red zone, and only twice inside the 10. At 5-10, 197, Tate is stout and strong, and he's fast too - 4.42 40 - which explains why he's hard to bring down and gets so many yards once he breaks a tackle. He's also durable, missing only one game since 2010. Expect him to reprise his role as Matthew Stafford's go-to chain mover while teammates Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay track deeper throws and man the red zone.

Tate did almost nothing until Week 6, thanks to a fast start by his teammate Marvin Jones. But from Week 6 until the end of the year, Tate was the team's clear No. 1 WR, while Jones virtually disappeared from the face of the earth. Over Tate's last 11 games, he had 71 catches for 889 yards and all four of his touchdowns, numbers that prorate to 103 catches for 1,293 yards and five TDs over a full 16 games. At 5-10, 197, Tate is stoutly built and tough to bring down after the catch. He also has good downfield speed, but in the Lions' new dink and dunk scheme he rarely runs downfield routes -- just 13 catches for 20 or more yards. As a result his per-play efficiency was pedestrian -- 11.8 YPC, 8.0 YPT, but significantly better than his abysmal showing in 2015. Tate should reprise his role as the team's top target this season. While Jones is still around, he apparently fell out of favor with Matt Stafford, and tight end Eric Ebron has struggled with injuries and consistency. Third round draft pick Kenny Golladay could compete for targets, especially in the red zone, but he's probably more of a threat to Jones, and the team lacks depth at the position beyond those three. Running back Theo Riddick will siphon off 100-odd targets as he's an important piece in the team's short-passing game, but Tate is likely to get his -- especially in PPR formats.

Two years ago he was Platinum Tate. Last year? Barely Bronze. Tate's per-play numbers cratered in 2015 -- his YPC went from 13.4 to 9.0, and his YPT went from a robust 9.2 to an abysmal 6.4 (31st of the league's 32 100-target receivers). It's hard to pinpoint why the Lions stopped looking for him downfield (only seven catches of 20-plus yards, and just one of 40-plus), as Tate had always been a big-play weapon since his days in Seattle. At 5-10, 202, Tate isn't tall, but he's stout, strong and able to break tackles after the catch. He's also fast -- sporting a 4.42 40-yard dash time -- as well as elusive in the open field. While Tate's numbers were disappointing (zero 100-yard games, six scores on 128 targets), he'll garner a large proportion of QB Matt Stafford's attention with Calvin Johnson retired, leaving a third-consecutive 90-catch season firmly in the cards, giving him a nice floor in PPR leagues. Marvin Jones and Anquan Boldin were brought in to replace Johnson, but they are unlikely to absorb the entirety of Johnson's departed 149 targets. However, tight end Eric Ebron, and the team's duo of pass-catching backs (Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah) will have significant roles in the passing game, too.

All Tate did in Seattle was make big plays in limited opportunities, and in Detroit he finally saw No. 1 receiver volume. The result was an efficient (9.2 YPT, 10th) 99-catch, 1,331-yard season, though Tate's lack of touchdowns held him back in standard scoring formats. At 5-10, 195, Tate isn't much of a red-zone option (his 14 looks tied for 25th), and that was with Calvin Johnson — one of the top red-zone targets in NFL history — missing three full games and parts of two others. Tate is fast (4.42 40), quick, strong for his size, unafraid to catch balls in traffic and tough to bring down after the catch, so he provides easily the best complement Johnson has ever had. And the Lions' lack of depth behind their top two should ensure Tate a good target floor. But Matthew Stafford's inconsistency and the team's suddenly stout defense make it hard to see a huge ceiling here, barring a significant Johnson injury.

The Lions have been looking for a viable complement to Calvin Johnson for a while. Tate might be their best candidate yet. Playing with Russell Wilson in Seattle the last two years, Tate never cleared 100 targets, but he was highly efficient with the chances he got, posting YPT marks of 10.3 and 9.2, respectively. At 5-10, 202, he is stout, strong and compact, and he has good speed (4.42 40) and playmaking ability (seven catches for 40-plus the last two seasons.) Lining up opposite Johnson, Tate will see single coverage on nearly every snap in what should remain a pass-heavy offense under new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, and there’s no established No. 3 WR or dominant tight end with whom to contend. The Lions will still throw heavily to both of their backs, and Johnson will require a big slice of the pie, but Tate should have a bigger workload than he did in Seattle.

Tate earned his keep last year as the team's downfield playmaker – he averaged 10.3 YPT, second in the NFL among the league's 71 60-target WR. Moreover, five of his 45 catches (on 67 targets) were for 40 or more yards, the same number Calvin Johnson had on 204 targets and 122 catches. At 5-10, 202, Tate isn't big, but he's strong and compact and has good speed when he hits his top gear. It's unclear, however, what his role will be now that Percy Harvin – a faster, more explosive and more athletic version – is the team's lead dog. Sidney Rice is also still around, so it's hard to see Tate exceeding last year's workload.

Tate enters training camp as the number three receiver on the depth chart, which sounds pretty good until you see that Sidney Rice and Mike Williams are ahead of him. Tate struggled mightily in his rookie year, finishing with only 21 catches for 277 yards and one touchdown. He may be able to find some more space this season thanks to Rice and Williams, but it's hard to see a big fantasy season from Tate.

A second-round draft pick, Tate has received a lot of preseason hype after a standout career at Notre Dame. Seattle's lackluster WR unit gives Tate an opportunity to climb the depth chart, but keep in mind the track record of rookie receivers in the NFL. And while Tate is a gifted after-the-catch runner, he's not a burner or downfield threat, something the Seahawks need. He's small at 5-10, and scouts question his upper-body strength, which could make getting off the line difficult against bumb-and-run coverage. Tate has upside, but there will be better lottery tickets in most fantasy drafts.