Week 13 vs. Green Bay Packers
Golden Tate was held to just 33 yards on three receptions last week against the Bears, but he did find the end zone, giving him his sixth straight double-digit PPR game. He ended the contest in concussion protocol, so his status this week is questionable. Fantasy owners will want to watch the injury report carefully for any last-minute news.
If he does start, he’s a steady option, particularly in PPR formats, against a Packers defense that ranks 17th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers this season. We have him ranked as a WR3 in a nice matchup, but fantasy owners should be sure to keep track of the injury report leading up to game time in case he can’t clear concussion protocol and he’s a late scratch.
Update: Tate is inactive, so make sure you get him out of your lineup.
Week 12 at Chicago Bears
Golden Tate has been steady for the Giants since coming off suspension, averaging 5.5 catches, 69.5 yards and 0.5 touchdowns per game this season. Since he’s only played one game with Sterling Shepard in the lineup, it’s hard to tell what kind of impact a potential Shepard return will have on Tate’s targets – currently 8.3 per game – but the Giants definitely see value in looking to Tate often. He’s second on the team in targets and receiving yards despite playing in only six games.
This week, Tate should be used with caution, regardless of whether or not Shepard starts. If Shepard is active, the lack of Evan Engram should still benefit Tate from a target perspective, but he’ll be facing a tough Bears defense that is tied for fifth this season in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. We have him ranked as a WR3 option and that’s how fantasy owners should use him.
Week 10 at New York Jets
Golden Tate only gained 42 receiving yards on Monday night against the Cowboys, but he caught all six balls thrown his way and added 16 rushing yards to his total. He’s averaging 8.4 targets and 5.8 receptions per game, giving him a high fantasy floor, particularly in PPR formats. Sterling Shepard reportedly going back into concussion protocol increases the likelihood that Tate remains the primary receiving target for the Giants.
This week, Tate should get additional looks with Evan Engram out as well. He faces a Jets defense that ranks 26th in the league in aFPA to opposing wide receivers and just allowed three touchdowns to the duo of Preston Williams and DeVante Parker a week ago. Tate should be active as a low-end WR2 option in PPR formats, or a decent WR3 in standard leagues.
Week 9 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Golden Tate has been super steady over the past three games with Sterling Shepard sidelined. He has averaged 10 targets per game during that span and caught eight balls for 85 yards against the Lions last week. Tate has been a reliable fantasy option, particularly in PPR formats, and he should continue to be so for the remainder of the season, particularly if Shepard continues to miss time.
This week, Tate faces a Cowboys defense that ranks 13th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers this year and shut down the Eagles’ wide receiver corps before the bye last week. Still, Dallas has been inconsistent defensively and if the Giants stay behind, they may need to throw the ball extensively, making Tate a viable WR2 option, particularly in PPR formats.
Week 8 at Detroit Lions
Golden Tate has benefitted greatly from the absence of Sterling Shepard, gobbling up 20 targets over the past two games. Last week, he caught six of the 11 balls thrown his way for 80 yards on his way to a solid PPR outing. Those numbers seem likely for Tate due to his function in the offense and he should provide quality PPR numbers on a consistent basis.
This week, Tate may not see the same number of targets if Shepard returns, but he should still be good for at least a half-dozen looks regularly and he’s a quality WR3 option in PPR formats. The Lions gave up a touchdown to Adam Thielen and also to Olabisi Johnson last week on the way to allowing four touchdown passes overall last week, hinting at troubles with slot coverage.
Week 7 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Golden Tate bounced back from a disappointing debut in Week 5 with a six-catch, 102 yards and a touchdown performance against the Patriots last week. While much of that came on one long 64-yard touchdown, it was good to see him get nine targets and be an active part of the offense. Tate should continue to start opposite Sterling Shepard and he has upside as a high-volume option in an interesting offense that’s still developing.
This week, Tate has upside against the Cardinals. The Cardinals are below average against the wide receiver position this year and the Giants aren’t good enough defensively to keep the Cardinals from scoring. As a result, this game with two bad defenses could be higher scoring than anticipated. Both teams rank in the bottom six in points allowed per game. Start Tate as a sneaky WR3.
Update: With Shepard out and a great matchup, Tate has some WR2 upside.
Week 6 at New England Patriots
Golden Tate had a quiet start to his New York Giants career on Sunday against the Vikings, finishing with only 13 yards on three receptions. However, he was targeted six times and was second only to Sterling Shepard among Giants receivers in snaps played. Tate might take a little time to find his groove in the offense, but six targets are a good start for the veteran.
This week, Tate has upside with Shepard out with a concussion. If the Patriots get up early, the Giants may be forced to throw the ball for much of the game, which should benefit Tate. On the other hand, New England has allowed the fewest passing yards to opposing defenses this season. Tate is a risky bet to finish with quality numbers, but he has upside in deeper leagues or if owners need to gamble due to injuries or bye week issues.
Week 5 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Golden Tate returns from a four-game suspension this week and the Giants couldn’t be happier to add him to a thin receiving corps. Tate caught 74 balls across two different teams last season but caught at least 90 passes in each of the four seasons prior. Tate is a productive slot receiver who should eat up targets in New York.
Fantasy owners might want to take a wait-and-see approach with him this week, however, as Tate faces a tough Vikings defense to start his 2019 season. The Vikings have been great at stopping opposing teams from scoring, but they’ve still allowed fantasy points. They rank 15th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers, giving Tate some upside. Still, not the best time to gamble on him in his first game as a Giant, and if possible, fantasy owners should wait to see how he fits with his new team and a rookie quarterback. He should definitely be rostered though.
Fantasy Upside
Since his arrival in Detroit in 2014, Golden Tate has been a reliable fantasy performer, particularly in PPR formats. He’s had at least 100 targets in each of the past five seasons and had three years with more than 1,000 receiving yards during that span. Tate joins a Giants team with 124 vacated targets from the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. While those targets will likely be spread around to Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard, those two already combined for 171 targets last season, meaning Tate should get the bulk of those looks.
Fantasy Downside
Tate operates mostly out of the slot and his career 11.8 yard average per catch is a far cry from Beckham Jr.’s 13.7 from a year ago. So even if Tate gets the same volume, he’s unlikely to be nearly as productive with it. He also struggles to find the end zone. He hasn’t scored more than five touchdowns since 2015, and never more than seven in a season. He also gets a considerable downgrade at quarterback in Eli Manning after catching passes from Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz and Nick Foles a year ago. Tate also has a looming four-game suspension, although he is in the process of appealing it.
2019 Bottom Line
With a ninth-round price tag in 12-team leagues, Tate is a little undervalued right now, especially in PPR formats. While he doesn’t have a lot of upside at this point in his career, he should get enough volume to put up very reliable WR3 numbers throughout the season, even if he ends up as the third or fourth option in the passing game behind Shepard, Engram and Saquon Barkley. Tate isn’t worth a huge investment, but he might be one of those boring late-round picks that produces week in and week out. His ADP may drop even further with the suspension news, making him more valuable.
Week 19 at New Orleans Saints
Just how charmed the Nick Foles-led Eagles are will be tested this week, as the Super Bowl MVP and winner of four consecutive games travels to New Orleans where Philadelphia lost by 41 in Week 11. The Birds have the third lowest implied team total this week at 21.75 points. The Saints rank 11th in aFPA to WRs. Negative game script makes Nelson Agholor and Golden Tate decent dart throws, as they should avoid Marshon Lattimore in coverage, but both are outside top 10 WR options in the divisional round.
