Fantasy Football: Marvin Jones and 5 potential Vincent Jackson replacements
Oct 25, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate (15) walks off the field during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. The Vikings won 28-19. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Detroit Lions WR Golden Tate
Joe Philbin made a fool of himself before getting fired, and Chuck Pagano called one of the most laughable plays in NFL history in front of a national audience in a Sunday Night Football loss to a team that has regularly made him look like an amateur. But if there’s one coach who deserves the most ridicule, then it’s former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, who, for some odd reason, decided that trying to make Matthew Stafford play like Drew Brees and limit Calvin Johnson to a Marques Colston role would be a good idea.
Lombardi is mercifully gone, and Lions fans can hope that former QBs coach Jim Bob Cooter can get something more out of a Lions offense that has recently shown signs of life.
If you’ve given up on Golden Tate as a fantasy starter, then I don’t blame you. Tate scored double-digit fantasy points just once this season (off of a touchdown he didn’t deserve) and is coming off of a two-catch performance against the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions have used him as a pure possession guy, seeing as how he’s averaged just 9.4 yards per reception this season.
I think that’s about to change. Remember, Tate is a talented, explosive, do-it-all wideout who caught 99 passes for over 1,300 yards last season. Those aren’t numbers that should be glossed over easily, and that’s the type of playmaking that could return with a better offensive set-up.
The Lions Week 8 opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs, allow 81.2 yards per game to No. 2 receivers this season. Megatron could hoard up all the big plays, but Tate is a sneaky Week 8 option, especially if he’s able to reel in one of those plays himself. There’s risk here, but there’s also reward.
Next: An injury replacement