Getty Giants WR Golden Tate gets an unfavorable matchup against the Patriots in Week 6.
The New York Giants will once again be without the services of their pro bowl running back Saquon Barkley when they face off with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. However, while one playmaker will be sidelined for Week 5, another talented player will make their season debut.
Wideout Golden Tate has returned from his four-game suspension and is set to don the blue and red for the first regular-season game of his Giants tenure this week.
New York’s offense has taken a step forward in recent weeks with the insertion of Daniel Jones at the helm of the unit. Can Tate offer a similar effect for the Giants as well as your fantasy football lineups in Week 5? Let’s discuss.
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Golden Tate’s Fantasy Outlook vs. Minnesota Vikings
The magnitude that is the return/debut of Golden Tate to the New York Giants lineup cannot be understated. No NFL team has struggled to find a second option from their wide receiver position quite like the G-Men. After Sterling Shepard, New York’s next leading receiver from the wideout position is Bennie Fowler, who is not even part of the team anymore. The next current Giant on the list is Cody Latimer with a meager six receptions.
Minnesota is the defenition of average when it comes to defending the receiver postition this season. Through four weeks of play, they have surrendered the 16th most fantasy points to opposing WRs. Tate offers up an intriguing matchup for the Vikings, as they have yet to face off with a true quality slot receiver. Minnesota’s most recent games include the Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders, and the Green Bay Packers, none of which feature a receiving target out of the slot.
Another interesting tidbit about Tate’s potential value on Sunday is the absence of Saquon Barkley. Barkley hauled in 91 receptions a season ago, for an average of 7.9 yards per reception. The reason why this is intriging for Tate owners is because the former Eagle is essentially a running back who doesn’t line up in the backfield. Tate does his damage with short to immediate passes evident by his 9.3 yards per reception or less in two of his past four NFL seasons. Tate will serve as a security blanket for rookie QB Daniel Jones on Sunday, much like Saquon did for Eli Manning in 2018.
Should You Start or Sit Golden Tate in Week 5?
Golden Tate will be looked at early and often in Week 5. I expect him to be a huge part of the team’s gameplan vs. the Vikings. Tate has a great chance of pushing Sterling Shepard to the 1-B option for Giants receivers this season, starting on Sunday.
Tate is currently an upside WR3 start vs. the Vikes.
However, if history has shown us anything, Tate will likely be more of a WR2 when it’s all said and done. From 2014-2017 Tate averages out as the 16th highest scoring wideout in PPR formats.