Fantasy Football: 8 Players With Tough Early-Season Schedules
Golden Tate, WR, Detroit Lions
| Week | Opponent | Projected Defensive Pass NEP Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardinals | 8 |
| 2 | Giants | 5 |
| 3 | Falcons | 24 |
| 4 | Vikings | 3 |
Golden Tate has been a rock solid PPR option in the Lions' offense since he left Seattle in 2014, and we project him for a very familiar 93-catch, 1,067-yard, 6-touchdown season in 2017.
But Tate could struggle early, as the Lions square up against three top-eight pass defenses in the first four weeks. Despite the fact that Tate mans the slot, which allows him to make his payday off quick strike passes and yards after the catch, he's also set to face some tough individual matchups from cornerbacks who may shadow number-one wideouts.
In Week 1, he could see a good deal of Patrick Peterson. But even if he doesn't, squaring up against Tyrann Mathieu, another year removed from his 2015 ACL injury, is cold comfort. In Week 2, he's slated to see a mixture of Janoris Jenkins and/or solid slot cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Tate gets a bit of a break in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, as their star cornerback, Desmond Trufant, doesn't tend to go to the slot often. But in Week 4, Tate's right back to the hard grind, facing the Minnesota Vikings' projected third-ranked pass defense, and their ultra-talented cornerback, Xavier Rhodes, has been studying how to man the slot corner position in case he needs to line up against a team's best receiver in the middle of the field.
Tate fits that bill.
The Lions get a much more friendly schedule after Week 4, until they face the Vikings again in Week 12, so don't let Tate's potential early season woes stop you from drafting him. Just know that he'll be a likely floor play in the first quarter of the season.
