The Eagles have acquired WR Golden Tate from the Lions in exchange for a 2019 third-round pick.
Philadelphia's offense has taken a step back this season and had a clear need at wide receiver behind Alshon Jeffery. Detroit, meanwhile, was looking to trade the 30-year-old, contract-year Tate for future assets and in order to generate more targets for Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr.
Tate will join Jeffery in two-wide sets, and time will tell if he or Nelson Agholor operate as the team's primary slot receiver. Tate has aligned in the slot on 71 percent of his routes this season (Agholor is at 60 percent), but 54 percent of his career routes have come on the perimeter.
Tate had been handling what was easily a career-high 27 percent target share in Detroit this season but figures to land closer to 20-22 percent the rest of the season (averaged 23 percent during his first four seasons with the Lions). Tate offers a bit of value as a rusher and returner, but his primary gig will be as a go-to target for Carson Wentz in the short area. Tate's 6.6 average depth of target (aDOT) since the start of the 2015 season is lowest among 29 wideouts with 300-plus targets during the span.
Tate has caught 90-plus passes each of the past four seasons (and was well on his way again in 2018) but still doesn't offer much in terms of touchdowns. He's never exceeded a 6.2 receiving OTD in a single season, and he averaged 4.9 touchdowns per season during his seven full years with Seattle and Detroit. Tate's role in Philadelphia will allow him to produce fringe WR2 numbers, though the presumed dip in targets means a slight decrease in fantasy value.
Agholor is the biggest faller in terms of fantasy value so far today. Agholor enjoyed a breakout 2017 season after moving to the slot, but the acquisition of Tate means the fourth-year receiver's target share (20 percent) will take a severe hit. Expect it to be closer to the 12-15 percent range the rest of the way. Agholor is worth no more than a bench spot.
Speaking of target shares, Jeffery sits at 23 percent and Zach Ertz at a career-high 28 percent this season. Expect both to drop closer to where they were in 2017 (Jeffery at 21 percent, Ertz 23 percent). Both will remain focal points of the Eagles' offense, so continue to view Jeffery as a WR2 and Ertz as a top-end TE1. Wentz is playing outstanding football but has been limited to fringe QB1 fantasy production. This trade gives him a slight boost on a week-to-week basis.
On the Detroit side of things, Tate's 9.7 targets per game have to go somewhere. Marvin Jones Jr.'s role as a deep threat caps his target share upside a bit, but his current 18 percent share figures to rise closer to his career-high of 21 percent set back in 2015. Jones leads the NFL with 13 end zone targets this season and Tate's departure locks him into the WR2 mix.
Golladay started hot, but has been limited to four targets during his past two games. Despite the slump and having already enjoyed his bye week, the second-year receiver sits 29th at wide receiver in fantasy points. Golladay is now well-positioned to be fully unleashed and, like Jones, makes for a solid weekly WR2 play. Golladay sports massive upside, so it wouldn't be the least bit surprising if he becomes a top-10 fantasy option going forward.
TJ Jones will get some run as the team's new primary slot receiver, but he should be on your radar only in deep PPR leagues. Tate's departure also figures to lead to a slight uptick in targets for Theo Riddick (once he returns from injury), Kerryon Johnson and perhaps tight ends Luke Willson and/or Michael Roberts.
Matthew Stafford has been a fantasy dud this season, having posted only one weekly finish better than 14th in seven tries (ninth in Week 2). Losing his most reliable target in Tate is obviously a concern and confirms that Stafford is no more than a streaming option when the matchup is right.
Rest-of-season projections:
Golladay: 9 games, 67 targets, 42 receptions, 589 yards, 4 TD
Jones Jr: 9 games, 67 targets, 38 receptions, 565 yards, 5 TD
Tate: 8 games, 64 targets, 44 receptions, 514 yards, 2 TD
Jeffery: 8 games, 61 targets, 38 receptions, 482 yards, 3 TD
TJ Jones: 9 games, 44 targets, 27 receptions, 354 yards, 2 TD
Agholor: 8 games, 35 targets, 23 receptions, 252 yards, 1 TD