The Detroit Lions wide receivers will be scary in 2018
In 2018, the Detroit Lions will start two receivers that reached 1,000 yards last season along with an electric rookie that is ready to break out.
After being eliminated from the playoffs, the Detroit Lions are now looking for a new coach and beginning offseason preparations. There’s one position they won’t have to spend too much time worrying about – wide receiver.
Unquestioned starters, wide receivers Golden Tate and Marvin Jones each posted more than 1,000 yards receiving in 2017 and combined for 14 touchdowns. Tate’s production came on 92 catches while Jones hauled in 61 passes. Both reception totals were second-most in their careers for a single season.
A more telling stat, recently shared by Pro Football Focus, highlights the contested catch percentage of the top two wide receivers by team.
With the way the Vikings receivers have played all year, it really shouldn't surprise anyone that it was one of them who stepped up and made one of the biggest plays of all time in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/7pBDCMIC6L
— PFF (@PFF) January 15, 2018
Tate and Jones are second in the NFL with 53.1% contested catches. They’re fighting for the ball amid defenders and winning that battle consistently. Even if there’s a lack of separation, these two are giving Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford the confidence to throw it their way.
While the production of those two receivers speaks for itself, it’s the other wide receivers on the roster that will boost the passing attack next season. Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay burst onto the scene in Week 1 with two touchdowns versus the Arizona Cardinals.
Golladay has shown great promise during a limited rookie season while battling a hamstring injury and still posted 28 receptions for 477 yards in 11 games. And with a year of learning and experience under his belt, he will only get better and more productive.
Putting these three on the field in at the same time forms one of the scariest wide receiver combinations in the league as Jones and Golladay can stretch the field and Tate is a terror after the catch when given space.
It helps to have Stafford tossing them the rock. Stafford has thrown more than 4,200 yards for seven consecutive seasons, a streak that began in 2011 when he became only the fourth quarterback to ever throw for more than 5,000 yards in a season. Yes, he accomplished the feat two years before Denver Broncos quarterback and future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning reached that mark.
Next: Lions 2018 draft must focus on defensive line
What does this really mean? The Lions should focus their attention elsewhere during the offseason. The proven production mixed with potential gives this team a scary good combination at the wide receiver position heading into 2018.