It will be difficult for Kenny Golladay to be a significant player in fantasy leagues. Barring injury, he won't be any better than the No. 3 in Detroit, with Golden Tate and Marvin Jones barring his way. But injuries happen, and aside from that he's drawing some early notice even as that No. 3 target.
Also worth noting that Eric Ebron is gone, and he caught 53 balls for 574 yards and 4 TDs last year. That production will be going somewhere, but Detroit doesn't have quite as noteworthy a pass catcher at that position: Luke Willson, Michael Roberts.
As a rookie, Golladay was one of the league's very best big-play wideouts, albeit with a limited amount of looks. Of his 28 receptions last year, slightly under a third went for at least 20 yards, and 18 percent went for at least 40 yards. That latter figure was the highest percentage in the league, among wideouts to catch at least 25 passes.
| WIDE RECEIVERS, 20- AND 40-YARD CATCHES, 2017 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | 20+ | 40+ | Pct/20 | Pct/40 |
| Kenny Golladay, Det. | 28 | 477 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 28.6% | 17.9% |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 75 | 1183 | 7 | 15 | 9 | 20.0% | 12.0% |
| Travis Benjamin, LAC | 34 | 567 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 29.4% | 11.8% |
| Brandin Cooks, N.E. | 65 | 1082 | 7 | 18 | 7 | 27.7% | 10.8% |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 57 | 966 | 4 | 14 | 6 | 24.6% | 10.5% |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 58 | 917 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 20.7% | 10.3% |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 61 | 1101 | 9 | 20 | 6 | 32.8% | 9.8% |
| Keelan Cole, Jac. | 42 | 748 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 26.2% | 9.5% |
| Ted Ginn, N.O. | 53 | 787 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 28.3% | 9.4% |
| Marquise Goodwin, S.F. | 56 | 962 | 2 | 13 | 5 | 23.2% | 8.9% |
| Odell Beckham, NYG | 25 | 302 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8.0% | 8.0% |
| Mike Wallace, Balt. | 52 | 748 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 21.2% | 7.7% |
| Donte Moncrief, Ind. | 26 | 391 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 19.2% | 7.7% |
| Will Fuller, Hou. | 28 | 423 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 25.0% | 7.1% |
| Tyrell Williams, LAC | 43 | 728 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 27.9% | 7.0% |
| Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 101 | 1533 | 9 | 27 | 7 | 26.7% | 6.9% |
| J.J. Nelson, Ariz. | 29 | 508 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 20.7% | 6.9% |
| Paul Richardson, Sea. | 44 | 703 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 29.5% | 6.8% |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 45 | 555 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11.1% | 6.7% |
| Cordarrelle Patterson, Oak. | 31 | 309 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9.7% | 6.5% |
| Amari Cooper, Oak. | 48 | 680 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 18.8% | 6.3% |
| Jermaine Kearse, NYJ | 65 | 810 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 13.8% | 6.2% |
| Taylor Gabriel, Atl. | 33 | 378 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 12.1% | 6.1% |
| Josh Doctson, Wash. | 35 | 502 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 17.1% | 5.7% |
| Torrey Smith, Phil. | 36 | 430 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 16.7% | 5.6% |
| Adam Thielen, Minn. | 91 | 1276 | 4 | 20 | 5 | 22.0% | 5.5% |
| A.J. Green, Cin. | 75 | 1078 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 12.0% | 5.3% |
| Deonte Thompson, Chi-Buf | 38 | 555 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 21.1% | 5.3% |
| Sammy Watkins, LAR | 39 | 593 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 23.1% | 5.1% |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 59 | 731 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 11.9% | 5.1% |
| Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 62 | 768 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 14.5% | 4.8% |
| Robby Anderson, NYJ | 63 | 941 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 27.0% | 4.8% |
| Stefon Diggs, Minn. | 64 | 849 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 21.9% | 4.7% |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 88 | 1444 | 3 | 23 | 4 | 26.1% | 4.5% |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 74 | 885 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 10.8% | 4.1% |
| Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 75 | 991 | 8 | 18 | 3 | 24.0% | 4.0% |
| Jordan Matthews, Buff. | 25 | 282 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 12.0% | 4.0% |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 102 | 1393 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 17.6% | 3.9% |
| Rishard Matthews, Tenn. | 53 | 795 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 24.5% | 3.8% |
| Rashard Higgins, Clev. | 27 | 312 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 14.8% | 3.7% |
| Robert Woods, LAR | 56 | 781 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 21.4% | 3.6% |
| Kenny Stills, Mia. | 58 | 847 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 24.1% | 3.4% |
| Michael Crabtree, Oak. | 58 | 618 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 13.8% | 3.4% |
| Golden Tate, Det. | 92 | 1003 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 10.9% | 3.3% |
| Jaron Brown, Ariz. | 31 | 477 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 38.7% | 3.2% |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 62 | 869 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 19.4% | 3.2% |
| Chris Hogan, N.E. | 34 | 439 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 17.6% | 2.9% |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 34 | 525 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 11.8% | 2.9% |
| Dez Bryant, Dall. | 69 | 838 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 11.6% | 2.9% |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 71 | 1001 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 12.7% | 2.8% |
| Cole Beasley, Dall. | 36 | 314 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5.6% | 2.8% |
| Allen Hurns, Jac. | 39 | 484 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10.3% | 2.6% |
| Pierre Garcon, S.F. | 40 | 500 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 15.0% | 2.5% |
| Jeremy Maclin, Balt. | 40 | 440 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7.5% | 2.5% |
| Albert Wilson, K.C. | 42 | 554 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 9.5% | 2.4% |
| Ryan Grant, Wash. | 45 | 573 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 22.2% | 2.2% |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 96 | 1378 | 13 | 24 | 2 | 25.0% | 2.1% |
| Kelvin Benjamin, Car-Buf | 48 | 692 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 20.8% | 2.1% |
| DeSean Jackson, T.B. | 50 | 668 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 20.0% | 2.0% |
| Martavis Bryant, Pitt. | 50 | 603 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 14.0% | 2.0% |
| Brandon LaFell, Cin. | 52 | 548 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 11.5% | 1.9% |
| Terrance Williams, Dall. | 53 | 568 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 11.3% | 1.9% |
| Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 53 | 482 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 7.5% | 1.9% |
| Marqise Lee, Jac. | 56 | 702 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10.7% | 1.8% |
| Alshon Jeffery, Phil. | 57 | 789 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 14.0% | 1.8% |
| Adam Humphries, T.B. | 61 | 631 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8.2% | 1.6% |
| Devin Funchess, Car. | 63 | 840 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 23.8% | 1.6% |
| Jamison Crowder, Wash. | 66 | 789 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 18.2% | 1.5% |
| Randall Cobb, G.B. | 66 | 653 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 10.6% | 1.5% |
| Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 83 | 949 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 18.1% | 1.2% |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 104 | 1245 | 5 | 22 | 1 | 21.2% | 1.0% |
| Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 112 | 987 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 5.4% | 0.9% |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 47 | 555 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 23.4% | 0.0% |
| T.J. Jones, Det. | 30 | 399 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 20.0% | 0.0% |
| Roger Lewis, NYG | 36 | 416 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 16.7% | 0.0% |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 57 | 670 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 15.8% | 0.0% |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl. | 67 | 703 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 14.9% | 0.0% |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 109 | 1156 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 14.7% | 0.0% |
| Seth Roberts, Oak. | 43 | 455 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14.0% | 0.0% |
| Corey Davis, Tenn. | 34 | 375 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11.8% | 0.0% |
| Danny Amendola, N.E. | 61 | 659 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 11.5% | 0.0% |
| Eric Decker, Tenn. | 54 | 563 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 9.3% | 0.0% |
| Trent Taylor, S.F. | 43 | 430 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4.7% | 0.0% |
| Kendall Wright, Chi. | 59 | 614 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.7% | 0.0% |
| Bruce Ellington, Hou. | 29 | 330 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 20.7% | 0.0% |
| Bennie Fowler, Den. | 29 | 350 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 17.2% | 0.0% |
| Ricardo Louis, Clev. | 27 | 357 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 25.9% | 0.0% |
| Dede Westbrook, Jac. | 27 | 339 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 22.2% | 0.0% |
| Zay Jones, Buff. | 27 | 316 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 11.1% | 0.0% |
| Dontrelle Inman, LAC-Chi | 25 | 343 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 16.0% | 0.0% |
It's a small number of catches, of course; he'll need to have a bigger role to really help fantasy teams in anything but deep-rostered best-ball leagues. But maybe. There are worse end-of-the-roster draft picks.
--Andy Richardson