Factoid

March 06, 2021

Golden Tate

Does older wideout have anything left?

The Giants released Golden Tate last week, a move that was expected for multiple reasons. Tate ran afoul of the coaching staff last year for complaining on social media (and in-game) about his role, earning a team suspension at one point. He'd likely have been released even if there weren't still questions about what he can offer a team at this stage of his career.

Tate turns 33 before next season, and comes off one of his poorer seasons: 388 yards and 2 TDs in 12 games. He had some nice seasons in the past, most notably for Detroit and also Seattle before that, but it might be about it for him posting usable fantasy numbers.

Tate is one of a handful of recognizable wide receivers who will play next year at the age of 33. Most notable are Antonio Brown and A.J. Green; others include Dez Bryant and Andre Roberts. Brown is the only one coming off a noteworthy season, catching 45 passes (and ultimately winning a Super Bowl) in a half season with Tampa Bay. No one would be surprised if Brown is a top-40 wide receiver next season; Tate is less likely.

Over the last 20 years, there have been 66 other wide receiver seasons where a 33-year-old (plus) has finished the year as a top-40 fantasy wideout. Just 29 different players (Jerry Rice, Jimmy Smith, Steve Smith and Terrell Owens each account for 4-5 of those). But it hasn't happened much recently. There's been just seven in the last five years, and four of those were by Larry Fitzgerald. (Table sorted by most recent Top-40 wideouts.)

TOP-40 WIDE RECEIVERS (33 YEARS OLD), 2000-PRESENT
Year	Player	Age	G	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD	Rk
2019	Julian Edelman	33	16	153	100	1117	11.2	6	7
2019	Larry Fitzgerald	36	16	109	75	804	10.7	4	35
2018	Larry Fitzgerald	35	16	112	69	734	10.6	6	26
2018	Jordy Nelson	33	15	88	63	739	11.7	3	38
2017	Larry Fitzgerald	34	16	161	109	1156	10.6	6	5
2016	Larry Fitzgerald	33	16	150	107	1023	9.6	6	11
2016	Steve Smith Sr.	37	14	101	70	799	11.4	5	37
2015	Anquan Boldin	35	14	111	69	789	11.4	4	40
2014	Steve Smith Sr.	35	16	134	79	1065	13.5	6	18
2014	Anquan Boldin	34	16	130	83	1062	12.8	5	19
2014	Roddy White	33	14	125	80	921	11.5	7	21
2014	Andre Johnson	33	15	146	85	936	11.0	3	28
2014	Malcom Floyd	33	16	92	52	856	16.5	6	40
2013	Anquan Boldin	33	16	129	85	1179	13.9	7	15
2013	Steve Smith Sr.	34	15	110	64	745	11.6	4	37
2012	Reggie Wayne	34	16	195	106	1355	12.8	5	8
2012	Steve Smith Sr.	33	16	137	73	1174	16.1	4	20
2011	Reggie Wayne	33	16	132	75	960	12.8	4	25
2011	Plaxico Burress	34	16	96	45	612	13.6	8	40
2010	Terrell Owens	37	14	139	72	983	13.7	9	17
2010	Derrick Mason	36	16	100	61	802	13.2	7	28
2010	Hines Ward	34	16	95	59	755	12.8	5	38
2009	Hines Ward	33	16	137	95	1167	12.3	6	12
2009	Derrick Mason	35	16	134	73	1028	14.1	7	17
2009	Donald Driver	34	16	113	70	1061	15.2	6	19
2009	Terrell Owens	36	16	109	55	829	15.1	5	27
2008	Terrell Owens	35	16	140	69	1052	15.3	10	11
2008	Derrick Mason	34	16	121	80	1037	13.0	5	20
2008	Donald Driver	33	16	116	74	1012	13.7	5	22
2008	Muhsin Muhammad	35	16	107	65	923	14.2	5	28
2008	Isaac Bruce	36	16	108	61	835	13.7	7	31
2008	Marvin Harrison	36	15	107	60	636	10.6	5	36
2007	Terrell Owens	34	15	141	81	1355	16.7	15	3
2007	Bobby Engram	34	16	134	94	1147	12.2	6	12
2007	Derrick Mason	33	16	164	103	1087	10.6	5	14
2007	Joey Galloway	36	15	98	57	1014	17.8	6	26
2006	Marvin Harrison	34	16	148	95	1366	14.4	12	1
2006	Terrell Owens	33	16	150	85	1180	13.9	13	2
2006	Joey Galloway	35	16	143	62	1057	17.1	7	21
2006	Isaac Bruce	34	16	126	74	1098	14.8	3	23
2006	Keyshawn Johnson	34	16	128	70	815	11.6	4	28
2006	Muhsin Muhammad	33	16	117	60	863	14.4	5	30
2006	Eddie Kennison	33	16	101	53	860	16.2	5	32
2005	Joey Galloway	34	16	152	83	1287	15.5	10	7
2005	Marvin Harrison	33	15	134	82	1146	14.0	12	9
2005	Rod Smith	35	16	126	85	1105	13.0	6	13
2005	Keenan McCardell	35	16	108	70	917	13.1	9	17
2005	Jimmy Smith	36	16	128	70	1023	14.6	6	21
2005	Keyshawn Johnson	33	16	123	71	839	11.8	6	26
2004	Rod Smith	34	16	136	79	1144	14.5	7	15
2004	Jimmy Smith	35	16	137	74	1172	15.8	6	19
2004	Johnnie Morton	33	13	79	55	795	14.5	3	39
2003	Keenan McCardell	33	16	139	84	1174	14.0	8	8
2003	Rod Smith	33	15	114	74	845	11.4	3	20
2003	Jerry Rice	41	16	124	63	869	13.8	2	30
2003	Jimmy Smith	34	12	112	54	805	14.9	4	33
2002	Jerry Rice	40	16	150	92	1211	13.2	7	10
2002	Jimmy Smith	33	16	137	80	1027	12.8	7	17
2002	Tim Brown	36	16	127	81	930	11.5	2	28
2002	Ed McCaffrey	34	16	103	69	903	13.1	2	37
2001	Tim Brown	35	16	140	91	1165	12.8	9	7
2001	Jerry Rice	39	16	125	83	1139	13.7	9	12
2001	Cris Carter	36	16	130	73	871	11.9	6	29
2000	Cris Carter	35	16	161	96	1274	13.3	9	9
2000	Tim Brown	34	16	133	76	1128	14.8	11	14
2000	Jerry Rice	38	16	122	75	805	10.7	7	23

Maybe Tate joins that group in 2021, depending where he signs. But safe to rank him the 3rd-most likely behind Brown and Green. More likely he signs to be a third receiver somewhere, and doesn't put up significant numbers.

--Andy Richardson

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