[Jeff Christiansen]

According to a league source, the Seattle Seahawks and second-round draft pick Golden Tate (No. 60 overall) have agreed to terms on a four-year contract, believed to be worth $3.261 million (including $1.471 million in guaranteed money). The former Notre Dame standout caught 159 balls for 2,707 yards and 26 scores in his three-year stay in South Bend. Now that Tate is officially in the fold in the Pacific Northwest, he is expected to compete immediately with projected starters T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch for first-team reps. FANTASY ANALYSIS: After falling well into the second round of April's draft (despite being regarded by many as a first-round type of talent), concerns began to surface a bit regarding Tate's size (5'10", and a donut shy of 200 pounds) and ability to separate from cornerbacks at the next level (despite posting a 4.42-40 at the combine). But, while he has still yet to catch a ball in an actual NFL game, the Irish's all-time leader in receiving yards has at least done his best to silence the critics with his eye-opening performances in Seattle's minicamp sessions throughout the summer. When asked about the most electrifying player in camp, many close to the Seahawks organization wasted no time before adding that distinction to the resume of 2009's Biletnikoff-award winner. And considering that the franchise is currently relying on the molasses-like speed of Houshmandzadeh and the cotton-candy knee ligaments of Branch to revive the once-proficient passing game in Seattle, it appears to be just a matter of time before Tate is given the opportunity to show what he can do running with the first team. Fantasy owners tend to bypass rookie wide receivers because, as a rule, they are one of the position groups that struggles most to acclimate to the pro game. But Tate could very well prove to be an exception to that Golden rule in 2010, and the rookie wideout is definitely worth a look as a late-round WR4 project (with potential WR3 upside).

View the full article