Detroit Lions mailbag: How Kenny Golladay's emergence affects Golden Tate

We’re at the midpoint of the Lions’ preseason schedule, and now seems like a good time to open back up the Twitter mailbag. Like last year, we’ll answer your questions in every Sunday’s paper once the regular season begins. Follow me on Twitter (@davebirkett) or email submissions to dbirkett@freepress.com.

Q. How much more dangerous does the #Lions offense become if (Golden) Tate can slide into slot with Kenny G's emergence as capable X receiver?? - @petetroit

A. Kenny Golladay has been quite the story this preseason, and his two-touchdown game in the exhibition opener against the Indianapolis Colts has only fueled the hype. Golladay spent a day working with the first-team offense this week for the first time in training camp, and there’s no doubt his emergence adds an extra dimension to the Lions offense.

I’ve been pretty consistent, though, in pumping the brakes on Golladay’s stat projections for the year. Golden Tate and Marvin Jones are the Lions’ top two receivers, and barring injury, I don’t see that changing. For now, Tate remains an outside receiver, with TJ Jones playing in the slot with the first-team offense. When Golladay took No. 1 reps this week, Tate moved inside and Golladay worked out of the X and Z outside spots.

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The Lions used Tate quite a bit out of the slot in his first two seasons with the team – 90 of his 189 catches in 2014-15 came out of the slot, according to ESPN – and as this year goes on, I expect he’ll see more time inside. Golladay has more potential than TJ Jones, and his big body should be a weapon in the red zone. Tate is typical slot receiver in a lot of ways, but he’s proven he can a factor anywhere he plays.

To answer your question, I don’t see a Marvin Jones-Tate-Golladay pairing as the Lions’ primary offensive set, at least not to start the year and maybe not at all this year with the possibility of going two tight ends more. Golladay’s emergence does give the Lions more variety and a true red-zone weapon, which they lacked at times last year. Both of those are good things.

Q. All the hype from the fantasy peeps are Abdullah-training it. But what about Riddick? Assuming Abdullah's healthy, what's TR's role in 2017? - @ChrisRackley

A. Fantasy football drafts are fast approaching, including in my own league, so questions like these pop up all the time. Here’s both the football and fantasy bottom line: Theo Riddick still will play a significant role on offense for the Lions this fall.

Running backs coach David Walker has made it clear Ameer Abdullah is the Lions’ No. 1 running back. Abdullah will get the bulk of the Lions’ carries as long as he stays healthy, and I think he’ll have a pretty good season. Maybe 200 carries, 850 yards and a few touchdowns. 

Riddick hasn’t done much this preseason as he’s been in a red no-contact jersey for every practice. That should change soon. If what the Lions did with Abdullah and his red jersey last year is any indication, Riddick will play next week against the Patriots and then be ready for the regular season.

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I think Riddick could easily end up with another 60 or 70 catches, again assuming he plays all 16 games. He’s not going to offer much as a between-the-tackles runner, but he is one of the three best pass-catching backs in the NFL.

Abdullah is the better back to own for fantasy purposes – he’ll get his share of catches, too. But I don’t know that I’d spend too high a pick on either player given their injury histories and the fact that the Lions will split their backfield workload probably three ways, with Zach Zenner involved with some goal-line touches.

Q. Do you think Barrett and Valoaga both make the initial 53? - @jucocon

A. I don’t do a 53-man roster projection until right before first cuts for a couple reasons. One, we don’t know enough about the new players and where things stand, and two, it’s easy to forget we’re talking about people’s livelihoods.

I do, however, think that both of the Lions’ undrafted rookie pass rushers, Alex Barrett and Jeremiah Valoaga, have a chance to make the Week 1 roster. Ziggy Ansah will be back, Anthony Zettel and Cornelius Washington are locks for spots, and Kerry Hyder’s injury and Armonty Bryant’s suspension have opened up what probably is the final two spots at end.

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Barrett and Valoaga have consistently played with the second-team defense this summer, and both have flashed play-making ability. I think Barrett is slightly ahead of Valoaga for now, and rookie seventh-round pick Patrick O’Connor also is in the mix.

Given the questionable health of Ziggy Ansah and Cornelius Washington, who missed time this preseason with an ankle injury, it makes sense to keep both undrafted free agents, at least until Bryant is eligible to return in Week 5.

Q. How is the camp reps and conditioning that Ziggy is missing going to affect him once the season starts? Can he be a force early on? - @MarshRondel

A. Ansah is a proven vet, so the missed time shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but he’ll certainly need time to get in game shape once he’s off the physically unable to perform list. We have not seen Ansah running on the side during practice, like most other injured players do, but Ansah came out to the field midway through practice Thursday and the hoodie he had on under his jersey was drenched, so it was clear he was working out. I wouldn’t expect him to be at 70% playtime in Week 1, but if his leg is healthy he still can be a very effective pass rusher.

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Q. At what point does the Stafford extension not being completed yet become concerning, and do you feel it will be done before the season? - @EricSalonen

A. What’s a mailbag without a Matthew Stafford-contract question to end it? Last time I checked in, there hadn’t been much movement between the two sides, but three weeks is a long time for negotiations to get done. I still am of the belief that Stafford will get a new deal before the season, but once games start all bets are off. At that point, the player is assuming more of the risk, the demands rise and playing on the franchise tag next year becomes a more realistic possibility. If the season starts and Stafford tables negotiations, then it’s quite reasonable to worry.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.Download our Lions Xtra app for free onApple andAndroid!