Chris Godwin Fantasy Outlook: Breakout Performance is the New Normal
Once a player establishes himself as a big talent in the NFL, they’re expected to do it again and again. That’s a good problem for Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin to have though. He proved to be a big win for the wise guys in the high-stakes market in 2019, but he left them at the doorstep of victory after a Week 15 hamstring injury. Godwin began his career quietly with two solid but unremarkable fantasy seasons (34/525/1 in 2017 and 59/842/7 in 2018).
His 2019 season established Godwin’s new role as an alpha dog thanks to an electric run over six games (43/662/6 on 55 targets) while being a stud in Week 12 (7/184/2). Godwin gained over 100 yards in five other games (8/121/1, 12/172/2, 7/125/2, 10/151, and 5/121).
He had an elite catch rate (71.1) with three games with double-digit targets (14, 12, and 12).Godwin finished second in WR scoring (276.1) in PPR leagues. Godwin finished with career-highs across the board (86/1,333/9). That Week 15 injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for fantasy owners looking for a championship as Godwin was out the final two weeks of the year.
With the Tom Brady train pulling into the station, he looks poised for follow-through. The key here is Godwin has to continue to occupy the slot role often headlined by Larry Fitzgerald in head coach Bruce Arians’ offense. That’s where a lot of the QB reads start and I imagine Brady will look Godwin’s way often for easy completions. His floor for me is 88 catches for 1,303 yards and eight TDs while earning an ADP of 20 as the sixth wide receiver drafted. That’s a good price point considering he could certainly finish the year as fantasy’s top scoring receiver.
Check out Chris Godwin's workout drill reported on by Luke Easterling from All Bucs:
Anyone who knows the lengths to which Godwin goes to sharpen his craft shouldn't be the least bit surprised at the success he enjoyed last season ... Check out this crazy focus drill that has Godwin rolling on the ground and still catching bullet passes with split-second quickness:
