The casual NFL fan probably isn’t aware of just how great a season Chris Godwin had last year, where he finished 3rd in receiving yards with 1333 and tied for 4th in receiving touchdowns with 9.
If the casual fan doesn’t know this, he would be underrated, right?
Wrong.
Anyone knowledgeable about the game of football knows that everyone is sleeping on Godwin but it’s gotten to the point where some people are overhyping Godwin. In a recent ESPN fantasy draft where the goal was to start a new team and win a championship in the next 5 years, Godwin was the first receiver taken off the board. Analysts are beginning to consider Godwin in the same tier as Mike Evans, Tyreek Hill, and Davante Adams.
So the question is, is Godwin really that good?
For starters, Godwin wasn’t the true number one receiver on his team with that role going to Mike Evans. He rarely faced number one corners last year which is one reason why his numbers are so inflated. His quarterback play wasn’t the greatest in the world but at times Jameis was able to deliver perfect throws into small windows which was needed because of Godwin’s poor 1.48 yards per separation on each target which ranked 57th in the league.
So what’s the counterargument?
Godwin is an absolute beast after the catch racking up 574 yards after catch, good for 1st in the league. He was also very efficient when targeted with the 17th most targets yet the 3rd most yards in the league. He also had steady hands and a great contested catch ability.
Verdict:
My final evaluation is that he belongs a bit closer to the tier of receivers like Kenny Golladay and Allen Robinson rather than the one with Evans and Hill but despite my feeling that the media overrates him a bit, he’s still a great receiver and should be productive for years to come.
Image: Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports
