Assessing the Fantasy Value of the Tennessee Titans

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The Tennessee Titans sure aren’t the fantasy dynamos that teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers are. There’s really only one proven, reliable fantasy commodity on this team. And, after Delanie Walker, there’s a whole bunch of question marks. That said, there’s plenty of intrigue on this Titans roster as the team brought in an entirely new coaching staff, including new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. If this Titans offense even remotely resembles that Los Angeles Rams offense, then there could be plenty of points to go around.

So, I’m going to throw in my two cents on what the 2018 Titans look like from a fantasy perspective. When and where should you look at Titans, so on and so forth. Let’s start with the guys you shouldn’t draft, but should keep an eye on.

Honorable Mentions

Without Terry Robiskie only using Taywan Taylor for incessant jet sweeps, he might actually blossom into the receiver he’s capable of being. That said, he’s a long shot to be a viable fantasy option. No one’s questioning Delanie Walker’s status on this team, but Jonnu Smith has a lot of talent, and if he can improve his hands, he could become a player to watch. He’s been called a virtual clone of Walker. Finally, Tajae Sharpe returns to the Titans after a year away from football. If he can pick up where he left off, he could be an interesting waiver wire pickup. That said, I’d consider all three of these guys undraftable….so who is draftable?

Draftable

Titans D/ST – This secondary has some heat, y’all. Add in that this is already one of the best run defenses in the NFL, and you have a real dark horse contender at defense. Projected Round: 13-14. Fantasy-wise, this is going to be a unit worth starting.

Rishard Matthews – I’m still touting Matthews as the steadiest receiver on the Titans roster. He’s criminally underrated in the grand scheme of the NFL, and outside of Delanie Walker, has proven to be the most reliable target for Marcus Mariota. Projected Round: 10-11. He’s a good receiver to have on your bench in case you need someone in a pinch.

Corey Davis – Davis made headlines yesterday for a sick catch in training camp. There’s no stopping the hype train, as everyone and their mother is naming him to their ‘breakout players of 2018’ lists. But, I don’t know if he’s necessarily going to immediately turn into a reliable WR1 just yet. Projected Round: 7-8. Be careful of drafting him entirely too early on hype alone.

Marcus Mariota – Maybe this is a hot take, maybe it’s not. I can barely keep up with all the Twitter nonsense. But, I think Mariota is going to be a viable fantasy quarterback by season’s end. Maybe not right away – as a lot of the pundits familiar with Matt LaFleur’s offensive system have said that it takes quite a bit of time to adjust to it. But, they’ve also said that Mariota is the perfect quarterback for said system. We already know Mariota’s a capable fantasy scorer when healthy, and if he stays that way, he could post some excellent numbers in this offense. Projected Round: 12+. If you’re the type to draft a backup quarterback, Mariota is an excellent choice. Who knows? He could be one of those types to win you a fantasy championship late.

Dion Lewis – I like the addition of Lewis, especially if you’re playing in a PPR format. I’m still concerned a bit about his injury history, but it’s been ‘so far, so good’ with the Titans this offseason. Lewis had a career year in yardage and touchdowns for the Patriots last season, and given he’ll have a similar role with the Titans, don’t expect those number to change very much. Projected Round: 4-5. A definite flex option who could become a reliable RB2.

Derrick Henry – It’s going to depend on the format, because I could see Lewis sneaking past Henry in PPR leagues. But, for the most part, I still believe Henry is going to be the workhorse for this offense. Lewis adds a different dynamic to the run game, but it’s still going to come and go as Henry does. He’s only amassed 1,234 yards and 10 touchdowns in his two seasons, but all signs point to him getting an uptick in workload in 2018. Projected Round: 2-3. I wouldn’t take Henry to be your stud RB1, but as a serviceable RB2, sure.

Delanie Walker –  Walker has been targeted, on average, 113 times per season over the last four seasons. Not only is he one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL, but he’s Mariota’s favorite target. It helps that he’s also a freak of nature. He’s averaging 5.2 touchdowns per season with the Titans, and I don’t expect his role in the offense to change. Keep feeding the beast. Though he likely won’t be the first Titan off the board, I think he’s the safest and most reliable pick from this team. Projected Round: 6-7. Walker can be your stalwart at tight end all season, and could reasonably be a top five fantasy tight end again.

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley

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