Fantasy football team preview: Tennessee Titans

The Titans are heading into year three under Mike Mularkey after the team showed vast improvements in 2016. The offense went from 30th in yards to 11th, fueled by their leap in rushing yardage from 25th to third. The latter development can be attributed to a running back upgrade, going from Antonio Andrews and Dexter McCluster to DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. Clearly, the team leveraged that upgrade, ranking third in run-play percentage (45.9 percent). Part of that can also be contributed to their ability to take control of the game, leading their opponent 37.4 percent of the time, good for 11th in the NFL.

Quarterback

The franchise quarterback is set, and his name is Marcus Mariota. The third-year signal-caller has yet to play 16 games in a year, but the improvement is happening nonetheless. Mariota increased his touchdown percentage (from 5.1 percent to 5.8) while lowering his interception rate (2.7 percent to 2.0). Add in 349 yards rushing and Mariota finished as the QB12 in 2016. Wide receivers will be covered later but clearly, Mariota made chicken soup out of chicken poop. With upgrades around him, Mariota should settle in as a top-12 quarterback for the foreseeable future.

Much like my wallet, the quarterback depth chart is thin. Veteran Matt Cassel operates as the second option, but don’t expect the Patriots version, much less the Chiefs edition. Over the last five years, Cassel has thrown more interceptions (34) than touchdowns (27) while completing less than 60 percent of his passes. The team plans to stick with just two players at the position after cutting Tyler Ferguson and placing Alex Tanney on injured reserve after a broken foot.

Running back

What was thought to be a two-headed attack turned (largely) into a one-man show in the Music City. After a disastrous 2015 in Philadelphia, Murray saw a revival fit for a Hallmark movie. He recorded his third 1,000-yard rushing season (1287) and had his fourth consecutive year of 300-plus receiving yards (377). The latter was due to Murray finishing third (355) in total pass routes run, a positive sign of production even if his running mate starts to get a bigger role.

Henry came into the NFL as a second-round pick, former Heisman winner, and combine freak. While he only had 110 carries last year, Henry finished seventh in elusive rating and actually finished one spot ahead of Murray in PFF’s overall running back grades. The Titans continue to preach more involvement for Henry, but it remains to be seen how much that will impact him after finishing as the RB44 in 2016.

Even in dynasty leagues, there is little else to talk about with this backfield. Granted, David Fluellen finished fourth this preseason in rushing yards (162) and tied for fifth with eight missed tackles. That said, it will take a lot to get him on the field given the talent at the top. The Titans cut two other backs to leave the team with three at the moment, but don’t be surprised if they look for a signing if someone gets injured.

Wide receivers

Let’s start with newbie Eric Decker. He’s still getting acclimated, but the veteran receiver has been impressive so far and is expected to be a red-zone asset for Mariota. Decker projects to be on the field for all three downs and will man the slot in three-wide sets. Though he’s entering his age-30 season and coming off hip and shoulder surgeries, there’s still some value to be had with Decker. That being said, it’s important to keep in mind that the Titans were one of the most run-heavy offenses in the league last year. That approach puts a cap on Decker’s weekly upside. He’s best considered a borderline WR3 at this point.

The rookie Corey Davis has the flashiest resume as a first round pick (fifth overall) but hasn’t been able to see the field. A hamstring injury kept the rookie out of the preseason but he should make it back for week one. Without much to go on other than college, Davis’ contribution as a rookie will be tough to peg. It’s just as likely Davis cracks the WR3 group as he falls outside the top 50.

If Decker’s ankle and Davis’ hamstring are slow to heal, Rishard Matthews could re-assume his role as the top wide receiver option in Tennessee. When that was the case in 2016, Matthews finished as the 21st-ranked wide receiver in PPR leagues. He caught nearly one third of the receiving touchdowns and 25 percent of the receiving yards, clearly a focal point of the offense. However, the new upgrades to wide receiver and the continued commitment to the run relegates Matthews to the third receiver when everyone is healthy. Considering the rate of three receiver sets, that’s not a good thing.

Beyond these three, the player to watch is Taywan Taylor. The third-round pick required the Titans to trade up to acquire him, making Taylor more than a “best available” choice for the team. He may struggle to see time this year but dynasty owners should watch him as Taylor could quickly become a key PPR threat for the team as soon as 2018. The only other receiver on the roster after cuts is Harry Douglas. Don’t bother with Harry Douglas.

Tight end

Delanie Walker continues to provide the steady production fantasy owners want from a tight end. He finished as the TE5 last year but remains the eighth tight end drafted in MFL10 leagues. Along with Greg Olsen and Jason Witten, Walker is one of three tight ends who has surpassed 60 receptions in each of the past four years (13 players overall). That runs well in PPR leagues, but there is risk with the upgrades at wide receiver. Nonetheless, Walker is a reasonable investment with a price tag that values potential downside to low end TE1 status.

Rookie Jonnu Smith is likely the future, but he hasn’t shown much in the present. There is no reason to buy in redraft but he remains an intriguing dynasty stash on deeper rosters or in tight end premium leagues.

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