Dynasty Capsule: Tennessee Titans
As part of the premium content package, we’re again unveiling dynasty capsules for every team in the NFL leading up to free agency and the NFL Draft. This year, we’re again going to do a follow-up on all the teams after all the free agency and NFL Draft movement to assess the impact of any players teams have gained or lost. Since these capsules are always done as a simple snapshot in time, we figured that was the best way to tackle the off-season and provide ultimate value for our subscribers. All in all, we’ll have close to 500 player profiles found in these capsules over the off-season.
We make a stop in Music City for the latest team capsule.
Quarterbacks
Jake Locker
Locker continues to disappoint fantasy and Titans fans alike. Once again he missed a significant number of games due to injury and was not a viable option even when healthy. He deserves to be rostered in all dynasty formats, but only as a cheap option to back up a stud like Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers. His early ADP seems about right as the QB24.
Ryan Fitzpatrick
He’s cheap and has a year left on his deal. He’s not going anywhere. In fact, I can see scenarios where he could beat Locker out for the job. Again, he’s a low end QB2 even if that were to happen.
Rookie
The Titans are picking in the eleventh spot in May. It seems unlikely that any of the elite quarterback prospects will be there for them. I anticipate them taking a player like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garappolo in a later round to bring in more competition for Locker – this only matters in the deepest of dynasty leagues.
Wide Receivers
Kendall Wright
Kendall Wright is possibly the only Titan worth starting on a regular basis in fantasy. He is currently being selected as WR28 in mock start-ups and thus projects as a WR3 on dynasty teams. It would take a good year for him to put up those numbers in 2014, but he’s a solid prospect to own and arguably a buy low candidate.
Nate Washington
This time a year ago I projected Washington for 45/700/5. I was off a bit – he totaled 58/919/3 so I missed by about 1.5 PPG in PPR leagues. Washington will likely make the team and is on the last year of his rather pricey deal. He’s fine as bench depth in most formats if he’s a Titan. If he’s not, all bets are off. Washington is an aging player with very little dynasty value other than as an emergency bye-week filler.
Justin Hunter
The Titans made a draft day deal to acquire Hunter a year ago and it appears like a wise decision. In his limited action, he flashed ability and should make for a good deep threat to complement Kendall Wright’s short/intermediate game.
Don’t expect Hunter to be a starter in fantasy in 2014, but acquire him where you can. He has the raw talent to become a viable WR2, especially in non-PPR leagues. He’s the type of player who can often be had at draft time by an impatient owner who would rather take shot on a new rookie. I’d give any pick after about the 1.08 in a rookie draft for Hunter.
The Rest of the Bunch
There’s no value to be had on the Titans after Hunter and Wright at this point.
Running Backs
Chris Johnson
Unless he restructures, he’s gone. With that said, I doubt he restructures.
Shonn Greene
As odd as this might sound, Greene is the only running back on the roster after Chris Johnson. All the others were either cut or have expired contracts. Greene had a very normal Shonn Greene year in 2013 averaging just over 3.8 yards per carry in back-up duty to CJ2K.
I anticipate much the same from Greene in 2014. He’s barely worth rostering unless you believe the Titans will not participate in free agency or the draft to address the obvious need at RB1.
Rookie
It will be very interesting to see what the Titans do at running back in this draft. It’s a deep but weak class and they do not have a third round pick due to the Hunter trade. If they do make a running back selection, I anticipate that player to be a coveted dynasty asset because of opportunity and system.
Tight End
Delanie Walker
You should roster Walker if only because he was kind enough to grace the DLF Podcast.
In all seriousness, Walker has become a good option for those who wait on tight end in start-ups and redraft. In 2013, he was TE11 in PPR and was the third most targeted receiving option on the Titans by a wide margin over CJ2K and Justin Hunter. If you are jammed up at tight end or are concerned about Gronk’s readiness for week one, Walker is a nice acquisition target.
Craig Stevens
This is what I said in 2012 and it unfortunately still seems right on:
Craig Stevens has no fantasy value and all he does is cap what value other Titans tight ends might have. The problem with Stevens is he’s a very good blocker. Because the O-line is otherwise weak, his blocking skills will keep him on the field more than his receiving ability would justify. He doesn’t have bad hands; he simply lacks the speed to get downfield. He’s an old school tight end – not the new basketball player turned pass catcher type. There’s a role for this on a team that wants to run, but lacks O-line strength.
Taylor Thompson
Thompson is a sleeper option for owners who want to really roll the dice.
For those who aren’t familiar with him, Thompson played DE in college but then switched to TE for the pre-draft process last year. He played TE in the all-star games and worked out as a TE at the Combine. He put up eye popping numbers for a TE – at 6’6”, 260 lbs. he ran a 4.59 and broad jumped 10’6”. He has a Gronkowski style frame.
Here’s the thing, there are a handful of these type of dynasty tight end sleepers. Thompson has done absolutely nothing over his two years in the league to make you think this is the year. You have limited roster slots and Thompson doesn’t belong in one of them. Take a shot on Rob Housler, Levine Toilolo or a rookie instead.
Editor’s Note: Tim Stafford can be found @dynastytim on twitter and in the forums as dlf_tims.
