After a mediocre 7-9 season in 2013, the Titans decided to fire former head coach Mike Munchak and head in a new direction. They hired Ken Whisenhunt, a man with plenty of coaching experience, especially for offensive purposes. Whisenhunt was a former head coach in Arizona, and he led them to the Super Bowl in 2008. However, he was fired in 2012 and he became the offensive coordinator in San Diego last season. Whisenhunt helped spark a Chargers offense led by Philip Rivers, and they made the playoffs. Now in Tennessee, he brings with him a brand new coaching staff in order to help bring Tennessee back to the postseason. Jason Michael, the new offensive coordinator, joins the Titans after spending three years as the tight ends coach in San Diego.
The Titans had a below average offense last season due to several injuries at key positions. They were 22nd in the league with 336.9 yards per game, and had the 19th best scoring offense with 22.6 points per game. Tennessee also struggled with turning the ball over, as they were top-10 in fumbles (8) and threw 16 interceptions. With Whisenhunt taking the reins, the offense will change to more of a spread out attack in order to dissect defenses. Look for more fantasy production from Tennessee players than there has been over the past few years, but nothing particularly special.
Tennessee Titans Fantasy Outlook
Tennessee really struggled last year in terms of consistent fantasy players, as Jake Locker battled injuries before eventually injuring his foot in Week 10 and being shut down for the rest of the season. However, Whisenhunt should help create multiple playmakers that are worthy of being drafted this season.
Quarterbacks
The Titans passed on quarterbacks such as Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater in this year’s NFL draft, indicating their faith in the development of Jake Locker. Locker is entering his fourth year in the league, and should benefit under Whisenhunt’s coaching. Last season, both Locker and Ryan Fitzpatrick saw time under center, but neither were great fantasy players. Fitzpatrick had four games over 20 points, while Locker had merely two. With Fitzpatrick now in Houston, Locker will be the unquestioned starter. However, he has only played in 18 games in the last two seasons due to injuries. If Locker doesn’t show progress or gets injured, look for LSU rookie Zach Mettenberger to see playing time.
The Titans passing offense was not great last year, as they were 21st in the league in yards (3,496). They attempted 33.3 passes per game, and had 22 touchdowns thrown and 16 interceptions. Whisenhunt should increase these numbers slightly, but Locker’s abilities will most likely hold them back. The Titans offensive line was solid last year, as they allowed the 9th fewest sacks (37). That total could decrease after adding first round draft choice Taylor Lewan, a tackle out of Michigan. Lewan should make an immediate impact and help give Locker more time in the pocket.
At best, Locker will be a top-20 quarterback and will be a solid bye week fill-in. At worst, Locker will either end up injured again or will be in the bottom five fantasy quarterbacks. Locker is not worth drafting unless you’re in a deep, standard league.
Running Backs
The Titans will feature a different workhorse in the backfield for the first time in six seasons. Chris Johnson was released in April, and he signed with the New York Jets. Johnson was 8th in points scored for running backs last year with 194 points, but he was very inconsistent in terms of scoring. However, a new era will begin, as the Titans drafted Bishop Sankey out of the University of Washington in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. Sankey ran for 1,870 yards last year in college, and has the talent to be the starting back.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sankey get plenty of touches, as the Titans averaged 28.9 rushing attempts per game last year. Although the new coaching staff is pass-friendly, this should take the pressure off of Sankey and create more holes for him to run through. Lewan, Tennessee’s first round pick, also does a great job of zone blocking and getting to the next level, which should help Sankey tremendously. Whisenhunt also loves to get his running backs involved in the passing game, and Sankey is quite capable of helping out, as he caught 28 passes for 304 yards in college last season. Many people don’t have Sankey inside the top 25, as his current ESPN ADP (average draft position) is 26th among running backs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Sankey cracks the top 15 with a large amount of rushing and receiving yards by the end of the year.
The only concern in this backfield is whether or not veterans Shonn Greene and Jackie Battle will receive touches as well, especially near the goal line. Battle is a strong back, but is going to be competing for the fullback position this year. However, he could see goal line touches to spare Sankey. Greene’s touches also gradually increased, and he scored three times in the final four games last season. Whether these two will be involved is up to Whisenhunt.
Overall, no back other than Sankey should be drafted, and Sankey should be a solid flex start that has RB2 potential.
Wide Receivers
This offseason, Tennessee let often-injured, yet talented receiver Kenny Britt leave. The team only has one receiver that is a sure thing, and that is third-year man Kendall Wright. Wright had 94 receptions last year, which was good for 7th best in the league. He is currently being drafted as the 35th best receiver according to ESPN mock draft ADP, and this is too low. He had 113 fantasy points last season, but that number should improve. Wright’s low scoring occurred because he had a dismal two touchdowns last season, as he is a specialist in catching short passes. Neither quarterback displayed downfield passing accuracy last year as well, which limited Tennessee’s options. Whisenhunt’s offense consists of lots of quick and accurate passes that are short or medium in length, as he essentially takes what the defense gives him. This should benefit Wright greatly, so expect to see more targets his way.
There are other fantasy options on the team, like Dexter McCluster and Nate Washington, but the other intriguing receiver on this roster is second-year receiver Justin Hunter. Hunter has physical talent, as he runs a 4.44 40-yard dash and has big-play potential written all over him. Hunter flashed his potential in Week 12 and Week 14 last season, as he had 10 catches for 223 yards and 2 touchdowns in those two games combined. Look for Whisenhunt to develop this kid into a stud, and I consider him a sleeper that could finish within the top 40 or even 30 receivers. If he is available in the last few rounds of a draft, take him.
Tight Ends
Delanie Walker will be the starting tight end for the second consecutive season. After posting career high numbers last year and lowering his drops (7 in 2012, 3 in 2013), Walker should factor in nicely in a revived Titans offense. Whisenhunt worked well with Antonio Gates and Ladarius Green last season, so I can easily see Walker having around 800 yards receiving and 8 touchdowns. His numbers will be dependent on the quarterback play, but Whisenhunt’s offense gives the tight end position plenty of chances to make catches across the middle. Although I wouldn’t start Walker in Week 1, many owners may be scrambling to add him after the first couple of weeks. Walker has potential, but he is not a sure thing.
Conclusion
With a new coach in town, the Titans will hope to revitalize their offensive struggles. The offense will depend on Jake Locker’s performance, but he isn’t short of talented options around him. Sankey, Wright, Hunter and Walker will create space and make plays if given the chance. If Locker cannot capitalize this year, Tennessee will most likely look in another direction for a quarterback after the season. Although there are several potential sleepers, the only guys that should be drafted no matter what are Sankey and Wright. If you want to gamble for big upside, take Hunter in the late rounds.
All Stats are according to ESPN standard scoring and are taken from ESPN.com and NFL.com.
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