Fantasy Football Team Previews 2021: Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans Fantasy Preview 2021

All ADP data is courtesy of Fantasy Pros.

** = target in drafts at this ADP

Top 120

Derrick Henry, RB (ADP: 3): Henry is among the toughest players in fantasy to settle on. On one hand, he’s rushed for 1,540 and 2,027 yards, respectively, in the past two seasons and scored 35 total touchdowns. On the other hand, he’s racked up 681 rushing attempts in two seasons, a gigantic red flag for running backs. As a rusher, nobody has been more dominant. Henry has topped 1,000 rushing yards three seasons in a row, scored at least 12 rushing touchdowns in each of them, averaged more than 100 yards per game in back-to-back seasons and has an entire offense built around him. When I say built around him, I mean it; Henry logged 378 of the Titans’ 521 rushing attempts in 2020 and no other Titan even got to 50. He had 72.5% of the rushing attempts for a team that rushed the second-most times in the NFL last year. And while he’s shown no signs of slowing down, that kind of workload inevitably takes its toll. Second, Henry is not a pass-catching threat. With how they’re built this season, the Titans aren’t likely to be getting blown out much which would game script him off the field, but there is the chance that Henry could see his snap percentage dip at times when Tennessee falls behind. It also means it’s absolutely necessary he remains this dominant as a rusher to justify being taken over other players who are dual threats. Ultimately, and maybe I’ll look really stupid for this, I don’t think I could take Henry third overall. He’s absolutely a mid-first round talent, but I want my first pick at this point in a draft to do it all at a high level. Henry’s rushing can make up for the lack of receiving work, but there are players who can do it all and I’d prefer that in the Top 3.

A.J. Brown, WR (ADP: 23): Prior to the big Julio Jones trade, A.J. Brown was knocking on the door of a Top 5 ADP at WR. He’s still being drafted as the WR7, but his ADP has sunk just a tad, and his ceiling suddenly looks like a WR1 rather than the WR1. But that’s okay, because even though Brown’s outright dominance over the target share takes a hit, he makes his hay on efficiency anyway. I loved Brown going into last season because he was able to do the most with limited opportunity (relative to other WR1s). He didn’t disappoint, averaging 15.4 yards per reception, going over 1,000 yards for the second time in as many seasons and scoring 11 touchdowns despite missing time due to injury and playing hurt.  Brown is a physical beast, a touchdown machine, and a player Ryan Tannehill can target deep or in the red zone. This ADP is perfectly fine, and he can absolutely return value on it simply by staying healthy.

**Julio Jones, WR (ADP: 40): Julio Jones might be the WR to draft from this team based on this ADP, even though Brown has such a high ceiling. Jones’ ADP is being dinged by leaving Atlanta’s pass-happy offense, and that makes sense, but it’s worth noting that Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith, the second and third-most targeted Titans last season, are both gone and have vacated 157 targets. That was exactly how many targets Jones saw in Atlanta in 2019. While Tennesee hasn’t thrown the ball much at all the past few seasons, they also haven’t had a Hall of Fame receiver in the offense. Jones is going to be heavily targeted this year, and perhaps might even be more valuable because he could see a TD spike. For all his otherworldly gifts, Jones has scored double-digit touchdowns just once. That could very well change in Tennessee, with Henry as the main threat in the red zone, and defenses also having to concern themselves with Brown, and Tannehill as a rushing threat. Tannehill threw 26 red zone touchdown passes in 2020, and Davis and Smith are on new teams. So unless you think A.J. Brown is going to threaten touchdown records, it’s well within reach for Julio to hit double digit touchdown receptions and improve his value even if his yardage dips.

**Ryan Tannehill, QB (ADP: 95): Speaking of Tannehill, he’s still not getting his respect. He’s been one of the more efficient QBs in football the past two seasons, throwing 55 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. He doesn’t light the world on fire with attempts, but he has posted 7.7% and 6.9% touchdown rates the past two seasons, and he just got Julio Jones thrown into the mix. Tannehill also quietly supplements his passing efficiency with sneaky impressive rushing stats – 43 attempts, 266 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground really took some of his better games from helpful to week-winning. Sure, his floor may be lower than the true elites because his volume could lead to duds if he doesn’t find the end zone, but his improved weaponry should limit how often he doesn’t score touchdowns. Right now he is still outside the Top 12 at the position, so he remains undervalued and someone you should be thrilled to get on the cheap.

Fantasy Relevant (121-200 ADP)

Sleeper Class (200 & later)

Anthony Firkser, TE (ADP: 217): Firkser has a whiff of upside due to how creatively the Titans used Jonnu Smith last season, but he isn’t anywhere near the athlete Smith is, nor did Smith have to compete with Julio Jones in the mix. Firkser may have value here and there as a streamer, but he can be left off your radar.

Dez Fitzpatrick, WR (ADP: 243): Fitzpatrick had a chance to be the No. 2 receiver opposite Brown prior to Jones’ arrival, but now that’s for naught. It’ll take an injury to Jones or Brown for someone other than those two to be relevant in this run-heavy offense, so I wouldn’t pay him much mind in his rookie season.

Josh Reynolds, WR (ADP: 298): Reynolds’ ADP has slipped well past Fitzpatrick’s, which doesn’t make much sense to me. Reynolds has flashed big talent in the past, and had a five-touchdown season with the Rams in 2018. His biggest impediment with the Rams was a crowded receiving corps, which he looked to have escaped in Tennessee until Jones joined the squad. Should Jones get hurt, Reynolds will be a popular pickup, but until then he doesn’t need to be drafted.

Defense/Special Teams (ADP: 186)

The Titans D/ST isn’t much to speak of, although they should improve on last season’s abysmal showing. Rookie CB Caleb Farley has a chance to dramatically improve their pass defense out of the gate, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll translate to fantasy scoring. As is the case with most defenses, they should be monitored for streaming purposes and that’s about it.