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Player Outlooks (2024)
QB Will Levis: Levis enters his second season with an improved supporting cast after Tennessee swooped in to sign Calvin Ridley in free agency and spent the No. 7 overall pick on mammoth offensive tackle J.C. Latham—plus added Tony Pollard and Tyler Boyd to round out the skill-position talent. In general, the Titans appear set to be a pass- happy offense similar to what new head coach Brian Callahan had with Joe Burrow and three talented wideouts (including Boyd) in Cincinnati, so the question will be whether Levis can reach expectations that many had for him coming out of Kentucky. We were lower on him based on some of the flaws that continued to show as a rookie (including sensing pressure), but the opportunity is there for Levis to breakout as a low-end QB2 option with upside.
QB Mason Rudolph: Rudolph was excellent helping to guide the Steelers into the postseason last year, and after drawing basically no interest in free agency last year (a clear mistake by the league), he was signed to be the No. 2 quarterback for a Titans team that he could realistically see time for whether it’s due to an injury to Will Levis or the second-year passer simply not performing up to expectations. We have always liked Rudolph, and the weapons are there in Tennessee for him to have success with the fantasy upside being increased for a team that wants to throw the ball more than Pittsburgh did last season.
RB Tony Pollard: The stint as the clear lead back for Pollard with the Cowboys didn’t go as planned as he failed to reach his breakout 2022 numbers while seeing his efficiency severely drop, but Tennessee signed him to a three-year, $21.75-million contract in the offseason to be an important part of their offense by forming a lightning-and-lightning duo with Tyjae Spears. As stated, the Titans might want to throw the ball quite a bit under Brian Callahan, but his father Bill—one of the best position coaches in the league—being brought over as the offensive line coach shouldn’t go overlooked. We’ll see if the efficiency gets back to a level high enough to surpass expectations while splitting work on an offense that no one anticipates being as prolific as the one Pollard played in with Dallas.
RB Tyjae Spears: Spears flashed down the stretch as a rookie, and he left a great final impression with 66 total yards and two touchdowns on just six touches in the season finale. Unfortunately, the Titans found a Derrick Henry replacement in the form of Tony Pollard—who has a skillset that overlaps what Spears does well—so this has the makings of a frustrating situation where the week-to-week backfield leader is unpredictable. Tennessee loading up at wide receiver might also make it difficult for Spears to build on the pass-catching work he saw as a rookie, and we’ll see how the backfield fares versus a very tough schedule over the first two months (@ CHI, v NYJ, v GB, @ MIA, v IND, @ BUF, @ DET).
RBs Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut: Haskins and Chestnut are interesting because they are both bigger backs compared to Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, and there could be a point where the Titans decide it’s something they need to add to the offense. Haskins—a former star at Michigan—would seem to have the inside track and is a name to watch over the next few weeks.
WR Calvin Ridley: Ridley could have a case for WR2 value after signing a four-year, $92-million contract in free agency, but there are questions about Will Levis, including a scenario where the second-year quarterback struggles—limiting the fantasy appeal for Ridley on an offense that also includes historic target hog DeAndre Hopkins. Also, the former Alabama standout’s numbers haven’t been overly prolific outside of a 90/1,374/9 line with Julio Jones dealing with injuries in 2020, so he might be closer to the 58.5 receiving yards per game for the rest of his career rather than the 91.6 receiving yards per game he had a few years ago; and Ridley only has two seasons with 1,000+ yards since entering the league in 2018.
WR DeAndre Hopkins: Entering his age-32 campaign, Hopkins seems to have quite a bit left in the tank, but his numbers did decline in his first season with the Titans—averaging 62.2 receiving yards per game, compared to 78.2 yards per game in seven seasons with Houston and 77.0 yards per game in three seasons with Arizona. And that was before Tennessee signed Calvin Ridley to a huge contract a few months ago, so he will be counting on Will Levis to make a leap and lift his numbers on an offense that includes Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Ridley, Tyler Boyd, Treylon Burks, and Chigoziem Okonkwo. Consider him a FLEX with a lower floor than usual.
WR Tyler Boyd: Boyd is coming over from Cincinnati with his former offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, so there should be little adjustment in terms of the role between Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins. There might be room for Boyd to carve out a bigger slice of the pie with the older Ridley and Hopkins not being prime Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but again, the Titans are relying on Will Levis to be a “hit” at quarterback, and the running backs should get quite a bit of work in the passing game, too.
WR Treylon Burks: Tennessee has remade the offense this offseason, so Burks’ standing with the team is completely up in the air—as a trade would seem to make sense for both sides. If that doesn’t come to fruition, Burks could benefit from being more of a complementary piece behind Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, and Tyler Boyd, which could still allow him to make an impact (but likely from a real-life perspective) as a versatile, 225-pound weapon with a more focused role where he uses his instincts to make things happen with the ball in his hands.
WR Kyle Philips: Philips showed well in limited action with 15 receptions (on 22 targets) for 181 yards last year, and the 8.2 yards per target is very good for a small player that has flashed potential since he was at UCLA. If the aging group at wide receiver can’t stay healthy, Philips could step up and provide some fantasy appeal in deeper leagues, especially if Treylon Burks ends up being traded.
WR Jha’Quan Jackson: A sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Jackson—the nephew of all-time great safety Ed Reed—profiles as the type of player that can defy expectations with plenty of juice. Look for him to first make an impact in the return game with a chance to step into a bigger offensive role if he proves too dynamic with the ball in his hands.
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: Westbrook-Ikhine has been a solid complementary piece for Tennessee over the past three years, but he now faces stiffer competition for a roster spot—but seems to have the right mindset about the situation. In terms of role and play style, Westbrook-Ikhine compares to Tyler Boyd, and he could be as high as the No. 4 wideout in 2024.
TE Chigoziem Okonkwo: Okonkwo was a breakout candidate last year, but the Titans took a step back, and his explosiveness declined (9.8 yards per reception and 6.9 yards per target, compared to 14.1 yards per reception and 9.8 yards per target as a rookie) with increased opportunities. Again, Tennessee is expected to pass a bunch under Brian Callahan, though, and Okonkwo finished stronger down the stretch with a season-long pace of 63/782/2 over his final seven games, including added consistency with 34+ yards in all those appearances (after one such appearance across the first ten games). A possible trade of Treylon Burks could boost Okonkwo’s outlook in an offense with Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, and Tyler Boyd.
TE Josh Whyle: Whyle was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he’s a bigger target at six-foot-seven that could be prioritized in scoring territory with a new coaching staff coming in. That said, wideouts are expected to be the focus, and he’ll be like most backup tight ends in that the touchdowns will be very unpredictable.
Other Notes
Best IDP value: CB Roger McCreary
McCreary has been excellent through two seasons as a sticky and competitive cornerback, and now he is undervalued with L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie joining the team. Even if McCreary is shifted into the slot, he’ll be a full-time player, and the instincts, toughness, and confidence will allow him to thrive in any role.
Stat to know (via draft guide)
Among all 32 projected starting quarterbacks this season, Will Levis had the second-highest sack percentage (9.9%) in 2023, trailing only Bryce Young (10.5%).