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2008 Team Preview by RotoExperts.com Staff Writer Jon Williams.
OVERVIEW
The Tennessee Titans finished with a 10-6 record in 2007, but very few analysts seem to give them credit for it. It could be because they made no huge or glitzy moves to shore up perceived weaknesses at wide receiver, on the defensive line, and in their defensive backfield. The Titans could also be facing an uphill battle playing in the extremely tough AFC South against teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Indianapolis Colts, and the improving Houston Texans. But the most likely reason for the negative reviews that the Titans are getting is a mainstream media who prefers big names and flashy picks to the careful scouting and coaching that the Titans employ under head coach Jeff Fisher. |
PROJECTED DEPTH CHART Players listed in order of fantasy relevance. Recommended round to draft in standard 10 to 12-team leagues with 16 rounds in parentheses. Quarterback: Vince Young (12), Kerry Collins Running Back: LenDale White (5), Chris Johnson (12), Chris Henry Wide Receiver: Justin Gage, Justin McCareins, Roydell Williams, Brandon Jones Tight End: Alge Crumpler (11), Bo Scaife Kicker: Rob Bironas
NOTABLE PLAYER MOVES Additions: WR Justin McCareins, TE Alge Crumpler, DE Jevon Kearse, CB Chris Carr Subtractions: DE Travis LaBoy, DE Antwan Odom, WR Eric Moulds, G Benji Olson  | | Will we see open tryouts for WRs here soon? Photo Credit: jttornow |
2008 ROOKIES TO WATCH Round One: RB Chris Johnson
Round Four: WR Lavelle Hawkins TOP POSITION BATTLE Second Wide Receiver: Justin McCareins, Roydell Williams, Brandon Jones 2008 SCHEDULE Top fantasy matchups in bold Sept. 7: Jacksonville Jaguars
Sept. 14: at Cincinnati Bengals
Sept. 21: Houston Texans
Sept. 28: Minnesota Vikings
Oct. 5: at Baltimore Ravens
Oct. 12: BYE
Oct. 19: at Kansas City Chiefs
Oct 27: Indianapolis Colts
Nov. 2: Green Bay Packers
Nov. 9: at Chicago Bears
Nov. 16: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Nov. 23: New York Jets
Nov. 27: at Detroit Lions FANTASY PLAYOFF MATCHUPS Dec. 7: Cleveland Browns
Dec. 14: at Houston Texans
Dec. 21: Pittsburgh Steelers
Dec 28: at Indianapolis Colts  | ENGEL EYE ON: THE TENNESSEE TITANS | You certainly are not going to draft any wide receivers on this team, not even Justin Gage, who seems to have a minimal amount of upside if any. This was a bad place for Alge Crumpler to land. He'll draw a lot of defensive attention and is in for another disappointing season. Vince Young is essentially another running back. There may not be another team who'll be more inept on offense in 2008. Start your defenses against the Titans every week. For desperation's sake, they could use Joe Horn. |
2008 FANTASY POSITIONAL OUTLOOKS  | | Vince Young takes the field for another week, wondering who the heck he will throw to. Photo Credit: jarno6006 |
Quarterback:
The Titans have brought in new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger to mold Vince Young into the best NFL quarterback he can possibly be. Heimerdinger has been guru to quarterbacks such as Steve McNair and Jay Cutler at crucial points in their development, and Young should benefit from that same sort of mentoring. As a fantasy quarterback, Young was a complete disaster in 2007, but he did make some progress by increasing his completion percentage to 62.3% (on 238-of-387 attempts), resulting in an increase in passing yards (2,590). With improved talent at wide receiver and tight end, Young should take another step forward in production and become an adequate fantasy back-up with terrific upside. Young’s backup is veteran Kerry Collins, who, while talented, is not a threat to take over the starting job. Running Back:
LenDale White had a career high 303 carries in 2007 but had just a 3.7 YPC, which resulted in a slightly disappointing 1,110 rushing yards. He won’t get nearly as many carries in 2008 with Chris Johnson moving in on third downs and passing plays, which should help make the Tennessee rushing attack much more effective. White should remain the Thunder to Johnson’s Lightning and receive the vast majority of red zone carries, so LenDale should have nice touchdown totals. While he is a solid pick for your second running back, he does come with some risk of losing his starting role. Chris Johnson was a bit of a surprise as the Titans selection in the first round of the NFL Draft, but he was not a bad pick. Johnson was the fastest player available in the draft and is now one of the fastest in the NFL -- small in stature but powerful in the running game. He has soft hands, and the Titans plan to make good use of them by frequently lining him up as a receiver. Johnson has frequently been compared to smaller backs such as Reggie Bush and Brian Westbrook and is definitely a threat to take over as the primary rusher for the Titans. CJ is being overlooked in many fantasy drafts, but even as a change of pace back and part-time receiver, he should have solid fantasy value, especially in PPR Leagues. Wide Receiver:
The Titans don’t have anyone who might be considered a WR1 in fantasy. Justin Gage is moving up to the top spot for the Titans, after having a strong first season with the team. Gage collected 55 receptions for 750 yards, but he scored just twice. He has just average skills, but if one of the other wide receivers can step it up across the field, it's possible that Gage could have solid fantasy value, especially given the number of targets he should receive. But this is one starting receiver you’ll want on your team only as bench depth. The Titans re-acquired wide receiver Justin McCareins as a free-agent, and he is the favorite to start based on his impressive performance in mini camp. McCareins was a disappointment as a New York Jet, but in his last season with the Titans, he had 47 catches and seven touchdowns. He’ll face competition for the spot all season from the plethora of options the Titans have on the roster. Roydell Williams, who caught 55 passes for 719 yards last year, is one receiver of whom the Titans would like to see more. Unfortunately, the ankle injury he suffered in 2007 lingered into spring OTAs and may continue to handicap him when training camp begins. Brandon Jones has the most potential among Titans WRs, but injuries to his knees, head, chest, ACL, and groin have hindered his performance the last three seasons. Jones is running out of chances very quickly. Rookie Lavelle Hawkins will have plenty of opportunities to have an impact for the Titans, and he may deliver for fantasy owners, given the lack of quality talent ahead of him. Tight End:
It's debatable whether or not the Titans made any real improvement at the wide receiver position, but they made a dramatic one at tight end. Alge Crumpler takes over for the disappointing Bo Scaife. Heimerdinger makes great use of the tight end as a receiver -- remember Frank Wycheck? When you take the offensive scheme and the lack of outstanding talent at wide receiver into account, it becomes realistic to imagine Crumpler receiving 80-90 targets. That would make him a major fantasy asset. Kicker:
Rob Bironas has shown a ton of improvement as a place kicker. Last season, he was perfect on PATs and was a very respectable 30-of-35 on field goal attempts. He showed terrific accuracy from long distance, nailing 4-of-5 attempts from beyond 50 yards, and he was a perfect 10-for-10 from 40-49 yards. Despite a fantastic season, Bironas should not be selected until the last round of your fantasy draft... just like every other kicker. Defense/Special Teams:
The Titans were a top ten defense in 2007, after suffering through a lousy 2006 season. The departure of solid DEs Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy would seem to signal another downturn, but I don’t think it will. The Titans have brought back Jevon Kearse to fill one spot, and they also signed former Seattle Seahawk Bryce Fisher. During the draft, the team spent a second round pick on DE Jason Jones from Eastern Michigan, who should provide quality depth. The Titans were not very good at turning their 34 takeaways into touchdowns, but just a touch more of better luck could result in a big season. Offensive Line:
The Titans have a very strong line even with the departure of Benji Olson. Most of this line has been together for years, and that is a very important quality in building a cohesive unit. Kevin Mawae is a monster in the middle of the line. He is flanked by strong veterans T Michael Roos and G Leroy Harris on the left side of the line, and by free agent OG acquisition Jake Scott and T David Stewart on the right. This unit provides very good blocking for the running game, and it will deliver excellent pass protection for Vince Young. Do you have any questions, comments or insults to toss Jon’s way? Email him at
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