RADIO
Brandon Murchison's 2019 NFL Draft team previews moves on to the Tennessee Titans. Can Marcus Mariota show enough improvement to get this team to the playoffs? Will Derrick Henry become a surefire RB1 in 2019? What impact will the rookies have on this team from a fantasy standpoint?
After a late surge to make the playoffs in 2017, the 2018 season was a lost one for the Titans. The "franchise" quarterback, Marcus Mariota, had an extremely subpar year. He was constantly battling injuries and could only muster a finish as QB26 in fantasy (2,528 yards and 13 total TD). Even though he was playing injured, inaccuracy continued to plague Mariota last season. His passing yardage has regressed in each of the last three seasons in part due to the fact that the team is taking fewer shots down the field (10.3% in 2018). This season will be make-or-break for Mariota in Tennessee. If he continues to falter, the team will have no choice but to go in another direction, which should make him play with a sense of urgency. This would benefit no one more than Corey Davis, a player that many fantasy owners continue to have high hopes for. The return of Delanie Walker and signing of Adam Humphries gives Mariota the tools he needs to succeed, but will he?
The bread and butter of this team needs to be in relying on the running game behind Derrick Henry. The early stages of the 2018 season, the team tried to go with the hot hand mentality with Henry and Dion Lewis. But that failed to get either back into a rhythm, and the team suffered for that. At the mid-way point, the Titans decided to lean on Henry and it paid off. From Week 9 on, Henry was a Top 5 RB in fantasy. Henry is a volume back, plain and simple, relying on a heavy workload to do his damage and wear a defense down. If the team decides to truly give Henry a majority of the work in the backfield, then Henry could be in store for a big season in 2019. He is a back that will be drafted as an RB2 but could easily return RB1 value. Whereas Lewis should be viewed as a PPR asset that could be a weekly play as a Flex.
As we head into the draft, the Titans could go in a myriad of directions with their selections. They could very well spend most of their draft honing in on defensive depth. But don't be shocked to see this team add another offensive weapon to help Mariota as much as possible. The team wants him to succeed and will be willing to do everything possible to make that happen.
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Top Three Projected Selections
First Round- N'Keal Harry, WR Arizona State (19th overall)
Second Round- Yodny Cajuste, OT West Virginia (51st)
Third Round- Carl Granderson, DE Wyoming (82nd)
Remaining Picks
Fourth Round- 121st
Fifth Round- 157th
Sixth Round- 188th
Needs Analysis
The first selection in their 2019 draft, I have the Titans going for broke on the offensive side of the ball by adding my top wide receiver prospect in N'Keal Harry. He has the size and athleticism to rival D.K. Metcalf but is more well rounded with what he can do on the field. He releases off the ball extremely well and is rarely jammed at the line. His quick release allows him to get into routes clean and uses his great ball skills in contested catch situations. He sets up opposing defenders by leveraging them into tough coverage. He has above average route running skills and consistently improved each year in college. He will likely play outside opposite Corey Davis in this offense, while Humphries takes the slot duties. Harry will have a minimal impact in 2019 due to the style of offense the Titans run, making him a late-round selection in seasonal leagues. In dynasty, he is easily worth an early first-round pick. If the Titans move on from Mariota beyond 2019 and open up the offense, Harry could really hit his stride in 2020 and beyond.
In the second round, Yodny Cajuste makes sense for an offensive line that just lost a piece in Quinton Spain. He is a natural tackle but has the build and strength that will allow him to move inside. He is a physical player that can keep a defender in front of him. He shows some inconsistencies from time to time, but have great balance in both run blocking and pass protection. He is very good at processing opposing players movements, which can allow him to open up gaps. He should slide right into the spot left behind by Spain and hopefully the offensive line doesn't miss a beat.
Carl Granderson gives the Titans a developmental edge rusher loaded with upside. He is limited in what he can bring to the table as a run stopper, but his pass rushing attributes certainly make up for that. His long limbs can make him easy to block by experienced linemen, but once he develops his game, it will be something to forget. If he can get coached up properly by Mike Vrabel and staff into becoming a more well-rounded defensive end, he can be a starter for years to come. Adding to a defense that is a startable unit in fantasy, but easily one that you can stream based on matchups.
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