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Fantasy Spotlight

Vince Young actually came out gunning last year. Throwing for almost 2,200 yards and 12 TD's, he looked great for a rookie with minimal talent at wide receiver. Unfortunately, the situation has worsened but he's still a strong candidate to get the numbers. Ben Troupe is a big target and will be one of the few players open down field. Young also rushed for better than 550 yards and grabbed himself 7 TD's. Vince is known for scrambling out of the pocket, especially on busted plays and you'll be seeing a lot of that this year with the lack of talent at wide receiver. Regardless how bad the situation is in Tennessee, Young is still a good option worthy of a #2 QB selection beginning in the fifth round.


Sleeper Watch

Ben Troupe is the key to the passing game in Tennessee. With Bennett gone and the running game in trouble, Young will be forced into 3rd and long situations. Troupe will more than likely be drafted in late rounds making him a steal this year especially considering how many touches he will be seeing this year. Don't be afraid to grab Troupe because he will be the go-to guy for the Titans.


Keeper Watch

Titans WR Brandon Jones will enter the season as the starter opposite of veteran Eric Moulds. The third year product out of Oklahoma has good size and hands to be a quality WR in the NFL. With the lack of talent at the WR position in Nashville, the Titans will be expecting Jones to step up quickly. He will likely produce somewhere around 700 yards this season and will be taken in the latter rounds of your draft. Take a shot at him if you have the roster room as he could become the Titans premier receiver for the future.


Owner Beware

Lendale White reported to camp late and overweight. Things that make fantasy owners cringe. Top that off with a fresh running back that is determined and talented and that spells disaster for owners. White didn't give his fans much to cheer about last year either, with limited carries and poor production his college career seems to be his highlight thus far. Nothing's going to change this year either with Coach Fisher upset about his weight as well as him showing up late for work. It's not a good situation to be in if you're a White owner. Look elsewhere for any sort of production from a running back until either Chris Henry or White is the clear cut starter. Stay away from Tennessee again this year in the drafts unless they are on the board in the last few rounds.


2007 Outlook:

Vince Young saved the Titans from getting the 1st pick in this year's draft. After Kerry Collins went 0-3 at the beginning of the '06 campaign, Young was named the starter and went on to an 8-5 mark winning six in a row. Young's ability to find the open target or make the play himself, earned him the 2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year. There isn't much hope for Titans fans that the situation in Nashville will get any better. With the loss of Travis Henry and Drew Bennett things are shaky at best. Rookie Chris Henry, the first round pick from Arizona looks like he'll get the nod to take the bulk of the running game. Lendale White showed up in Nashville at a reported 260 lbs and found himself the back-up to Henry. The skill positions are in trouble as well, with Givens finally back from two knee surgeries he's the number one target for Young to throw to. But that's not saying too much for the wide receivers. The Titans defense also didn't improve much in the off-season, and looks like the '06 trend will continue into 2007. Don't expect much from the Titans this year as they will struggle to stay above .500.

2007 Draft Review:

Tennessee had some major holes to fill coming into the 2007 draft. With needs at running back, defensive end, and a good corner to replace Pacman, the Titans grabbed safety, Michael Griffin, in the first round and then RB Chris Henry in the 2nd. The next few picks were spent on a group of talented wide receivers: Williams, Davis, and Filani. Tennessee had better hope a couple of these draftee's stick and make a difference or else the passing game is in trouble. Tennessee tried the quality not quantity scheme a few years ago and to no surprise it didn't work. Not much could have been done to save the 2007 season, so regardless it's hit or miss because they missed the bulls-eye this year. Draft Grade:C-

Key Acquisition:

Nick Harper joins the Titans and fills and immediate need. With the loss of Pacman Jones to suspension, Harper will jump right into a starting position and will be needed to upgrade a troubled secondary. The former Colt tied the team record of three interceptions, ranked sixth on the team with 73 tackles and started 15 games at left cornerback. The Titans may have given him a few too many dollars, but he fills a large need.

Key Departure:

Travis Henry is now in Denver leaving the Titans scratching their heads. Lendale White showed up to work fat and Chris Henry now has the nod as the starter in Tennessee. The running game in Tennessee looked decent last year once Henry was given the opportunity to establish himself. Chris Henry now must step up and fill in for Travis Henry who started the season slow but busted out in week 6 going for over 1,200 yards with 7 TD's. Henry has looked sharp in the pre-season thus far as the athletic back seems to have great field vision despite his youth.

Offensive Preview:

The Titans will rank in the bottom third of offfenses in the NFL this season. That much is known. The questions they must answer are who will step up at key positions and provide some building blocks for the future. At RB, Chris Henry will be afforded every opportunity available to him. If he falters, look for Chris Brown to harness the load with Lendale White getting some of the goal line carries. Brandon Jones is an interesting prospect at WR as he enters his third season. At TE and QB, the Titans look settled with Young and Troupe. Look for the Titans to scramble to score many points this season as, despite what Jeff Fisher says, this truly is a rebuilding year for the Titans.

Defensive/Special Teams Preview:

The Titans have some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball with Harper, Bulluck, and Haynesworth. Throw in the fact that ends Laboy and Vanden Bosch will be applying a heavy rush and the Titans have the resemblence of a respectable defensive unit. They will need it all season long. Look for the Titans to be a 15-17th ranked defense this season making them a possible #2 DST on your club. Their DST did take a hit with the suspension of Jones as he was a dynamic return specialist, returning 3 punts for TD's last season. Kicker, Rob Bironas, actually picked up his production towards the end of last season and could be a sleeper at the position will the lack of red zone production the Titans are likely to see.



Season Prediction:

The Titans must find themselves offensively after losing key veterans, Travis Henry and Drew Bennett to free agency. They have some young talent, but it will not be enough to appease the fans in Nashville. Despite Fisher's phenomenal track record, his pants will begin to flame as the Titans will usher in a losing season and hope for a top 10 draft pick next season. Looking at the schedule it will be amazing if the Titans can come out with 6 wins.

Projected Finish

5 Wins, 11 Losses (4th AFC South)

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2006 Stat Leaders

Passing:

Vince Young

2199 yds/12 TD/13 INT/66.7%

Rushing:

Travis Henry

1211 yds/4.5 ypc/7 TD

Vince Young

552 yds/6.7 ypc/7 TD

Receiving:

Drew Bennett

46 rec./737 yds/3 TD

Bobby Wade

33 rec./461 yds/2 TD


Week

Opponent

1

@ Jacksonville

2

Indianapolis

3

@ New Orleans

4

BYE

5

Atlanta

6

@ Tampa Bay

7

@ Houston

8

Oakland

9

Carolina

10

Jacksonville

11

@ Denver

12

@ Cincinnati

13

Houston

14

San Diego

15

@ Kansas City

16

NY Jets

17

@ Indianapolis


Off-Season Roster Moves

Additions:

Ryan Fowler, LB (Dal)

Gilbert Gardner, OLB (Ind)

Nick Harper, CB (Ind)

Tim Rattay, QB (TB)

Bryan Scott, DB (NO)

 

Subtractions:

Drew Bennett, WR (Stl)

Robaire Smith, DT (Cle)

Bobby Wade, WR (Min)

Travis Henry, RB (Den)

Zach Piller, G (Det)

2007 Draft:

Michael Griffin, FS (Rd 1)

Chris Henry, RB (Rd 2)

Paul Williams, WR (Rd 3)

Leroy Harris, C (Rd 4)

Chris Davis, WR (Rd 4)

Antionio Johnson, DT (Rd 5)

Joel Filani, WR (Rd 6)

Jacob Ford, DE (Rd 6)

Ryan Smith, CB (Rd 6)

Michael Otto, OT (Rd 7)


Team Info

Head Coach:

Jeff Fisher (12th Year)

Offensive Coordinator:

Norm Chow (3rd year)

Defensive Coordinator:

Jim Schwartz (8th year)

Super Bowl Titles: 2

Last Playoff Appearance:

2003

Lost Divisional Playoffs to New England 17-14.