Fantasy football slant on the upcoming Titans vs. Seahawks matchup.
If you’re a Tennessee Titans fan, then you probably love or really like football. If you love or really like football, then you probably play fantasy football. If you play fantasy football, you probably hate everything. All joking aside, fantasy football is a huge reason the NFL is as big as it is. It’s a fun distraction from normal football games.
With the Seattle Seahawks coming to Nashville this week, many fantasy football players would believe that this game could be filled with fantasy goodness. But the Seahawks have struggled mightily on offense, and some of the high fantasy football draft picks that will be playing in this game haven’t performed up to this point.
Let’s go by team and position.
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback
Marcus Mariota has been better than many believe through the first two weeks. He’s been slightly inaccurate on some passes, but he has moved the chains and is getting out of precarious situations with his mobility. It hasn’t quite translated to fantasy football just yet, as Mariota is the QB13 through two weeks.
This week he gets another tough matchup in a Seattle defense that has given up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the quarterback position. Mariota’s penchant for getting yards on the ground makes him startable in any game, but this could look like the Denver Broncos game from last season.
Running Backs
Still battling with a lingering hamstring injury, it’s unsure whether DeMarco Murray will play this week. Even if he does, it’s tough to imagine him getting a ton of work and being effective with it. Even though you probably spent a second-round pick on him, he needs to be benched until he’s fully healed.
Coming off a career game, Derrick Henry might get more work once again this week as Murray continues to work back from a hamstring tweak. The matchup appears tough, but Seattle has surrendered 5.6 yards per carry to running backs in 2017 so far.
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Wide Receivers
Corey Davis has been ruled out for this week’s game. Take him out of your lineup.
It’s very likely Rishard Matthews sees Richard Sherman often throughout this game, but Mariota won’t shy away from going to his most trustworthy receiver. That said, expectations must be tempered in a brutal matchup.
To put it bluntly, Eric Decker has looked slow and old through his first two games with the Titans. The Titans will need him to step up with Davis out in a game where the interior can be attacked. But Decker is simply an unreliable fantasy football option at the moment.
Taywan Taylor will get plenty of playing time with Davis out, and he could find the most success among all of Tennessee’s receivers. The Seahawks struggled to contain Randall Cobb, a player of the same ilk as Taylor, in Week 1. He’s a deep sleeper.
Tight Ends
Delanie Walker has been playing like the best tight end in football early this season, and he’s doing it at 33 years old. He’s also been a top-five scoring tight end in fantasy football. Fire him up confidently as your starting tight end.
Though Jonnu Smith scored a touchdown on a screen pass last week, that was one of only two receptions he’s had so far this season. That said, he might be relied upon a bit more with Davis ruled out of this game.
Seattle Seahawks
Quarterback
Personally, I thought Russell Wilson was going to have a monstrous season in 2017. Two games in and it appears I could not have been more wrong. Things can still change, especially considering Wilson is a second-half-of-season kind of guy, but the offensive is line is among the worst in the league and Wilson looks shaky.
A game against Tennessee’s unsure secondary could provide a remedy, but don’t expect Wilson to have a huge game. Derek Carr didn’t, though he was very solid, and Blake Bortles didn’t either. Wilson’s running ability could give him a very nice floor, though.
Running Backs
Tentatively the new starter in Seattle, Chris Carson looks like the real deal as his preseason play has translated to the regular season. Despite playing behind a bad line, Carson is a solid FLEX play this week and beyond.
Tennessee Titans
Thomas Rawls might have already been Wally Pipp’d as he works his way back from an ankle injury. Rawls hasn’t looked good in over a year and a half. He’s unplayable right now.
C.J. Prosise really hasn’t looked good to start the season, but he’s at the very least locked into a third down and passing game role. He’s a deep league PPR flex play only.
Wide Receivers
Doug Baldwin has historically been quiet on the road, but this is a defense that he can take advantage of. Baldwin is adept at tearing defenses up in the short-to-intermediate range, which is where Oakland Raiders receivers did a lot of damage against Tennessee in Week 1.
Like Baldwin, Tyler Lockett is quick and shifty, particularly on short routes, which works against the Titans’ defensive philosophy of playing off receivers. Lockett won’t hit big plays, but he might soak up receptions in this one.
Paul Richardson is a deep threat, but the Titans haven’t given up a reception longer than 25 yards to a receiver this season. Keep him on the bench.
Tight Ends
Jimmy Graham is nursing knee and ankle injuries and didn’t practice Wednesday. It’s unlikely he’ll play.
Luke Willson (no, not that one) caught three passes for 25 yards last week as Graham dealt with injuries. You can do better at tight end on the waiver wire.