The Tennessee Titans rookie class has been good, but there is only one rookie in the class who has been consistently exceptional.
Cam Ward is the Titans' most important rookie, but he has had some tough quarters of football, highlighted by incredible plays and drives. Similarly, Gunnar Helm and Elic Ayomanor have made their mark catching the ball, though sometimes it feels like they can go dark for games at a time.
Each week, the rookie who has been the most consistent is the AFC's Special Teams Player of the Week, Chimere Dike. The former Florida receiver earned that title after another stellar week as a returner, and he is currently the NFL's leader in all-purpose yards by a wide margin.
Titans rookie WR Chimere Dike has been consistently outstanding on special teams
Don't overlook that, being the leader in all-purpose yards is a massive accomplishment. Over the last 10 years, here are the players who finished as the leaders in that category:
2024: Saquon Barkley
2023: Christian McCaffrey
2022: Josh Jacobs
2021: Jonathan Taylor
2020: Derrick Henry
2019: McCaffery
2018: Barkley
2017: Todd Gurley
2016: David Johnson
2015: Antonio Brown
It is great to be on the same list as any of these players, and nothing can make that any less of an accomplishment. However, only 35 of DIke's 783 all-purpose yards have been gained on offense.
Brian Callahan has tried to get Dike involved, but when they have fed him the ball via manufactured touches, the plays were either poorly executed or called back for a penalty. No matter how frustrating their attempts have been so far, the Titans must continue to find ways to get him the ball.
It took a month, but Calvin Ridley and Ward seem to be on the same page now. Ward has said in the past that it usually takes him about a month of working with a skill to get into a rhythm. Dike's offensive snaps have started to ramp up after hitting nearly 50% for the first time all season in the win against the Arizona Cardinals. The two need more time on task together as they try to develop chemistry.
The Titans don't need Dike to be the next Percy Harvin or Antonio Brown (though it would be nice). It would be a welcome outcome if the front office knew exactly what he could be on offense before they started deciding how to spend their resources in the offseason.
Dike's calling card as a returner has been his ability to read his blocks and to accelerate up the field without losing speed. It makes sense to try to manufacture some of that with some deep crossing routes or intermediate screens if the Titans can pull it off. Keep an eye out to see if plays like that start popping up more and more as Dike trends toward being the most productive returner in the NFL since Darren Sproles in 2011.