Tennessee Titans: Fantasy Football Projections for 2012

Over the last decade, the Tennessee Titans have only been relevant in fantasy football at the running back position, where they have transitioned from Eddie George to Travis Henry to Chris Johnson, all of whom have been top-10 fantasy running backs in at least one season.

With a new coaching staff and changing personnel, the time is right for fantasy owners to begin looking strongly at the Titans passing game.

Quarterback: This will be the hardest position to forecast for obvious reasons. As we won't know who will enter Week 1 as the starter until most fantasy drafts have already taken place, taking a flier on either Jake Locker or Matt Hasselbeck is a pretty big risk.

With that said, I'm going to write this as though Locker will win the starting spot, as I feel that is the most likely course of action at this point.

The Titans need to move to a more run-and-gun-type offense. With more shotgun plays and an increase in deep routes, one can expect to see the Titans throw for more yards than they have since the Moon-era ended.

Locker has a strong arm, the ability to move around outside of the pocket and a willingness to let the ball fly that lends itself to big fantasy numbers on any given week.

Jake Locker (Projection)—15 starts, 520 attempts, 315 completions, 3,900 yards, 28 touchdowns, 17 interceptions with 400 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Running Back: After a disappointing 2011 campaign where he failed to produce after being a consensus top-five fantasy pick, Chris Johnson will look to bounce back to the level where he spent the first four seasons of his career.

With a revamped playbook, a new starting guard in Steve Hutchinson and possibly a new quarterback, change may be a good thing for Johnson. The days of eight in the box with nearly all of the focus on the running back may be gone, opening up holes and even more big plays for the most explosive back in football.

Though he's unlikely to get the touches needed to approach 2,000 yards, Johnson is still an elite back that will see the ball enough to likely return to that top-five running back status.

Chris Johnson (Projection)—275 attempts, 1,300 rushing yards, 45 receptions, 400 receiving yards, 10 total touchdowns.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: This position, at least in fantasy football terms, is almost as up-in-the-air as the quarterback spot. With Kenny Britt's health being a concern as well as Britt possibly facing a suspension, it's tough to know who will be the true No. 1 option when the Titans take the field against New England.

After Nate Washington posted career-highs in receptions and yards, it's tough to see him falling too far in the depth chart. However, with first-round pick Kendall Wright now in camp as well as a returning Damian Williams and Lavelle Hawkins, receivers will likely be fighting for catches as the year progresses.

At tight end, Jared Cook is the man to keep an eye on. An amazing physical specimen, Cook came alive in the final few weeks of the season and really placed himself back on the fantasy radar after a semi-disappointing and inconsistent year. In a contract year with a system that fits his skill set, this will be Cook's chance to step into the spotlight that his talent suggests he should grab.

Projections:

Kenny Britt—50 receptions, 875 yards, eight touchdowns.

Nate Washington—55 receptions, 850 yards, five touchdowns.

Kendall Wright—35 receptions, 550 yards, four touchdowns.

Jared Cook—65 receptions, 950 yards, seven touchdowns.

Defense and Special Teams: One of the toughest positions to ever actually project in fantasy football, the Titans are coming off of a season where the points per game allowed finished eighth in the league.

After an invisible pass rush that left fantasy owner with very little in terms of sacks, the Titans brought in Kamerion Wimbley and spent a third-round pick on defensive tackle Mike Martin. Though they likely won't reach the top 10 in sacks, a return to the middle-of-the-pack on top of a strong scoring defense could make the Titans defense a unit to keep an eye on.

At kicker, Rob Bironas remains a top fantasy option. A powerful leg with good accuracy, Bironas rarely disappoints fantasy owners.