Full Tennessee Titans Awards at the Quarter Mark of 2014 NFL Season

After the first quarter of the regular season, the Tennessee Titans sit at 1-3 and near the bottom of the NFL.

With this team being in so much transition after the offseason, there shouldn't be too much of a surprise at the slow start. Playing three 2013 playoff teams on the road didn't help their chances.

There's still silver lining to be found after four games. Here are you early season award winners as the Titans return to LP Field for Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns. These players will need to continue to play well if the Titans have any chance at digging out of this hole.

Rookie of the Year: Bishop Sankey

AJ Mast/Associated Press

It's a small sample size, but Bishop Sankey gets the award early on after his play in limited action. I fully expect Sankey's role to gradually expand as the season progresses. This consequentially could mean less action for Shonn Greene.

Sankey has made the most out of his limited opportunities. He's averaging over five yards per carry and has caught all three of his targets in the passing game.

Elliot Harrison of NFL.com has Sankey as his prediction for Offensive Rookie of the Year, citing that he'll eventually become the focal point of the offense.

He needs more looks in this offense, even if that means some rookie growing pains. He was drafted in the second round for a reason, and the Titans need to get this dynamic player more offensive touches in the early portions of games. Far too often have we had to wait to see him get his touches when the game was already out of reach, like the lopsided loss to the Colts.

Sankey did manage his first career touchdown against the Colts. Being efficient with the opportunities he's been given gets him this award.

It's worth noting that Avery Williamson was seriously considered as his role also continues to grow at linebacker.

Offensive Player of the Year: Delanie Walker

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

This one wasn't even close as Delanie Walker has been the offensive standout in a landslide. 

Walker has been the lone bright spot in an otherwise stagnant Titans passing attack. The touchdown catch he made with two Colts defenders draped all over him was absolutely amazing. It came at a time when the Titans still had a chance to pull off the upset as halftime approached. 

If Walker continues this trend, he could easily find himself with his first career Pro Bowl selection. He's currently second in the league among tight ends in receiving yardage, only trailing Jimmy Graham.

As great as Walker's start has been, he needs a lot of help if the Titans are going to pull out of this tailspin. He also needs consistent quarterback play, and that starts with Jake Locker staying healthy after he gets over this latest wrist injury.  

Walker is a little beat up right now, per John Glennon of The Tennessean:

"

Potential that Delanie Walker could be limited again this week. Was wearing sling around left shoulder in locker room today.

— John Glennon (@glennonsports) September 29, 2014"

There's unfortunately the potential that the Titans could be without their lone offensive standout if Walker can't battle through this. He's proven a number of times that he's a warrior, and the Titans can't afford to lose him.

If the Titans end up pulling this together and making a playoff run, then Walker will be a major factor in that.

Defensive Player of the Year: Wesley Woodyard

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

It's challenging to pick a player in this category for a defense that can't seem to stop anybody. With that said, it's important to not overreact just yet.

Wesley Woodyard narrowly gets this award over Jurrell Casey due to him being the glue that has had to solely hold together a very different Titans group of linebackers.

Casey has two sacks, but he's mainly been held in check.

I underestimated the impact the loss of Zach Brown would have on this defense. Now you have rookie Avery Williamson filling in, and he's played well so far.

As for Woodyard, he leads the team in tackles and has often been one of the few guys I've consistently seen play with passion. If you think the Titans defense is bad now, it would be completely embarrassing if not for Woodyard's veteran leadership. 

This defense is going to get better as the schedule softens up in the coming weeks. Three straight weeks of Tony Romo, Andy Dalton and Andrew Luck really exposed that this defense isn't quite there. However, the offense has done nothing to help the defense out.

Woodyard gets the nod here thanks to his leadership and consistent production.

Comeback Player of the Year: Zaviar Gooden

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

Coming out of the preseason, I thought that Taylor Thompson had a great chance to seize this honor. However, he's been non-existent in a struggling Titans passing game.

After the injury of Zach Brown, second-year player Zaviar Gooden got his opportunity to start at inside linebacker. He was a superb special teams contributor in his rookie season, but didn't get a chance to start behind a deep group of linebackers.

Gooden will compete with Avery Williamson for playing time for the remainder of the season, per Titans beat writer Terry McCormick on Twitter:

"

At second inside LB, Whiz would like for either Zaviar Gooden or Avery Williamson to seize the job. Says Williamson is making progress.

— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) September 29, 2014"

Gooden has a stiff challenge beating out Williamson, who is a rookie that was taken in the fifth round of this year's draft.

It's an excellent opportunity for Gooden to take charge and help this defense settle down. Gooden has 17 tackles through four games, and he's really the only comeback story worth noting on this Titans roster.

MVP: Jason McCourty

AJ Mast/Associated Press

I know what you're thinking: How could a player from a struggling defense be this team's MVP? How could he also be above Delanie Walker?

First off, McCourty is not the reason why this defense is struggling. The Titans secondary has had some growing pains without Alterraun Verner, but McCourty has kept things from getting completely out of hand.

The Titans are actually ninth in the league in passing yards allowed per game at 226, according to ESPN.com.

Blidi Wreh-Wilson is clearly struggling in his first season as a starter, and that's leaving McCourty the tough assignment of holding down his side against elite receivers. 

The Colts exploited Wreh-Wilson with Reggie Wayne, but McCourty did what he could to keep the talented T.Y. Hilton contained. 

The point is, McCourty is the most valuable player to this team through four games—he's proven that playing on a defense that can't stop the run, has a constantly changing group of linebackers and inexperience lining up opposite of him at cornerback. The Titans defense would be historically bad without McCourty.

Walker was a strong consideration and a close second, but the Titans would still be in similar trouble with or without Walker. If the Titans didn't have McCourty, I couldn't see this team holding anyone under 30 points as a passing league would pick them apart week after week against two inexperienced cornerbacks.