Fantasy Alert, What Titans 'Love' About Carnell Tate as Cam Ward's New Star WR Impresses

Drafting rookie playmakers in fantasy football, just like in the actual NFL, is sometimes a high-risk, high-reward venture, but managers should take note of the Tennessee Titans' early thoughts about wide receiver Carnell Tate.

"The Titans love Tate's exceptional ball skills and large catch radius that make him a potent downfield pass catcher," ESPN's Turron Davenport reported Monday. "Tate's field-stretching ability flashed during a team period Thursday when he easily hauled in a 50-plus yard touchdown pass from Ward after a coverage mishap by defensive backs Marcus Harris and Kevin Winston Jr."

Tennessee selected Tate with the No. 4 overall pick and surely plan to use him early and often in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's scheme.

General manager Dave Ziegler said there was "a consensus vision" of how the Ohio State product will fit in Daboll's offense and highlighted how he gets open in small areas. Davenport reported that was already on full display during a rep in OTAs.

Tate's ability to get open underneath like that while also beating press coverage for deep balls will determine his overall ceiling as a rookie, and he has already impressed his new quarterback.

"He's got great hands, wins in man coverage, and he's a strider," Cam Ward said.

That connection with Ward played a role in Tennessee's decision to draft the wide receiver, as putting young and talented weapons around the No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 NFL draft figures to be the best way to unlock his full potential.

"The quarterback is a pretty damn important piece," new head coach Robert Saleh previously said during Tate's introductory press conference when explaining the pick even though there were still headline defensive prospects available at No. 4. 

"So we're doing everything we can to help [Ward] and surround him with players who can get the ball in their hands and go score. Carnell was by far the top receiver on our board. It was a very easy decision to make."

The effusive praise coming out of OTAs should ease some of the concerns fantasy managers might have, including whether Tate will see enough passes after the Titans also added Wan'Dale Robinson this offseason. Robison surpassed 1,000 receiving yards last season for the New York Giants and figures to see plenty of targets from Ward as well.

But Tate thrived as a secondary option throughout his collegiate career at Ohio State considering he was teammates with some combination of Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. the entire time.

If he faces press coverage from a top cornerback, he can beat him over the top. If he faces a more favorable matchup with the opponent focused on Robinson, he can take full advantage just like he did when Big Ten teams were too concerned with Smith.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department listed Tate as the wide receiver who was most pro-ready with the best hands and route-running ability in its final big board before the draft. 

That sounds like a wide receiver who is ready to contribute right away, which is exactly what fantasy football managers are looking for when they select rookies.