Fantasy Football 2019: Impact of Tennessee Titans coaching changes

The Tennessee Titans promoted new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith from within. How will this move affect the fantasy football prospects of Titans skill position players?

Fantasy football owners who want a leg up on the competition take time to familiarize themselves with nuances of the game overlooked by others. The following teams have already been covered in our series of articles that examine the effects of new coaching hires throughout the league, in which we’re ranking the impact of each switch:

15. Cleveland Browns, 14. Washington Redskins, 13. Baltimore Ravens, 12. Denver Broncos

Next, we tune up for the season by mulling over the fantasy football prospects of those who call Music City home.

Will a new play-caller and the return of a healthy Marcus Mariota serve as preludes to offensive improvement for the Tennessee Titans?

11. Tennessee Titans

New Offensive Coordinator: Arthur Smith

Like the Redskins, the Titans promoted a new offensive coordinator from within the organization. Similar to Kevin O’Connell in Washington, other teams were attempting to lure Smith away.

Several outlets reported that newly-hired Packers head coach Matt LaFleur wanted to recruit Smith as his offensive coordinator, but Smith chose to continue a Titans tenure that began in 2011. A ton of Titans head coaches have come and gone since then, most of them named Mike: Munchak, Mularkey current head coach Vrabel — oh, and Ken Whisenhunt.

Through it all, Smith’s talents, commitment and attention to detail were recognized and rewarded by the franchise he faithfully served for the better part of a decade.

What does this promotion mean for fantasy purposes? Given the diverse offensive approaches of the head coaches he’s worked under, it’s anyone’s guess what he’ll do with a healthy Marcus Mariota, a receiving corps led by underutilized but übertalented third-year wide receiver Corey Davis and a one-two backfield punch of Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis.

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If Smith has tipped his hand at all, it’s to say that Henry will be a focal point in an offense that strives for balance, a statement that should surprise no one. Henry is one of the more polarizing figures among fantasy industry analysts, and as contentious Twitter battles rage on about the former Heisman Trophy winner’s 2019 prospects, I find myself in the trenches with those who expect another 1,000 yard, 12-touchdown season from the 25-year old power back.

Some argue that Henry’s low utilization in the passing game makes him one of the most game-script dependent running backs in football. Others point to the statistical regression Lewis has shown since leaving the New England Patriots as a reason why Henry won’t lose as many touches as his doubters think.

While some negative game scripts may weigh Henry down, he should see more than enough touches in Smith’s system to offer value, especially as he resumes his late-season run as one of the league’s most consistent red zone producers. Henry put a scare into his truthers when he left practice with an injury last week but has since shed his walking boot. He is expected to miss a total of two weeks of training camp and zero regular season games.

The bottom line for this backfield: Henry’s minor setback and his numerous detractors have kept his ADP from rising too high.

Given how much usage he’s projected to get in Smith’s offense, Henry shouldn’t be left on the board past Round 4. Lewis will see some third down and garbage time work, so while he’s currently being drafted as a late round bench stash in PPR leagues, he’s arguably left on the waiver wire and scooped up as a bye week fill-in due to his lack of upside.

It doesn’t take a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt to figure out Smith’s plans for the passing game: pepper his most dangerous target, Davis, as much as humanly possible. The 6-2 Western Michigan product is viewed as a breakout candidate after drawing 112 targets during his sophomore campaign in Nashville.

Davis improved his catch rate during his second season. This is notable considering he played several games with a quarterback who was either: A. slowed by numbness and weakness in his throwing hand or B. Blaine Gabbert. Davis also saw little attention drawn away from him due to in part to lackluster secondary targets in the wide receiving corps.

Help has arrived in the form of Clemson product Adam Humphries, signed away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the heels of a 76-815-5 season. Humprhries instantly upgrades the slot receiver position and gives defenses someone else to worry about on third downs.

Humphries finished in the top 25 in receptions last year and adds a new, dependable element that was lacking in the Titans passing game in recent years. He is a viable late round target in PPR leagues who is basically going undrafted in 12-team leagues, according to Fantasy Football Calculator.

One reason fantasy owners are snubbing Humphries is the return of veteran tight end Delanie Walker, who missed almost all of last season with a horrific ankle injury. Many expect Walker to siphon targets away from both Lewis and any Titans wide receiver not named Corey Davis.

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Walker’s younger counterpart at the position, Jonnu Smith, is an interesting waiver wire prospect to watch in the event the aging Walker aggravates his ankle or suffers another injury. Meanwhile, he’s worth a bench stash in larger tight end-premium leagues, since it’s possible that the Titans will feature both on the field together, especially in the red zone.

As for Mariota, his scrambling ability gives him a higher floor than many industry experts realize. If Arthur Smith can establish a sound offensive balance, he can help Davis realize his superstar potential and mold Mariota into a difference maker in 2-QB leagues.

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