Three of the Tennessee Titans’ best fantasy football assets for the 2022 season — Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill and Robert Woods — will be on the field in Week 1 against the New York Giants, but should they be in your lineup?
Henry is coming off a season in which he missed the final nine games due to injury. The King was able to return for the playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but was stifled on the ground.
Tannehill also had a lackluster campaign in 2021, but for a different reason.
The Titans quarterback was a turnover machine and had a lot to overcome around him, as the offensive line was terrible in pass protection and his receivers were routinely hurt.
Woods is one of many new additions to Tennessee’s offense after spending the last five years with the Los Angeles Rams. Woods comes with his own question mark, though, as he’s coming off a torn ACL.
So, should any of these three be in starting lineups in Week 1? Let’s find out now as we take a look at some start or sit advice for all three.
Derrick Henry: Start
New year, same approach: start Derrick Henry every week.
The Titans’ bellcow back is coming off a season in which he missed the last nine games due to a foot injury. Even with his having missed nine games, Henry still finished as RB14 in standard and RB22 in PPR.
That just goes to show you the insane level of production Henry is capable of. What Henry did in eight games is more than most backs can do in 17.
Many experts out there have already begun writing Henry’s obituary after his injury and with the fact that he’s approaching the age of 30, but we’re not jumping on that ship until we see another disappointing year.
Henry is fully healthy going into 2022 and looks even bigger than normal, if that’s possible. And, most importantly, he’s set for another heavy workload.
There is even some upside with Henry, who may be utilized in the passing game more. He caught 18 passes in eight games last year, one shy of his career-high of 19, which he tallied in 16 games the year prior.
It’s full speed ahead for one of the best backs in fantasy.
Ryan Tannehill: Sit
The Titans have a ton of new faces in the passing game this season, but Tannehill didn’t get any reps with them in live-game action during the preseason, which could lead to a slow start.
Adding to that, the offensive line has two new starters at right tackle in rookie Nicholas Petit-Frere and left guard Aaron Brewer, both of whom the jury is still out on, especially in pass protection where the Titans struggled in 2021.
The good news is the Giants aren’t scaring anyone defensively, especially in their secondary where they lost No. 1 cornerback James Bradberry. Big Blue might also be without two key pass-rushers in Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux, although both were able to get in a limited practice Wednesday.
Another thing working for Tannehill is his safe floor, which comes as a result of his ability to run. The veteran signal-caller is also the only quarterback in the NFL with at least seven rushing touchdowns in each of the last two years. And, since 2019, he ranks third among quarterbacks with 18 rushing scores.
A slow start to the season is the biggest concern with putting Tannehill in your lineup Week 1, and while we suggest sitting him in the regular season opener to see how things play out with the Titans’ new-look offense, he is a decent starting option in deeper (14-team or more) leagues.
Robert Woods: Sit
Sticking with the slow start narrative, there’s no telling what fantasy owners are going to get out of Woods in Week 1.
Not only is he getting acclimated in a new offense with a new quarterback he didn’t get a chance to play with during the preseason, but he’s also coming off a torn ACL and may not be himself in his first year back.
Because of all the new faces in the passing game, like Woods, Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips, there’s simply no telling who Tannehill will favor with targets, if he does at all.
We also can’t forget about Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who was second on the team in receiving yards in 2021 and has the best rapport with Tannehill because of their experience playing with one another.
This situation is just too murky right now to trust Woods. At best, he’s a dart-throw flex play in Week 1, but we’d suggest keeping him on your bench altogether.
