Fantasy Football Player Notes

Carnell Tate lands in an ideal long-term situation after being selected fourth overall by Tennessee, where he has a clear path to becoming the Titans' No. 1 receiver. The former Ohio State standout excelled against man coverage in college and enters an offense led by Brian Daboll alongside ascending second-year quarterback Cam Ward. While veterans like Calvin Ridley and Wan'Dale Robinson should remain involved early, Tate possesses the profile of a future No. 1 receiver with immediate fantasy upside. Historically, top-five WR selections have produced quickly, making Tate one of the most no-brainer rookie wideouts to target in 2026 fantasy drafts.

Tony Pollard remains the clear leadback for the Titans entering the 2026 season. Last year, he ranked 15th in snap share, 17th in opportunity share, and 16th in weighted opportunities, but because of the putrid offensive situation he found himself in, he was only the RB29 in fantasy points per game. This can be traced to his five total touchdowns, which were a result of an offense that was 30th in points per game and 32nd in red zone scoring attempts per game, so it makes sense that he also ranked 49th in red zone touches. Pollard was still solid on a per-touch basis. Among 49 qualifying backs, he ranked 25th in explosive run rate and 22nd in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Brian Daboll, his new offensive coordinator, has historically ridden one running back in his offenses, and Pollard looks to be that guy this season. Pollard should find running room in 2026 with Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson added to the passing game, improved play from Cam Ward, and an offensive line that last year was quietly 13th-best in yards before contact per attempt. Pollard will be lingering in the RB3 range in plenty of drafts, but I think he returns strong RB2 value and production this season.

Wan'Dale Robinson quietly delivered a breakout campaign in 2025, finishing as a top-20 WR in points per game while cementing himself as one of the most underrated volume earners. The former Giant expanded beyond his underneath role, seeing more downfield usage while surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. Now reunited with Brian Daboll in Tennessee, Robinson profiles as a natural fit alongside young QB Cam Ward thanks to his separation skills and reliability underneath. His massive target-earning profile gives him sneaky upside, especially in full-PPR formats where volume is king.

Cam Ward struggled mightily for most of his rookie year but showed improvement late in the season, creating optimism for 2026. The No. 1 pick in last year's NFL Draft averaged just 10.2 fantasy points per game over his first 12 starts. He averaged a paltry 5.7 yards per pass attempt over that span, with seven TD passes and six interceptions. Ward didn't have more than one TD pass in a game until Week 14, but then he had three consecutive games with two TD passes. Over Ward's last four starts of 2026 (not including a brief cameo appearance in Week 18), he averaged 15.5 fantasy points per game. A shortage of pass-catching weaponry was a major problem for Ward as a rookie. The Titans addressed that issue by signing WR Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency and drafting Ohio State WR Carnell Tate No. 4 overall. Hopefully Ward will get better protection from his offensive line in 2026 after taking a league-high 55 sacks last year. Ward is probably only a consideration in superflex leagues or extremely deep redraft leagues for 2026, but the talented youngster could come on quickly.

Second-year man Gunnar Helm sits atop the Titans' depth chart at tight end now that veteran Chig Okonkwo has moved on to Washington via free agency. A fourth-round pick out of the University Of Texas, Helm turned in a solid if unspectacular rookie season, catching 44 passes for 357 yards and two touchdown in an offense that struggled for much of the season. Helm caught 80% of his targets and averaged a respectable 1.45 yards per route run. Titans QB Cam Ward had a rough rookie season overall but played much better late in the season. If Ward can continue to make strides, Helm could become a fantasy-viable TE option in 2026.