Tennessee Titans - Fantasy News

DeMarco Murray 2017 Fantasy Projections

by Tom Joyce

8/11/17

NFL

Tennessee Titans

DeMarco Murray

DeMarco Murray did not work out too well for the Philadelphia Eagles in his first and only year with the team in 2015, but he was back to his old self when he joined the Tennessee Titans last season.

The perennial Pro Bowl candidate was no longer forced to run endless sweeps and had arguably the second-best year of his NFL career. At 29 years old, the Titans hope that he will continue to perform as well as he has for the majority of his pro career. 

Why DeMarco Murray Will Be A 2017 Fantasy Football Stud

Throughout most of his time in the NFL, Murray has shown he is capable of being one of the best running backs in the league. This is the same guy who ran for over 1,800 yards with the Dallas Cowboys in 2014. This past season, he ran for nearly 1,300 yards and punched in nine touchdowns in his first year with the Titans. It was a strong performance that gave him 17.02 Dober Fantasy Points per contest. Due to his familiarity with the system in Nashville, there is a chance he could exceed that number if given more carries.

Adding to Murray’s value is his pass-catching ability. Over the last five years, he has combined for 154 receptions, which means he’s consistently going to make more than 30 grabs per year. There are some valuable fantasy wide receivers who don’t get that many opportunities.

Some might be concerned about the offseason surgery that Murray had on his right ring finger, but all indications are that he will be good to go for the regular season. Even when he has dealt with injuries over the past few years, the former Oklahoma Sooner has done a nice job of staying on the field and helping his team win games.

Why DeMarco Murray Will Be A 2017 Fantasy Football Dud

Murray has been a go-to running back for the duration of his six-year NFL career, and he is expected to be once again for the Titans. But with football being such a violent sport, one has to wonder just how much mileage he has left in the tank.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder has taken plenty of hits to most every part of his body while playing through injuries. Just last year, he battled a foot injury late in the season and was limited to 3.5 yards per carry over the final six games. And, of course, there is still the offseason surgery on his finger to consider.

Even if he is healthy, it is a real possibility that Murray starts to lose out on reps as the year goes on. Derrick Henry, who is entering his second NFL season, was a second-round pick and performed well when his number was called. He amassed 490 rushing yards on 110 carries and punched in five touchdowns as a rookie.

With Murray hurting in the final game of the 2016 season, Henry was the primary running back, taking 15 carries for 65 yards with a touchdown. If there is a game in which Murray struggles to move the ball early, the Titans do have a “Plan B” on their roster.

If Murray does get hurt badly enough to miss time, then he could really be in trouble if Henry plays well in his absence. Even if he returns, Murray’s reps could be limited.