Tennessee Titans - Fantasy News

Rishard Matthews 2017 Fantasy Projections

by Tom Joyce

8/13/17

NFL

Tennessee Titans

Rishard Matthews

Rishard Matthews finally enjoyed his breakout NFL season in 2016 once he no longer had to share reps with Andre Johnson.

Matthews enters his sixth year in the league with a chance to be the No. 1 target on the Tennessee Titans. However, he will face some challenges despite being just 27 years old, which is typically when players in the league peak.

Why Rishard Matthews Will Be A 2017 Fantasy Football Keeper

Matthews was quarterback Marcus Mariota’s preferred weapon last season. The wide receiver had 65 catches for 945 yards and nine touchdowns, which was tied for the sixth-most in the league. His strong performance gave him 11.36 Dober Fantasy Points per contest.

At the beginning of 2016, Matthews had to share reps with Johnson before an injury knocked the longtime veteran out for the season. This year, however, Johnson is no longer on the team. So, Matthews’ production at the beginning of the year will not be hindered by the former Miami Hurricane.

It helps Matthews that he is playing alongside one of the top young quarterbacks in the game. Mariota has excelled as a starter for two seasons and is still only 23 years old. As a rookie, he threw 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. But last year, he improved that mark to 26 scores and just nine picks.

If the former Heisman Trophy winner can continue trending in the right direction, better results can be had for all of the Titans wideouts and tight ends, which will only help Matthews and his fantasy owners.

Why Rishard Matthews Will Be A 2017 Fantasy Football Dud

The Titans have an abundance of skill-position players for the 2017 season.

Matthews, Delanie Walker, Tajae Sharpe and DeMarco Murray were four of the team’s top receiving options in 2016, and they are all back. Sharpe was a rookie last year and had over 500 yards, so his future is bright. But one individual player might not have the opportunity to stand out this season offensively, including Matthews.

Tennessee selected Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis with the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Certainly, the expectations for Davis are high. The same could be said for Taywan Taylor, a wide receiver out of Western Kentucky. The franchise selected him in the third round this past April.

A round after selecting Taylor, the team added tight end Jonnu Smith out of Florida International. Adding those three to an already crowded receiving situation will probably result in more sharing and a more balanced Titans offense. While that benefits the team, the same can not be said for the individual players and their stats.

Over the course of his career, Matthews has not been an end zone threat. Prior to last season, he had never made more than four touchdown catches during the regular season. With so many different targets for Mariota to throw to this season, it would not be surprising to see that mark deflate to what it was in the past.

Injuries are another concern for Matthews. He missed seven games over the course of 2014 and 2015 dealing with knee and rib issues. If those issues linger, then he could miss some time in 2017.