#TBT- Delanie Walker, TE, Tennessee Titans
@Hoover__26 November 26
Tight end is probably the hardest position in the NFL to accurately judge draft value. Mainly because, as opposed to other positions, a tight end’s role in the offense changes from week to week. A running back is always going to be given the ball at some point, and the quarterback and receivers are going to have to connect for a team to succeed. But, having a tight end be a main part of an offense can be considered a luxury that not all teams have. And sometimes, even the most heavily targeted tight end can disappear for a game or two. Luckily for the Tennessee Titans, however, they have the luxury of a tight end that continues to be a top option even at 31 years of age.
Delanie Walker by far leads his team in receptions (the next best guy has 25 less), and doesn’t even have a single dropped pass yet this season (sportingcharts.com). He already has the second highest receiving yards total of his career this year, with quite a few more games to go. He is fifteenth in the league in catches, which is the highest ranking for a tight end. Walker also ranks in the top five in fantasy points for tight ends (per nfl.com scoring). The only thing holding Walker back in the past was lack of competent quarterback play, but Marcus Mariota seems to have solved that problem. Now all Walker needs is guys like Dorial Green-Beckham to step up and take a little defensive pressure off of him.
Walker’s average draft position was ninth for tight ends, so he was expected to be a decent, albeit low end starter. However, he has become a clear top option after dropping 38 total fantasy points in the last three weeks (espn.com scoring). Walker also seems to be immune to the age-old tight end problem; will the receivers get his targets, or will he command enough looks to be relevant? Without another bona fide number one receiver on the team, Walker will be Mariota’s first option on most passing plays, which puts him in an exclusive class with Rob Gronkowski and Gary Barnidge.
Delanie Walker is this week’s #TBT, and he’s playing like he never has before! If you have him, you are really lucky. If you don’t, well, you should hope your opponent doesn’t have him either!
Delanie Walker by far leads his team in receptions (the next best guy has 25 less), and doesn’t even have a single dropped pass yet this season (sportingcharts.com). He already has the second highest receiving yards total of his career this year, with quite a few more games to go. He is fifteenth in the league in catches, which is the highest ranking for a tight end. Walker also ranks in the top five in fantasy points for tight ends (per nfl.com scoring). The only thing holding Walker back in the past was lack of competent quarterback play, but Marcus Mariota seems to have solved that problem. Now all Walker needs is guys like Dorial Green-Beckham to step up and take a little defensive pressure off of him.
Walker’s average draft position was ninth for tight ends, so he was expected to be a decent, albeit low end starter. However, he has become a clear top option after dropping 38 total fantasy points in the last three weeks (espn.com scoring). Walker also seems to be immune to the age-old tight end problem; will the receivers get his targets, or will he command enough looks to be relevant? Without another bona fide number one receiver on the team, Walker will be Mariota’s first option on most passing plays, which puts him in an exclusive class with Rob Gronkowski and Gary Barnidge.
Delanie Walker is this week’s #TBT, and he’s playing like he never has before! If you have him, you are really lucky. If you don’t, well, you should hope your opponent doesn’t have him either!