Tennessee Titans tight end Anthony Firkser set new career highs with 39 receptions, 387 receiving yards, and a touchdown in 2020. With his main competition now gone, what is Firkser’s fantasy football outlook and ADP for the 2021 season? Furthermore, will he be of value with A.J. Brown and Julio Jones hoarding most of the targets?
Anthony Firkser’s fantasy outlook for 2021
Firkser only played 31% of the Titans’ offensive snaps in 2020. Nevertheless, he did finish the season with 53 targets. Firkser was targeted on 15.2% of his snaps. Did you know, that ranked second among tight ends who played 300+ snaps behind only Travis Kelce? Multiple signs point to Firkser becoming an every-down player in 2021, but will it result in more targets?
Derrick Henry will continue to be the engine that propels the Titans’ offense
Tennessee’s offense has surpassed 500 pass attempts in only one season since 2016. They finished last season ranked fifth in total yards (385.4) and fourth in points scored (29.6) per game. The only team who averaged more rushing attempts per game than them (32) were the Ravens (34.6). This trend is likely to continue with new offensive coordinator Todd Downing. He replaces Arthur Smith, who is now the head coach of the Falcons.
The Titans will likely continue to lean heavily on Derrick Henry. This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering his statistical body of work. Since 2018, Henry leads all running backs in rushing attempts (896), rushing yards (4,626), and rushing touchdowns (45). He’s averaged an astounding 5.2 yards per carry.
Tennessee’s offensive line is formidable
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has one of the most dynamic wide receiver duos in the NFL after the Titans traded for Julio Jones earlier this summer. The veteran signal-caller should have ample protection to deliver the football to his pass catchers.
The Titans deployed one of the top offensive lines in the NFL in 2020. Tennessee saw extensive improvement from this unit last year. The Titans’ run blocking was exquisite, and they were excellent in pass protection, giving up 31 fewer sacks.
Firkser may only get scraps from the dinner table
The Titans have a ton of available targets. In addition to Smith, Tennessee lost receivers Corey Davis and Adam Humphries. This trio combined for 192 targets in 2020. I can almost hear you thinking that some of those targets will go to Firkser. Unfortunately, we project most of them to be absorbed by Jones and Brown.
Fantasy projection
Firkser projects for around 60 targets, 42 receptions, 500 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns in 2021. Moreover, fellow tight end Geoff Swaim could see 30+ targets.
Firkser is only 6’2″ and 246 pounds, which is suboptimal for a tight end, limiting how successful he’ll be in the red zone. On the other hand, Swaim is 6’4″ and 260 pounds, offering a much better red-zone threat.
Anthony Firkser’s ADP
Firkser is readily available in the 14th round when you review redraft ADP data from Fantasy Football Calculator. Meanwhile, Firkser’s ADP in PPR formats on Sleeper is 224.7. On Fleaflicker, he has an ADP of 209.7.
Should you draft Firkser in 2021?
Firkser carries a low floor while his upside is limited due to Swaim and the other Titans’ receivers. If you find yourself waiting to address the tight end position, I’d rather draft Gerald Everett or Blake Jarwin. They have a similar ADP to Firkser but offer more upside.