The Titans were the worst team in the NFL last year, and in true Titans fashion, they did not get a generational quarterback out of it. Don’t get me wrong, Cam Ward is fine, and perfectly cromulent. He’s unlikely to bust, but his ceiling is bafflingly low, though, as his most likely outcome is prime Derek Carr or over-30 Andy Dalton (after he lost the gunslinging). Let’s get going into their overdrafted, underdrafted, and sleeper players for the 2025 fantasy football season!
Overdrafted:
Calvin Ridley, Wide Receiver (WR31, Pick 65 Overall)
This is the easiest non-click for me every single season. Every year, we get some idea about how Calvin Ridley is going to be totally different this year, guys, I promise. Two years ago, it was touchdown regression; last year, it was a new team and a new scheme. Now, it’s a new quarterback. It’s fine if Calvin Ridley doesn’t work out.
Last season, Will Levis & Mason Rudolph managed only five finishes inside the top-20 on the week, with three of those inside the top-five. He finished the season as WR36, but finished outside the top-80 at the position as often as he finished inside the top-ten. He led the NFL in air yards and was third in deep targets, meaning he had a very defined role: go deep.
That was the same theory as 2022, where he finished as a top-20 receiver five times, with one of them inside the top-five. He didn’t bottom out as hard, so his useless weeks weren’t as meaningless, but he still finished outside the top-50 six times. Ridley is a boom-bust WR3 that we keep hoping will be more. I doubt that the Titans with rookie Cam Ward (who is not a deep ball maestro) and a bevy of underneath targets will make this the year that Calvin Ridley breaks out.
Underdrafted:
Tony Pollard, Running Back (RB28, Pick 75 Overall)
A year after declaring Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears to be “the same guy!” I accept my defeat and understand that Tony Pollard is a top-24 running back while healthy. He provides a steady production floor as he should remain top-ten in snap share, rush share, and targets. His big issue was red zone touches, as he had just 36 (three goal-line carries), which limited him to only five touchdowns, despite his 1,317 total yards. That marks the third time in the last three seasons that he has over 1300 yards, and only two backs can say that: Derrick Henry & Tony Pollard.
Ultimately, Pollard is going to win over once again the lion’s share of the touches in this backfield, and he is a slam-dunk, easy RB2 if you are going hero RB, or maybe even an RB1 if you are going hero RB.
Sleeper:
Elic Ayomanor, Wide Receiver (WR85, Pick 250 Overall)
Elic Ayomanor is not a man as much as he is a collection of dogs; that’s how much dog he has in him. He reminds me a ton of Puka Nacua in that he isn’t going to run away from anyone, but also that nobody is winning a contested catch against him.
By my reckoning, the Titans got a steal with Ayomanor in the fourth round. Typically, you don’t bet on day three rookie wide receivers to breakout, because their hit rate is just south of 2%. We’ve seen Puka Nacua and Amon-Ra St. Brown pull it off in recent seasons. Why? They filled the role of strong, dog-filled short-area receiver for their team. They made the tough catches, so they became the go-to target. Ayomanor sits fourth on a depth chart with three lackluster-to-decent deep threats ahead of him. Currently, there’s no “go-to” receiver who can outmuscle his opponent and force the ball into his hands by sheer power of will. That is, except Ayomanor.
Elic Ayomanor is WR85 by 4for4 ADP right now. That’s an absolute steal, given his upside. He’s going behind fellow rookie Pat Bryant, who isn’t nearly as good, Jalen Coker, who is Bryce Young’s WR3 or WR4, and Keenan Allen, who isn’t even on a team. If you’re drafting that late, eschew the low-ceiling “solid” picks for a high upside play like Ayomanor. He’s the ideal last pick in a deeper league, and the first player to put on your watch list in a shallow league.
