During a 2021 season in which the Tennessee Titans were riddled with injuries at wide receiver, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was one of the few constants in the group.
A 2020 undrafted free agent signing out of Indiana, Westbrook-Ikhine reeled in 38 catches for 476 yards and four touchdowns, all career-highs. His yards and touchdowns both ranked second on the team behind only A.J. Brown.
Looking ahead to 2022, Westbrook-Ikhine is expected to assume the No. 3 role at wide receiver but there’s an avenue in which he could have an even bigger role than that.
Tennessee’s projected 1-2 punch at the top of the depth chart, Robert Woods and Treylon Burks, are both question marks, as Woods is coming off a torn ACL and Burks has had a shaky start to his Titans tenure.
Adding to that, Westbrook-Ikhine is one of the few pass-catchers left on the team that Ryan Tannehill has familiarity with, which will no doubt help his cause no matter where he lands on the depth chart.
In an article naming a fantasy breakout candidate for all 32 teams, The Athletic’s Joe Rexrode picked Westbrook-Ikhine. Here’s why:
He has already exceeded expectations for an undrafted free agent out of Indiana in 2020 who struggled to catch the ball in his first training camp. The 2021 season qualifies as a breakout: 38 catches for 476 yards and four touchdowns. But he’s here because he continues to get better and because the Titans’ reliance on him is about to increase significantly. That’s what happens when A.J. Brown is traded and Julio Jones is cut. Robert Woods is ahead of schedule in his ACL rehab and will be good. First-round pick Treylon Burks? Hard to say. It’s been a shaky start for him. It has been an eye-popping spring, however, for Westbrook-Ikhine, who has Ryan Tannehill’s full trust.
While we expect Woods to be ready for a significant role at the start of the season, the same can’t be said for Burks if he continues to miss reps in training camp.
In that scenario, Westbrook-Ikhine would be the biggest beneficiary, and it would not only lead to his having another career year, but having some fantasy football relevance as well as a flex play.