2022 Fantasy Upside
Drafted 18th overall coming out of Arkansas earlier this offseason, Treylon Burks will aim to take over as the top pass catcher in Tennessee following the departure of A.J. Brown to Philadelphia. Burks was prolific in his junior season in the SEC, as he logged 67 catches for 1,123 yards and 11 touchdowns in only 12 games. Like Brown before him, Burks boasts good size (6'2", 225 pounds) and is difficult to bring down after the catch. He managed an 86th percentile speed score in pre-draft workouts, demonstrating the ability to move well for a receiver that will outsize most DBs he lines up against. Finally, the Titans invested first-round draft capital in Burks, meaning he should be a big part of the offense from day one. This is especially true with his in-house target competition limited to aging veteran Robert Woods, undrafted role player Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and TE Austin Hooper. Burks will likely experience the same rookie inconsistency that most first-year players do, but he has the talent and role to be useful in fantasy right away.
2022 Fantasy Downside
The concerns with Burks started early when he reportedly dealt with asthma and conditioning issues during the Titans' offseason program. This led to reports that Burks could even open the season as the WR3 in Tennessee behind both Woods and Westbrook-Ikhine, a development that would be very concerning for his early-season fantasy outlook on a team that runs the ball as much as the Titans do. Early training camp reports have been more positive, but any physical limitations on Burks that infringe on his snap share will be concerning in Tennessee's run-first offense. As much upside as Burks has, he is going just ahead of his teammate Robert Woods in most drafts when it is not clear Burks will be on the field for every snap.
2022 Bottom Line
Burks is an exciting prospect given his college production and draft position. The Titans have every reason to try to get him on the field as much as possible given the state of their offensive depth chart. The offseason reports of his conditioning issues are something to monitor during camp, but Burks has the combination of talent and opportunity that is enticing in fantasy for rookies.
