Fantasy Football: Will Julio Jones be WR1 in the Titans' offense?

One of the biggest blockbuster trades of the NFL offseason was star wide receiver Julio Jones being sent to the Tennessee Titans for a choice selection of draft picks. The former Atlanta Falcons wideout will be hoping to make an immediate impact in the Titans offense, but at 32, some questions remain about the wide receiver's durability.

What does the Julio Jones trade mean for his fantasy football prospects?

As fantasy football fans start digging in for research before the all-important draft, the one question on everyone's mind will be how Julio Jones fits in Tennessee's offense this season.

When a seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver moves teams, you would normally expect him to be the number one option on his new team. However, the Tennessee Titans have A.J. Brown on their roster, a man who has proved to be one of the best receivers in the league since he was drafted in 2019.

Who will be the number one receiver on the Titans?

It’s a tough question to answer before the season begins, but the stars are shining brightly on A.J. Brown being the leading wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans this season. Brown’s chemistry with quarterback Ryan Tannehill will lead to more targets for the young Titans star.

This doesn’t mean Julio Jones will be an afterthought in the Titans offense. Tennessee has lost its starting tight end Jonnu Smith and productive wide receiver Corey Davis this offseason, which should open up plenty of targets for the 11-year veteran.

Fantasy football projections for Julio Jones and A.J. Brown

The arrival of Julio Jones in Tennessee will impact both him and his wide receiving partner A.J. Brown's production in 2021. Last year, Julio Jones was the 52nd-ranked wide receiver in fantasy football, while A.J. Brown was ranked 14th.

Jones averaged around 25% of targets in Atlanta while Brown averaged the same last season in Tennessee. The departure of Smith and Davis from Tennessee should mean that both receivers will have ample room to reach a similar percentage of targets this season.

Six-foot-three Julio Jones averaged 10.6 fantasy points per game in 2020, compared to A.J. Brown’s 12.2. Before the trade, several fantasy football experts picked Brown as the leading fantasy wide receiver this season, but after Julio Jones’ arrival this seems unlikely.

The trade definitely helps the Tennessee Titans' chances of winning a Super Bowl, but it damages both players' fantasy football output in 2021. Small price to pay for Tennessee at the end of the day.