Can Kenny Britt develop into a legitimate No. 1 fantasy wide receiver?
By almost all accounts, Tennessee's 6-foot-3, 215-pound Kenny Britt is an immense talent with Terrell Owens-like size and strength to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
Britt showed what he can do when he caught 7 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns in the Titans' 37-19 victory over the Eagles in Week 7 last season. Unfortunately, Britt's play has been overshadowed by off-field headlines including his alleged involvement in a barroom brawl last October (he was not charged) and an alleged incident involving a police chase this spring. Beyond any possible disciplinary action for the latest incident (an issue that won't be visited until a labor agreement is reached), the off-field headlines are a red flag for fantasy owners.
Even if you don't subscribe to the theory that off-field troubles have some bearing, you'll probably agree that the Titans' quarterback situation certainly is relevant.
With the club having decided to part ways with erstwhile starter Vince Young, Tennessee selected Washington's Jake Locker with the eighth pick of the draft. Locker brings a host of assets to the NFL, but one of them is generally not considered to be an accurate throwing arm. That, combined with almost any rookie quarterback's natural growing pains, doesn't bode well for any Tennessee wide receiver's fantasy value in 2011.
If the club decides that Locker is not ready to start right away, it might elect to bring back 38-year-old Kerry Collins. The other alternatives on the roster right now are Brett Ratliff, Chris Simms (he's not expected back) and Rusty Smith. Another veteran could be signed once the labor impasse is settled.
None of the quarterback scenarios inspire confidence in Britt, who also needs to be more consistent to be a top-notch fantasy wideout. While his final 2010 totals were reasonable (775 receiving yards and nine touchdowns), he missed all of four games and most of another with a hamstring injury, didn't catch a pass in two games, and bettered 41 receiving yards only five times. Almost half of his 775 yards came in just two games.
Bottom Line:Kenny Britt has the talent to be a No. 1 fantasy wide receiver one year. This isn't the year, though.
