Marcus Mariota Fantasy News and Statistics

When the Tennessee Titans drafted Marcus Mariota second overall in the 2015 NFL Draft, nobody knew what he would look like as a professional. Everyone knew he was a winner, but some questioned if he was merely a product of the high-octane Oregon offense. Mariota proved to be worth the investment, though, and turned out to be the franchise quarterback the Titans were hoping for when they selected him.

In 2012, Mariota burst onto the scene as one of the best freshman quarterbacks in recent memory. He led the Ducks to a 12-1 record and was named the Fiesta Bowl MVP. In 2013, he helped the Quack Attack to an 8-0 record before partially tearing his MCL and missing much of the rest of the season. Mariota bounced back in a big way in 2014 when he won the Heisman Trophy after racking up over 5,100 total yards and 57 touchdowns with only four interceptions. The Ducks finished the regular season with a record of 12-1 and beat Jameis Winston and Florida State to reach the National Championship game. However, the explosive Oregon offense was stifled by Ohio State, as the Buckeyes claimed a 42-20 win.

As an NFL rookie, Mariota wasn’t asked to do much more than manage the offense. The coaching staff worked with him to learn the pro-style scheme, make NFL reads and improve his decision-making. Knowing they had a special talent, the Titans led him along slowly, leaning heavily on the running game and rolling him out to make his job easier. Mariota showed his versatility in Week 14 when he caught a touchdown, threw a touchdown and ran for another. He ended up missing four games with a sprained MCL but was able to finish with over 3,000 total yards and 21 touchdowns with ten interceptions. However, the rest of the Titans roster was terrible, and the team finished 3-13.

In his second season, both Mariota and the Titans improved drastically. During the offseason, the team brought in running backs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry and significantly bolstered the offensive line. Mariota showed tangible improvement in his decision-making and feel for the game. He finished the season with 3,700 yards and 28 touchdowns against only nine interceptions, but that told only part of the story. From Week 5 to Week 12, Mariota racked up 23 touchdowns against only three interceptions, truly showing his potential. The Titans improved to 9-7 but missed the playoffs after Mariota broke his fibula in Week 16 against the Jaguars.

During the offseason, the Titans again made a concerted effort to improve the offense around Mariota. They used the fifth overall pick on wide receiver Corey Davis and signed wideout Eric Decker in free agency. Head coach Mike Mularkey hasn’t taken advantage of Mariota’s skill as a runner in his first two seasons. He has only 94 rushes, which are fewer than any of his three campaigns at Oregon. If the coaching staff starts to implement that aspect into Mariota’s game, the sky could be the limit. With competent receivers to throw to, a better knowledge of the offense and more experience at the NFL level, this could be the year that Mariota makes the leap into the top tier at the quarterback position.