Chigoziem Okonkwo
  • Chigoziem Okonkwo

  • TE
  • , Tennessee Titans
  • 25
  • 238 lbs
  • 6' 3"
  • Maryland
PtsRecYdsRecTDRecRuYds
45.63562380
Week 16 Projection
  • Week 16 Projection
  • Dfs Projection
  • $
  • -
  • -
  • $
  • -
  • -
  • $
  • -
  • -
  • Left-scroll
  • middle-scroll
  • Right-scroll

Scouting report

by Spencer Babbitt

TEN TE Chigoziem Okonkwo - Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 1 at New Orleans Saints
Chigoziem Okonkwo will start off 2023 matched up against a New Orleans Saints defense that was hard on opposing tight ends last season. The Saints finished as the second-toughest matchup for opposing tight ends as measured by our adjusted fantasy points allowed metric (6.2 aFPA) in 2022. Okonkwo is already dealing with volume concerns given the Titans' run-first offensive philosophy and the addition of DeAndre Hopkins to the receiver room this offseason. Okonkwo's physical abilities make him a big-play threat every snap he's on the field, but it is tough to bet on a player who would be lucky to see more than five targets in Sunday's game. For now, Okonkwo is best left on benches or waivers outside of deeper formats or TE-premium leagues.

by Spencer Babbitt

TEN TE Chigoziem Okonkwo - 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook

Fantasy Upside
Chigoziem "Chig" Okonkwo entered the NFL as a fourth-round draft pick last year and started off slow, but showed real promise down the stretch as a receiving option for the Titans. Okonkwo logged 32 receptions for 450 yards and three touchdowns on only 46 targets, but showed great efficiency by leading all tight ends in yards per route run at 3.26. Okonkwo's 10.6% target share in 2022 is misleading due to being heavily skewed by his lack of playing time early in his rookie season. That number will almost certainly rise this year, even with the addition of Deandre Hopkins to the offense. Okonkwo will never see huge volume playing in the run-first Titans offense, but his combination of speed and receiving ability make him an interesting option to fill your TE slot without having to expend a high draft pick.

Fantasy Downside
As usual, the Tennessee offense will inevitably be built around workhorse RB Derrick Henry. The Titans finished 31st in plays per game in 2022 at 58.4 and ran the ball 28.6 times per game, good for 11th in the NFL. As an ancillary option in a run-heavy and slow-paced offense, Okonkwo will have to rely heavily on making big plays and scoring touchdowns to be a consistent fantasy option. This is especially true following the addition of Deandre Hopkins this offseason, a move that drops Okonkwo to Ryan Tannehill's third option in the passing game. Okonkwo has a lot of interesting physical tools working in his favor, but he will likely struggle to post consistent TE1 numbers without an injury somewhere else in the passing game due to his modest volume projections.

2023 Bottom Line
Okonkwo's current ADP has him being drafted right on the TE1 borderline in 12-team leagues, which seems like a fair valuation given the concerns surrounding his fantasy profile. Okonkwo demonstrated the ability to be an effective pass catcher in spurts last year with largely backup QB play, but he will have to make due with far fewer targets than the higher-tier players at the position. Okonkwo makes for an interesting gamble if you are committed to going cheap at TE to bolster other positions early in the draft.

by Spencer Babbitt

TEN TE Chigoziem Okonkwo - Week 17 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 17 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Chigoziem Okonkwo suffered from Malik Willis' presence under center in Week 16 when he only saw two targets and caught one ball for 10 yards. The simple reality is the Titans' passing game is completely lifeless with Willis filling in for Ryan Tannehill. Willis has yet to pass for more than 100 yards in any of his three starts this season. A brutal matchup against the Cowboys' elite defense won't help Tennessee's cause this week. Okonkwo remains an interesting dynasty stash, but he cannot be started on such brutally low volume for the fantasy playoffs.

by Spencer Babbitt

TEN TE Chigoziem Okonkwo - Week 16 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 16 vs. Houston Texans
The Titans clearly see something they like in rookie tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo. The fourth-round draft pick has now played the majority of Tennessee's offensive snaps in three straight games after not eclipsing the 50% mark once before Week 13. He's seen 16 targets over those three games and logged two TE1 performances. Normally we would talk about how Okonkwo's new usage is exciting for fantasy, but he will have to deal with rookie Malik Willis at quarterback this week. In the small sample we have of Willis starting, the Titans went extremely run-heavy and only passed when absolutely necessary. That puts a damper on the projections for all Tennessee pass catchers, including Okonkwo. He's probably best left on benches this week.

by Spencer Babbitt

TEN TE Chigoziem Okonkwo - Week 15 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 15 at Los Angeles Chargers
Chigoziem "Chig" Okonkwo continued his ascension in Week 14 when he again played more than 50% of the offensive snaps and saw another six targets from Ryan Tannehill, catching all six of them for 45 yards. After failing to see more than three targets in any game before Week 12, Okonkwo now has 16 over his last three games and managed to find the endzone for the second time last week. The Titans clearly like what they're seeing from the rookie tight end of late, and it is not uncommon for young tight ends to take some time to gain a consistent role in an offense. Okonkwo is still a part-time player, but he is now in the streaming conversation given his increased target share the last three weeks.

by Spencer Babbitt

TEN TE Chigoziem Okonkwo - Week 14 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 14 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Chigoziem Okonkwo had his first game playing the majority of the Titans' offensive snaps in Week 13 when he saw a 53% snap share and caught four of five targets for 68 scoreless yards. Despite the nice showing, Okonkwo only ran 16 routes as he shared time with Austin Hooper. Okonkwo is an athletic specimen whose playing time has ramped up over the course of his rookie season, but he is still a part-time player in a low-volume passing offense. Keep an eye on Okonkwo, but he is a total dart throw as a fantasy starter until we see him produce on a more consistent basis.

Chigoziem Okonkwo news