Second-Year Scouting Report: Chigoziem Okonkwo

As the calendar turns to June, there are fewer than 90 days until the start of the 2023 NFL season. We are exactly 89 days away from the Thursday night kickoff matchup between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs!

Best ball season is in full swing, and redraft leagues will begin shortly. As more and more fantasy managers begin drafting, this year’s rookies start to gain momentum. As the rookies gain attention, the sophomore class from last season will start to become overshadowed. Taking advantage of the prioritization of rookies over established veterans is a great edge to attack in fantasy drafts, especially when it comes to second-year players. These players often take huge strides during their second NFL season, building on their full season of NFL experience and development. 

We continue our second-year scouting report series today with Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo. He was a fourth-round pick in last year’s draft, coming to Tennessee as a productive player from Maryland. This article will provide an overview of Okonkwo and how you should view him for redraft and dynasty leagues this season.

Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, Tennessee Titans

Chigoziem Okonkwo was active for all 17 of Tennessee’s regular-season games, serving as one of the most reliable options in the Titans offense. He was expected to gradually learn the position behind veteran Austin Hooper but ended the year outperforming the 28-year-old veteran. Hooper and teammate Geoff Swaim combined for 53 receptions on 76 targets for 502 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Both players are no longer with Tennessee, opening up a huge opportunity for the 23-year-old Okonkwo. 

Okonkwo was one of the biggest parts of the Tennessee offense starting in Week 12. He ended the year with four or more receptions in six of the Titans last seven games, including four straight games of five or more catches. 

What Went Wrong

Fourth-round rookie tight ends bring low expectations, so it’s hard to view Okonkwo’s season as anything but a huge success. His role was muddled with the presence of Hooper and Swaim, but Tennessee demonstrated a huge faith in Okonkwo by letting both players leave. 

Okonkwo produced just a 36% snap share but saw that number rise to over 40% during the second-half of the season. Six of his first seven games only equated to TE43 or worse stat lines, but Okonkwo ended the season as one of the most important parts of the Tennessee passing attack. He tallied five games of overall TE15 or better production, including the overall TE8 and TE3 performances in consecutive weeks against Philadelphia and Jacksonville. 

What Went Right

Okonkwo was a secondary thought after the departure of All-Pro wideout A.J. Brown. The prevailing thought was first-round pick Treylon Burks would be the lead in the Tennessee offense, parlaying high-draft capital and superb college production at Arkansas. However, Okonkwo outproduced Burks in all three major receiving categories. Burks did miss six games due to injuries, but that was offset by Okonkwo’s slow acclimation to the offense. 

Veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss the final three games of last season. Before that injury, Tannehill built strong rapport with the rookie tight end during Okonkwo’s most productive weeks. The Titans faced a Week 18 battle with division-rival Jacksonville to make the playoffs, and Okonkwo led the Titans in receiving yards and scored the only touchdown. 

Whether Tannehill finishes the 2023 season under center or yields the position to rookie second-rounder Will Levis, Okonkwo seems primed for a productive campaign. Keep in mind that the Titans cut wideout Robert Woods, who led the team in catches (53) and receiving yards (527) in 2022.

Prognosis Entering 2023

The quarterback situation in Tennessee is unknown, with the veteran Tannehill battling Levis. Okonkwo ended the year as such a huge part of the Titans attack, that he will produce regardless of the starting quarterback. Tennessee also cut wideout Robert Woods, who led the team in targets (91), receptions (53) and receiving yards (527) in 2022.

Dynasty Outlook

In dynasty/long-term fantasy leagues, Chigoziem Okonkwo could be on the precipice of a breakout season. The tight end position in fantasy is extremely shallow, and Okonkwo could easily finish this season as a TE1. Okonkwo is being drafted as a low-end TE2 to start the best ball season but is currently sitting as the TE12 (ADP 130.8) at Underdog Fantasy. Uncertainty brings opportunity, which is exactly what drafters have with the 23-year-old Tennessee tight end. It’s not difficult to project Okonkwo as a solid TE1 for the next five years across all dynasty formats.