Bishop Sankey

The Titans had high hopes for Sankey after drafting him in the second round in 2014, but the Washington product followed a disappointing rookie campaign with an even worse sophomore season during which he rushed for just 193 yards on 47 carries while ceding work to the likes of Antonio Andrews and David Cobb. Now that running backs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry have been brought in via trade and the draft, respectively, it seems Tennessee's patience for Sankey has run out. The 23-year-old running back will be relegated to fighting for a roster spot in camp, but he's unlikely to earn more than a special teams role even if he survives.

The first running back drafted last year, Sankey didn't exactly establish himself as a rookie stalwart, ceding snaps to retread Shonn Greene and actually seeing his carries drop rather than increase late in the season. Sankey possesses good speed and vision and managed a solid 2.51 yards after contact, but the right side of the Titans' offensive line was a mess and too often that contact was initiated behind the line of scrimmage. Sankey has good hands and quickness as a receiver, but he didn't get much of a chance to show it last year. He also didn't get many looks in the red zone, and while Greene is no longer around to factor in at the goal line, fifth-round pick David Cobb almost certainly will. The Titans shored up right tackle in the offseason, but the move that might pay the biggest dividends for Sankey is the selection of quarterback Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick. If Mariota can turn the team's passing attack around, defensive fronts should open up enough to create some room for the running game. It would also greatly help Sankey's cause if the Titans turned some of last season's punts into red-zone trips.

With a build of 5-10, 209 pounds and skill set reminiscent of 2013 breakout Giovani Bernard, Sankey was the top running back taken in this year's draft following a second consecutive huge season at the University of Washington. A strong runner and capable receiver who produced 3,862 yards from scrimmage over the last two seasons, he's in terrific position to supplant incumbent Shonn Greene as the Titans' top rusher in the post-Chris Johnson era. A speedy, athletic running back, Sankey has the vision, burst and cutting ability to shred opposing defenses, particularly when given the ball in space. With that in mind, he's almost certainly ticketed to start out the season as Tennessee's third-down back, which will make him instantly valuable in PPR formats. But because Greene is a plodding, unexciting runner, and the depth chart below them looks pretty barren, it's more than possible that Sankey works his way into a featured role and ends up with around 200 carries to go with 40-plus receptions. Sankey's got the perfect blend of talent and opportunity -- now he just has to stay healthy, something that wasn't an issue for him in college.