Gunnar

Helm

Today snapped a streak of three straight four-catch performances for the rookie fourth-rounder. There just wasn’t any volume in the Titans’ passing attack with Tony Pollard going bonkers on the ground. Cam Ward completed 14 passes, generating 117 yards in the process. Helm has showed enough that he can be considered a potential future TE1 — emphasis on “potential” — but even TE2 status will be difficult to come by during the fantasy playoffs with Chig Okonkwo still successfully vying for looks down the seam.

Helm continues to see increased usage with his second straight week of six receptions on seven targets. The rookie saw an end zone target that led him a bit out of bounds, but was just shy of a score. He is eating into Chig Okonkwo’s workload, though both tight ends are seeing usage before the wide receivers in the Titans offense. Helm has entered the the fantasy TE2 conversation heading into Week 14 against the Browns.

With the Titans coming out of their bye week, fourth-round rookie Helm’s catches and yards were both new season highs. He tied for the team lead in targets this afternoon. Good, necessary stuff from the Titans as they evaluate their young talent down the stretch, but it is going to be extremely difficult for Helm to command enough looks to make himself an every-week TE2. He’s not really worth a look for Week 13 against the Jaguars.

He played 38 of 59 Titans offensive snaps, only two behind Chig Okonkwo, a season-high usage rate coming out of the bye. There’s no reason to recommend him yet, but the volume is growing to the point where some flashes could lead us there. The Seahawks in Week 12 are probably a no-go even as a TE2.

Helm’s fourth quarter reception was his lone target. This was his first one-look game since Week 4. The Titans have followed through on their word of getting the rookie fourth-rounder more involved. It’s just that floor and ceiling are both so difficult to come by in this offensive environment. Helm will not be a recommended TE2 when the Titans come off bye against the Texans in Week 11.

This will likely go down as a DNP. Okonkwo was limited on Wednesday, so one wonders if he suffered the injury during practice that day. Okonkwo’s Friday participation should clarify his Week 9 availability, but for now, it appears as though rookie TE Gunnar Helm has a chance to operate as the team’s clear-cut No. 1 tight end against the Chargers. He would warrant TE1 streaming consideration, if so.

Helm has steadily grown his role over the last few weeks, and while he’s not exactly in a committee with Chig Okonwko, he is consistently stealing away some snaps. Helm’s touchdown was the first of his professional career, and the rookie also made a really nice catch down the sideline for his other grab. He looks like a solid NFL player, so it will be interesting to see how his role grows.

Helm essentially matched his career-best line from two weeks ago, kicking his season-best yardage total up to 36 from 34. The Titans have followed through on their word of getting Helm more involved, but Chig Okonkwo is still seeing targets, while this is a terrible overall offensive environment. That has Helm struggling for TE2 value heading into Week 8 against the Colts.

Helm ran 15 pass routes while Chig Okonkwo logged 31 routes and led the team with six receptions against the Raiders. Helm last week had four catches on five targets for 34 yards as Titans coaches find ways to work him into the team’s stagnant offense. Helm isn’t a fantasy option for now, but he could be if Okonkwo misses time or if the team goes into evaluation mode late in the season.

Last week after saying that his opportunities would increase, Helm had a career-high five targets and played a career-high 44 snaps for the Titans. Chig Okonkwo saw a season-low 42 snaps, though he did come alive in garbage time. Helm is definitely someone to monitor with an eye towards a TE1 rank, especially with bye weeks here, but the two so far have cannibalized each other’s production enough that Helm would need another step forward to be more than a TE2.