4 NFL Rookies Who will Stand Out in Week 3
By Jon Dove
Tajae Sharpe, Tennessee Titans vs. Oakland Raiders
Tajae Sharpe is the Tennessee Titans go-to receiver. He leads the receivers with 11 receptions, 18 targets and 109 yards. This week Sharpe and the Titans take on the Oakland Raiders who currently have the 31st ranked pass defense.
The Raiders just haven’t been able to shut down their opponents passing attack.
Sharpe’s success hasn’t been a 2-game fluke as he also showed a lot of promise in the preseason. It’s obvious that quarterback Marcus Mariota already trusts the rookie wide receiver.
Despite the Titans preference to run the ball, look for Sharpe to see plenty of targets this weekend. Oakland will likely look to stuff the box in order to keep Demarco Murray and Derrick Henry from beating them.
This will open things up for the passing game and provide some single coverage opportunities. The one pass catcher Oakland would likely focus on is Delanie Walker who is a more proven commodity.
If Sharpe struggles it will likely be due to Mariota having issues or Sean Smith’s physical style of play. Sharpe has yet to face someone like Smith who isn’t afraid to initiate contact and keep receivers from getting off the line of scrimmage.
Something to remember is that these two teams faced off in the preseason with Sharpe hauling in a 60-yard receptions.