Wan'Dale Robinson was signed this offseason to take over WR1 duties while fourth-overall rookie Carnell Tate develops in the offense. The one-two punch is the on-paper forefront of the Tennessee Titans ' receiver room, but neither of them have been on the same level as year-two Elic Ayomanor.
Interestingly enough, Ayomanor was the Titans' best pass-catcher in his rookie season as well. Paired with fellow rookie Cam Ward, Ayomanor outshone veteran Calvin Ridley in an offense undergoing the most difficult period of a franchise rebuild. Ayomanor's four touchdowns and 515 receiving yards set the bar for his unit.
This season so far, Ayomanor is back in front. He's the only receiver with a touchdown for the Titans. His six targets may be tied for third on the team, but Ayomanor's 80 yards is, you guessed it, the highest mark.
The numbers don't lie. Tennessee's fourth-round pick from last season is statistically the best receiver on this team right now. That may seem like a disappointment on the surface, but this is the best possible news for the Titans. More specifically, it's the best possible news for Cam Ward .
Robinson is currently the bigger worry between himself and Tate, as the latter was expected to take time to settle in as an NFL playmaker. Robinson had a fine showing in the Titans' underwhelming first week, but he came down with just one catch for nine yards in Week 2.
The fifth-year veteran is likely to find his groove, but his start compared to Ayomanor's is evidence that money can't buy chemistry. Ward came up in this league with Ayomanor as his running mate last year. The two have a built-in connection hardened by a brutal year in Nashville.
Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (5) celebrates with quarterback Cam Ward (1) after catching a touchdown pass against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
That's where the benefit for Ward comes in. The more snaps Ayomanor gets, the more often Ward can look the way of his most reliable target. Ward even looked Ayomanor's way on a would-be touchdown vs. the Eagles, although the throw missed behind him.
We're still looking at two straight weeks in which Ward has looked for Ayomanor on a scoring play, connecting on the former of the two. Ward simply trusts Ayomanor, and Brian Daboll should lean into that when calling the plays.
After the aforementioned Tate came down with no receptions on few looks in the preseason, Tennessee's coaching staff clarified that it was only a matter of scheming for him. We've seen that pay off for Tate who, despite no scores, has a team-leading seven receptions.
It's time to do the same thing for Ayomanor. According to FantasyPros, Ayomanor has been on the field for 52% of Tennessee's snaps through two weeks. That's compared to Tate's 82% and Robinson's 67%. Even Calvin Ridley has the sophomore outpaced, at 63%.
Ayomanor's deep reception and hurdle in the fourth quarter last Sunday nearly allowed Tennessee to beat Philadelphia. His score the prior week kept a barely-there Titans team in the conversation. At this point, whether or not he's earned an increased role is undeniable.
All that's up for debate now is how long it will take the Titans to give it to him. Week 3's road duel with the New York Giants is their next chance to do so.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/titans/onsi as Elic Ayomanor is Arguably Titans' Best WR - It's Time For Tennessee to Treat Him That Way .
