The defender, who will play in his 50th AFL match against Port Adelaide on Sunday, said the feeling that his place in the Crows' side is always in jeopardy keeps him on his toes.
He said he plays his best football when he feels as though he's playing for his place in the side.
"I don't think I ever feel quite secure and I think that's the way I've got to play as well - each week I have to play as if I'm playing for my spot," Otten said.
"I never want to feel safe and comfortable because that's when you can slip and I really don't want that to happen.
"I'm making sure I'm doing everything right…I just want to tick all the boxes and never get complacent."
Otten has taken longer to reach his milestone than many might have expected, after a stellar 2009 season saw him finish runner up to the Brisbane Lions' Daniel Rich in the NAB AFL Rising Star.
He read the ball well, attacked it hard and had the speed to run it out of defence - his future was certainly bright.
But a pre-season knee reconstruction in the lead up to the 2010 season ensured the 23-year-old didn't play AFL football again until 2011.
He struggled for form last year and when he did play well in the SANFL he found it hard to break into the Crows' side thanks to the club's success.
To rub salt into the wound, when Otten did break back into the senior team in round 17 last season he re-injured his reconstructed left knee, sidelining him until the preliminary final.
With injuries behind him though, Otten is back to playing his best football and currently leads the competition for one percenters (22).
While he said that it would remain his priority to excel in areas that largely go unrewarded, like spoiling the ball, he said he also wanted to become more of an attacking force.
"My role in the team is to defend well and [get] a lot of spoils," he said.
"I want to get back winning the ball offensively as well and start running and spreading, but I think my timing and aerial power's been pretty good so far.
"It's good to get that down pat first…because if the other (offensive) stuff was up and my defensive pressure wasn't very good then I'd probably find myself out of the team."
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.
