The Tennessee Titans dropped their Week 1 game against the Chicago Bears, and while running back Tony Pollard had himself a strong debut, fellow back Tyjae Spears did not.
Pollard tallied 16 carries for 82 yards and one 26-yard touchdown scamper, and he added three catches for 12 yards. Meanwhile, Spears had just four carries for 21 yards and added four receptions for 11 yards.
It was great to see the Titans heavily involving both running backs in the passing game, but Pollard was the clear lead back, which doesn't leave much room for Spears to produce.
Do we expect things to stay the same in Week 2 against the New York Jets? And should either of these players be in your fantasy football lineup? Let's discuss.
Tony Pollard: Start
Pollard dominated touches in Week 1 over his backfield mate Spears, and while head coach Brian Callahan did say that he would like that to even out Pollard is going to lead this backfield no matter what.
After all, the Titans aren't paying him roughly $7 million per year to be in a 50/50 timeshare, and he's better built to take on a bigger workload on a weekly basis. I would expect 15 touches at least to be the norm, even if Spears sees an uptick.
While it didn't show in their Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Jets have a talented defensive front that could cause big issues for a Titans offensive line that struggled in pass protection.
Pollard should be able to find room to run after the Jets ceded a whopping 180 yards on the ground against the Niners in Week 1, but Tennessee will also be leaning on the short passing game to take some pressure off the group upfront.
That involvement will put Pollard over the top to a strong fantasy showing in Week 2. Consider him a flex play.
Tyjae Spears: Sit
What we said for Pollard in terms of getting extra work in the short passing game applies to Spears, who is capable of ripping off explosive plays at a moment's notice.
But he simply didn't get enough work in the season-opener to garner a start in your fantasy football lineup in Week 2. Yes, the Titans coach said he wants to get Spears more involved, but we need to see it first. Spears is just a Pollard handcuff until further notice.
