There was some notable buzz surrounding Tyjae Spears heading into his second NFL season. The former third-round pick tallied 100 carries for 453 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns last year in his rookie season with the Titans.
Heading into his second year, things have not been as hoped for Spears. The Tulane product has tallied 114 hards and a touchdown on 33 carries through the opening five games, but then suffered a hamstring injury that has caused him to miss the past three weeks.
Spears is officially off of the injury report and expected to suit up this week. The Titans hold a 2-6 record to start the season and will be facing off Chargers in Week 10.
Tennessee enters this game as 7.5-point underdogs on DraftKings Sportsbook and +275 on the moneyline. The game total is set at 39 for the matchup.
Tyjae Spears outlook for the Titans
As Spears nursed his hamstring injury, Tony Pollard saw his role shift into a complete workhorse running back for Tennessee. He is coming off back-to-back weeks with 20 carries and has rushed for 283 yards across the three weeks Spears has missed. Pollard has logged 82 percent or more offensive snaps in each of these weeks.
As for Spears, he clocked 45 percent of snaps in the opening week and has not reached this total since. He has been held to six carries or fewer in four of the five weeks he played. His lone outlier was in Week 4 when Spears tallied 15 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown.
Perhaps even more concerning is the matchup the Titans are facing. So far this season, the Chargers are allowing the fewest points per game across the entire NFL. Los Angeles has held opponents to 10 or fewer points four times and kept opponents to 20 points or fewer in all eight games. They also allow the eighth-fewest yards and have given up the fewest rushing touchdowns across the league.
There is some hope for an offensive spark as Will Levis is expected to return to the lineup this week. However, Tennessee is coming off a 20-17 overtime victory against the Patriots last week and Levis has not been a model of consistency when he has been on the field.
Unfortunately for Spears, all signs are essentially pointing in the wrong direction right now. The reality seems to be that Pollard will be the primary running back and that Spears may have missed an opportunity due to injury. He is not a player to fully sell stock in the long run, but the 23-year-old has not shown enough in his opportunities to have immediate value.
With the Titans’ offense struggling, the Chargers’ defense looking strong and an unclear opportunity for Spears, there should not be high expectations for this week. Expect a handful of carries but for Spears to be kept in check.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
