Tennessee’s backfield hierarchy continues shifting as Tyjae Spears steadily chips away at Tony Pollard’s once-dominant role. Both backs enter Week 9 with questions surrounding their respective workloads in what has become a true committee approach. Can fantasy football managers trust either Titans runner this week?
Tony Pollard Fantasy Outlook
What began as a dominant workload for Pollard has deteriorated into a frustrating timeshare situation. His snap share approached 90% over the first month of the season when Spears was recovering from his high ankle sprain.
Since Spears returned to full health, Pollard has seen his playing time crater to approximately 50%, falling below that mark in two of the last three games.
Efficiency metrics paint an equally concerning picture for the veteran back. Pollard has failed to reach 4.0 yards per carry in each of the last three weeks, posting underwhelming numbers despite reasonable opportunity counts. The decline in explosiveness and inability to generate consistent yardage has coincided with his reduced role, creating questions about whether age or workload fatigue are catching up to the former Cowboys runner.
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Scoring production has completely dried up for Pollard since Week 5. The 27-year-old hasn’t found the end zone in his last three contests, managing just 53.7 total yards per game on 12 touches during that stretch. Pollard has seen just two red zone carries over this span while Spears has commanded increasing opportunities near the goal line.
The veteran’s pass-catching role has also diminished significantly compared to earlier in the season. Pollard posted a 9.1% target share with a 32.5% route participation rate over the last three weeks, numbers that reflect minimal involvement in the aerial attack. Tennessee’s frequent negative game scripts theoretically should benefit a receiving back, but the coaching staff increasingly turns to Spears in those situations.
Tyjae Spears Fantasy Outlook
Momentum has clearly shifted in Spears’ favor as he reclaims the explosive form that made him a valuable contributor before his injury. The third-year back has outsnapped Pollard in two of the last three games while demonstrating superior efficiency and playmaking ability. Over the past three weeks, Spears has compiled 19 carries and 10 receptions for 172 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.
Touch count has steadily increased for Spears as the coaching staff gains confidence in his health. His workload peaked at 12 opportunities last week, matching Pollard’s total for the first time this season. The progression from four touches to nine to 12 over his last three games suggests the trend toward expanded involvement will continue.
Route participation numbers strongly favor Spears in Tennessee’s passing attack. The Tulane product has run more routes than Pollard over the past three weeks, establishing himself as the clear preferred option in negative game scripts. During the same three-game stretch, Spears has played 96 snaps compared to Pollard’s 89, demonstrating the coaching staff’s evolving preferences.
Spears looks like the superior player when both backs are on the field together. His explosiveness and pass-catching ability provide advantages over Pollard’s declining skill set. Garbage time situations particularly favor Spears, who can accumulate receptions and yards when Tennessee falls behind, a frequent occurrence given their 1-7 record.
Should You Start Pollard or Spears This Week?
Los Angeles presents an average matchup for both Tennessee running backs. The Chargers have allowed 84.6 rushing yards per game to opposing backs at 4.9 yards per carry, ranking in the middle of the league defensively. If anything, the Chargers defend the pass better than the run, creating slightly favorable conditions for rushing attempts.
Game script concerns loom large for both Titans runners in this matchup. Tennessee enters as 10-point home underdogs against a Chargers team fighting for AFC West positioning. The Titans are 0-3 at home this season and have been outscored by 120 points overall, making it highly unlikely they maintain competitive game flow throughout.
Negative game script benefits Spears more than Pollard given the committee structure. When Tennessee trails, the coaching staff consistently deploys Spears as the passing-down specialist. His ability to rack up receptions in garbage time situations provides a path to fantasy relevance that Pollard cannot match given his minimal receiving involvement.
Neither back offers inspiring fantasy upside in what projects as an ugly contest for Tennessee’s offense. Spears emerges as the marginally superior option due to his expanding role and pass-catching upside. Both backs function as uninspiring Flex plays at best, suitable only for managers facing bye week roster construction challenges. Pollard no longer holds clear advantages over his backfield partner, making Spears the preferred desperation option for Week 9 lineups.