Titans WR Depth Chart: Outlook for tonight’s game vs. Colts

Fresh off the heels of their 24-17 win over the Chicago Bears, the Tennessee Titans have a short week to prepare for their Thursday Night Football game against AFC South foe, the Indianapolis Colts. For Tennessee, there are several questions regarding the Titans WRs when you glance over their depth chart, wondering who to play for fantasy football. Will AJ Brown, Corey Davis, and Adam Humphries even play this week, and who has the best chance to have a good game in Week 10?

Is AJ Brown playing tonight?

Luckily for fantasy players, AJ Brown will play against the Colts on Thursday. Brown has been dealing with a knee injury for much of the season, and the Titans estimated that he would have sat out if they had practiced on Monday. The Titans only had walk-throughs this week leading up to their game, but Brown was labeled a full participant for both Tuesday and Wednesday.

AJ Brown is the fantasy WR6, averaging 18.8 fantasy points per game. He has received no fewer than seven targets in any game so far this season and is the clear favorite of Ryan Tannehill. He is also coming off a game against one of the best pass defenses in the NFL, where he caught four passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Related | Fantasy WR Injury Report Week 10: Preston Williams, Deebo Samuel, AJ Brown, more

Brown’s volume was a concern coming into the year, but he’s consistently proved the doubters wrong with seven targets in every game this season. Better than that, he is scoring at an exorbitant rate, averaging a touchdown every game played. AJ Brown is locked in as a WR1 every week.

While likely to see a lot of Xavier Rhodes, you can still play AJ Brown with confidence as he should lead the Titans WR depth chart for fantasy. The Colts have allowed 13 WRs to finish as a top-36 option (WR3), and I expect that number to change, especially with some of Brown’s other teammates out for the game.

Adam Humphries has been ruled out for Thursday Night’s game

Adam Humphries will miss a second straight game due to a concussion. The veteran wide receiver was one of four players the Tennessee Titans ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Colts.

It is not really a shock to see Adam Humphries ruled out as he was listed as a DNP each day this week. He sustained the concussion during their Nov. 1st loss to Cincinnati and has been in the NFL’s concussion protocol since, which means he has been unable to practice or play. He also missed one game earlier in the season because he was on the reserve list.

Humphries is currently fifth on the team with 22 receptions for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Outside of Brown and Davis, the Titans don’t have a deep WR depth chart so finding a replacement play for fantasy could be a difficult task. It is more likely that his targets get redistributed amongst the current options rather than someone coming out of nowhere and finding fantasy relevancy, especially against a Colts defense that is ranked 10th against the pass for fantasy points allowed per game at 34.20.

Corey Davis plans to play amidst a family tragedy

Corey Davis will play with a heavy heart on Thursday. Titus Davis, a former New York Jet and Central Michigan star, and brother of Corey Davis, passed away Wednesday at the age of 27. 

Titus Davis suffered from renal medullary carcinoma, a rare form of kidney cancer. RMC is fast-acting and difficult to treat, and most of those affected have the sickle-cell trait. 

Davis played at Central Michigan University from 2011-14. For his college career, he had 204 receptions and broke school records with 3,700 yards and 37 touchdowns, both of which were previously held by Antonio Brown. Titus Davis was a four-time All-MAC selection and a freshman All American. Davis was the first player in NCAA FBS history with eight or more receiving touchdowns in four seasons.

Corey Davis has not practiced at all this week, but he plans to play, according to Paul Kuharsky. However, no one would blame Davis if he chose to sit out of Thursday’s game.

Related | NFL Games Today: Colts vs Titans on Thursday Night Football in Week 10

Corey Davis is the Titans’ second-leading receiver through the first half of this season. With 29 receptions for 369 yards and three touchdowns, he is on pace for one of the best seasons of his NFL career. Outside of Week 9, where he saw only three targets, Davis has scored double-digit fantasy points in every single game this season and has been something he has never been before for fantasy, consistent. 

This week, Davis should see coverage from second-year CB Rock Ya-Sin, who’s allowed 19 completions on his 29 targets for 266 yards in coverage this year and has given up only two touchdowns on his career.

I don’t love this matchup, and if Corey Davis plays, I have him in the high-end WR4 this week.

Does Khalif Raymond have any fantasy value for Week 10?

With Adam Humphries out, Raymond makes the most sense to be the next man up for the Titans WR depth chart on Thursday. 

Even though he will see a boost in his 31% snap count average, I don’t think I would trust him this week. It is far too early in the fantasy week to make desperation calls on someone who has nine catches for 187 yards on the season. In a single-slate DFS lineup, I can see the logic for a contrarian/low rostership play, but outside of that, I would avoid this decision if at all possible.

I expect the Titans to utilize TE Jonnu Smith more as the Humphries replacement this week. Smith is one of the most athletic players in the NFL, and few can rival his ability after the catch, regardless of position. Smith will likely be a TE1 again this week when it is all over with.

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Tommy Garrett is a writer for PFN covering Fantasy Football. You can read more of his work here and follow him at @TommygarrettPFN on Twitter.