The Tennessee Titans are off to a horrible start, leaving fans to wonder if the team would be doing any better if Tyjae Spears wasn’t injured.
The Titans currently have a 0-4 record on the year. Spears suffered a high ankle sprain in the preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back on Aug. 9. The injury happened just before halftime when Spears caught a pass out of the backfield for a 13-yard gain.
What is the Latest on Tyjae Spears’ Status?
Spears was placed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain on Aug. 26 and had to miss the first four games of the regular season.
The Titans opened Spears’ 21-day practice window on Wednesday. He was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice, and on Friday, was officially listed as questionable for the Week 5 game against the Arizona Cardinals on the road.
On Saturday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed that the Titans activated Spears from injured reserve, and the running back will play in Week 5 against the Cardinals.
Help on the way: The #Titans are activating RB Tyjae Spears from Injured Reserve to play in Sunday’s game against the #AZCardinals, source says.
Spears is returning from an ankle injury and will join Tony Pollard, who has carried the load thus far. pic.twitter.com/MnO4qrBMSS
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 4, 2025
A high ankle sprain typically sidelines players for four to six weeks, but some NFL players return sooner.
Spears was drafted in the third round with the No. 81 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has rushed for 765 yards and six touchdowns across 184 carries throughout his NFL career so far. He is also known for catching passes out of the backfield, totaling 82 receptions for 609 yards and two touchdowns.
Spears’ Fantasy Outlook
Spears ran reasonably hard last year when given the chance, and by earning 15 targets in his last three games, there’s something here.
What “something” means isn’t clear, but this former third-round pick is in a key evaluation year — midway through his rookie deal as Tony Pollard’s guaranteed money expires. He’s part of a team trying to climb from rock bottom with its new franchise quarterback in place.
I’m comfortable making the second-half-of-the-season case for Spears (currently on injured reserve, but eligible to be activated), but not before that. The Tulane product has averaged under 10 touches per game for his career, and that’s the role I’m projecting for the short term.
For those who stashed Spears on IR, your patience could be rewarded, but outright aggression likely won’t be. Pollard is handling a ton of work and not showing much upside, so perhaps Spears can cut into his workload once he returns.