Is Tony Pollard Or Tyjae Spears The Fantasy Football RB1 For The Titans?

For the first time since the 2015 season, Derrick Henry will not be the Tennessee Titans starting running back. After Henry signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency, the Titans backfield will look a bit different this upcoming season. 

But the good news for the Titans is that they did sign Tony Pollard to a multi-year deal this offseason. Pollard will now join Tyjae Spears to form an electric 1-2 punch in Tennessee's backfield.

So, is Pollard or Spears the fantasy football RB1 for the Titans? Let's dive in and find out.

• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings
• Kicker fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• IDP fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Who is the Tennessee Titans' RB1?

There might not be an answer to this question because both Pollard and Spears should see time as the team's RB1. Pollard struggled a bit on the ground last year, rushing for a career-low four yards per carry. Still, he has totaled over 1,300 yards from scrimmage in each of the last two seasons. 

As for Spears, he might not have seen a ton of opportunities with Henry in town in 2023. However, he showed his potential throughout his rookie campaign. The 23-year-old totaled 152 touches for 838 yards and three touchdowns. Those 838 yards from scrimmage were the fourth most by a rookie running back last year -- only behind Bijan Robinson (1,463), Jahmyr Gibbs (1,261), and De'Von Achane (997). 

#Titans HC Brian Callahan on Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears:

“They’re both gonna play quite a bit of football for us, and I don’t view either one of them as a starter or a backup. They’re both starting players to me.”

This staff has spent the entire offseason talking about how… pic.twitter.com/sHw93Qi9yA

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) July 23, 2024

With both backs now a part of this Tennessee offense, expect a close 50/50 split between the two. Pollard and Spears can both be efficient runners while also being a threat in the passing game. As a result, this backfield might be more of a 1A/1B situation in 2024. 

Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?

There is potential for both Pollard and Spears to be solid fantasy options in 2024. Both possess the upside in the receiving game to be efficient contributors to your fantasy roster. However, Spears might be the better value pick in drafts this season.

Spears is currently going as the RB35 in drafts on Sleeper, which is almost 30 picks later than where Pollard is going (RB24). If this backfield is truly a 50/50 split this season, the second-year running back could turn out to be an extremely underrated selection in the ninth round of drafts. 

More Fantasy Football Analysis