Titans vs. Colts: Week 5 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins, Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, Zack Moss, Michael Pittman Jr.

Welcome to our Titans vs. Colts fantasy football start 'em, sit' em matchups analysis article for Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season.

Read our matchups analysis, player breakdowns, and lineup recommendations for the matchup and set those winning lineups. Good luck RotoBallers!

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

Spread: Titans -2.5
Implied Total: Titans (23) vs. Colts (20.5)
Pace: Titans (30th) vs. Colts (1st)
Titans Off. DVOA: -8.9% Pass (25th), -8.2% Rush (18th)
Colts Off. DVOA: 11.8% Pass (19th), -6.3% Rush (16th)
Titans Def. DVOA: 15.2% Pass (25th), -36.0% Rush (2nd)
Colts Def. DVOA: 4.6% Pass (14th), -7.9% Rush (16th)

Matchups We Love

Derrick Henry (RB, TEN)

Last week, we wrote about how it was premature to write Henry off. He confirmed our belief with a monster performance. The game started slow and then got out of hand in a hurry on the back of 21 Titans points in the second quarter. It allowed Henry to pound the rock 22 times for 122 yards and one touchdown. He also threw for a score, which is the third of his career. It's another winnable game for Tennessee against Indy, locking him into the top 10.

Anthony Richardson (QB, IND)

Richardson, much like Stroud, struggled with his completion percentage but averaged almost 20 yards per completion. He also threw for two touchdowns. It's a bonus on top of the rushing floor he offers, which was on full display with another 10 carries for 56 yards and a score. He's approaching the level of Lamar Jackson, making him a must-start, especially against a pass-funnel defense that bleeds points to quarterbacks.

Anthony Richardson is fun pic.twitter.com/IOidXqpgAo

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 3, 2023

Matchups We Hate

Colts RB

Jonathan Taylor sat out for four weeks rehabbing his ankle injury. He's eligible to return this week, and so far he appears on track to play. I've left the title ambiguous in case it's Zack Moss, but Tennessee is one of the league's best run defenses, removing some of the excitement for Taylor's return (assuming he suits up). Richardson is also a threat to score on the ground, which lowers the ceiling for the backfield. Taylor would be a top-24 option in his debut given the unknown element of his workload and the involvement of Moss.

The #Colts are listing RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle) as questionable for Sunday vs. the #Titans. They'll see how his body feels after two full practices before making a final call Saturday on whether to activate him.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 6, 2023

Other Matchups

Michael Pittman Jr. (WR, IND)

The tight ends vultured both of Richardson's touchdown passes along with 107 of his 200 yards. It didn't leave much left for Pittman Jr., resulting in a terrible day. It's a little concerning because they were playing from behind the entire time and finished with only 25 passing attempts. That said, Pittman remains a top-30 option because he's had 10-plus targets in every other contest thus far and the matchup is good. Until we get more consistent volume from Richardson, none of the other receiving options are worth starting.

DeAndre Hopkins (WR, TEN)

Similar to Richardson, Ryan Tannehill only aired it out 25 times. A lot of that had to the positive game script we referenced earlier, so it's not surprising that Hopkins wouldn't see as many targets. He still led the way and projects to continue as the focal point of this struggling passing attack. Tannehill has the fifth-worst passer rating, third-worst on-target percentage, and the sixth-lowest pass rate over expectation. It means you can start Hopkins as a top-36 receiver for his volume, and that's it.

Notable Injuries

Jonathan Taylor (ankle)
Jelani Woods (hamstring)
Mo Alie-Cox (ankle)
Treylon Burks (knee) *OUT

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