Titans D Carries Lots of Questions into Sunday

What They're Saying

HC Brian Callahan on Awuzie: "Chido should be good to go, he practiced all week full. We anticipate activating him. … We gave him plenty of time to get healthy and to get into shape, and everything he's done so far looks like he's ready to play. I'm excited about that for him. Glad to have him back, we need him. I'm looking forward to watching him go."

2024 Fantasy Football Impact

Awuzie played 73% and 93% of snaps the first two games before going down in Week 3. It's tough to know just how much he'll play in his return, but Tennessee might need full-time duty.

That's because CB Roger McCreary and CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. both look highly questionable. Brownlee sustained a hip injury in Thursday's practice and then missed Friday. McCreary missed practice all week with a shoulder injury after leaving Week 13 early.

We'll update both players ahead of Sunday's game, but you shouldn't expect to have either in IDP lineups.

Both LBs Out?

The Titans also might have to go without both Kenneth Murray and Jerome Baker.

Murray missed practice all week with a hamstring injury. He's officially questionable, but that's not a scenario I'm trusting in my fantasy lineup, even if he starts the game.

Jerome Baker wasn't on the injury report to open the week but missed Thursday and Friday with a neck issue. He's also questionable.

Otis Reese and James Williams look like the next two up if Murray and/or Baker can't go. But Williams is also questionable with a knee issue. He sat out Wednesday and Thursday before a full Friday practice.

He's a seventh-round rookie who has yet to play a defensive snap this year.

Reese is a second-year former undrafted free agent who has played just 8 defensive snaps this year and 98 total across his two seasons.

NT Out?

Tennessee also might have to go without NT T'Vondre Sweat, who is questionable after missing all three practices with a shoulder injury.

The second-round rookie's absence wouldn't affect IDP lineups much. But he owns the fifth-best Pro Football Focus run-defense grade among Titans.

Sweat going inactive would be good news for Jacksonville's RBs.

DST Impact

That pack of injuries obviously adds some downside risk to the unit as a streaming defense play.

And Tennessee has already spent the past few weeks trading down at one safety spot after losing Quandre Diggs to IR.

But the edge starters are healthy, as is star DT Jeffery Simmons, S Amani Hooker, and stout run defender DL Sebastian Joseph-Day.

There's enough upside between those guys and the Jacksonville matchup to keep the Titans D in fantasy-starter territory. But Miami and Arizona look a little safer.