Titans Giving New RB Extended Look

The Tennessee Titans are giving a new running back an extended look this week.

Aug 10, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut (36) runs the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Nissan Stadium. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Titans are heading into their Week 9 matchup against the New England Patriots with a slight change they're making offensively.

ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler has made a very interesting report about the Titans' plans at the running back position.

He has reported that while Tennessee is hopeful that starting running back Tony Pollard will be able to play against the Patriots, they are also planning to give Julius Chestnut an extended look.

"The Titans are hopeful running back Tony Pollard (foot) can play Sunday vs. New England despite not practicing this week. But even if he does, backup Julius Chestnut will get an extended look. Chestnut has played 26 offensive snaps all season but will see that increase with Pollard banged up and Tyjae Spears (hamstring) out. While it's unclear exactly how much Chestnut will play, the former undrafted free agent out of Sacred Heart might be a worthwhile fantasy stash option," Fowler wrote.

Chestnut, a 24-year-old running back out of Sacred Heart, has played very sparingly this season. He has carried the football 11 times for 49 yards and has caught one pass for nine yards.

Pollard, on the other hand, has had a solid season so far for the Titans. He has racked up 494 yards and three touchdowns on 114 carries. Those numbers average out to a solid 4.3 yards per carry. He has also caught 21 passes for 109 yards.

Going up against New England gives Tennessee a big opportunity to pick up its second win of the season. Both teams appear likely to be headed towards a high pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Giving a young player like Chestnut an extended role offers an intriguing aspect to watch this week. In a season where the Titans haven't had a ton of positives, perhaps a breakout performance from a young player could be in the cards.

All of that being said, expect to see Tennessee give a solid workload to Chestnut this week. The Titans need to get some kind of running game going, and hopefully the young back can be a positive impact piece this week.

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