Tennessee Titans RB Tyjae Spears was recently named a fantasy football breakout candidate

Tennessee Titans sophomore running back Tyjae Spears should see increased opportunity this season. General manager Ran Carthon let Derrick Henry leave in free agency, replacing him with Tony Pollard. The financial commitment made to Pollard (more than $7 million per year) insinuates he’ll be heavily involved, but Spears should receive more touches than he did last season.

Spears was extremely efficient throughout his rookie season. He rushed for 453 yards and two touchdowns via 100 carries, averaging a team-high 4.5 yards per carry (compared to Henry’s 4.2). The dual-threat Spears added 52 receptions for 385 yards and one touchdown to his offensive totals, averaging 5.5 yards per touch. His pass-catching ability makes him an intriguing option in fantasy football.

That’s precisely why Pro Football Focus recently named Spears a fantasy football breakout candidate.

The RBs that will breakout in fantasy this season https://t.co/wazxJF8OMz

— PFF (@PFF) July 13, 2024

“Spears has a shot to increase his carries this season because Pollard isn’t the competition for touches that Derrick Henry was for an unproven rookie, which would lead to the greatest breakout outcomes for Spears in Year 2,” Jonathon Macri wrote. “Getting to, or close to, double-digit carries per game and an increase in targets would move Spears from locked-in flex territory to a weekly RB2. While this is the more difficult outcome to achieve considering Pollard’s contract and history of being a good running back, it’s also not impossible.”

“As a runner, Spears earned a top-five mark in missed tackles forced per attempt (0.26) and ranked 11th in yards after contact per attempt (3.1). He provided similar effectiveness as a receiver, ranking second in missed tackles forced per reception (0.52), and 11th in yards after contact per reception (3.7). He also earned a top-10 receiving grade (74.6) and a top-25 rushing grade (77.8). He has a great shot to keep that going into Year 2, which would help him achieve the next step needed to break out this season.”

As a Titans fan, you should probably target Spears in fantasy football. He had an incredible rookie season given the circumstances. With the workhorse Henry no longer present, there’s a clearer pathway to weekly relevance for Spears in fantasy football.