Tyjae Spears Fantasy Overview

2025 Role & Results

Production & Fantasy Finishes

Spears carried 72 times for 283 yards and caught 45 balls for 264 yards across 13 games last year. He finished RB42 in PPR points per game and RB50 in half-PPR.

Spears spiked for four top-22 PPR finishes but also ranked outside the top 40 four times.

Usage & Role

Spears operated as a change-of-pace, pass-catching back behind Tony Pollard last year. Here’s how they split usage in their 13 games together:

Spears’ 9.1 expected PPR points per game ranked 41st among RBs

Efficiency & Regression

Spears struggled on the ground last year, mustering just 3.9 yards per carry. He ranked 40th in yards after contact per attempt and 48th in Pro Football Focus rushing grade among 58 RBs with 70+ carries. He did, at least, beat Pollard in missed tackles forced per attempt (0.18 to 0.16).

Spears performed much better in the passing game, hauling in 90% of his targets. Even with just 5.9 yards per catch, his 1.23 yards per route ranked 16th among 40 RBs with 30+ targets, and he ranked third in PFF receiving grade.

Offensive Context

Spears played on a bad Titans offense that ranked:

• 26th in plays
• 31st in total yards
• 30th in yards per play
• 30th in points

The offensive line didn’t offer much help, either. Tennessee finished 23rd in PFF run-blocking grade and 26th in ESPN run-block win rate.

Historical Production & Trends

Spears has been a productive and efficient pass catcher through three NFL seasons. He ranks 13th among RBs in total receptions and 14th in receiving yards over that span. He has topped 1.2 yards per route in all three years.

Spears has seen relatively light rushing usage, though, going from 5.9 carries per game in 2023 to 7.0 in 2024 and 5.5 last year. After averaging 4.5 yards per carry as a rookie, he has mustered just 3.8 over the last two.

Spears also underwhelmed in advanced rushing metrics in 2024, ranking 38th in yards after contact per attempt and 40th in PFF grade among 53 qualifiers.

Injury History & Durability

Spears played 17 games as a rookie. But he missed five games in 2024 with two concussions, an ankle sprain, and a hamstring injury. He then missed the first four games of 2025 after suffering a high right ankle sprain in the preseason.

His right knee also remains a concern. Spears tore that ACL in high school and again at Tulane in 2020. Medical evaluations before the 2023 NFL Draft revealed he has no remaining ACL in the knee, along with cartilage loss and arthritis.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Projected Role & Competition

Spears returns to the Titans’ backfield alongside Pollard. Both guys are entering the final year of their contracts.

The Titans added Nicholas Singleton in Round 5 of the draft. He boasts an enticing combination of size and speed but was out-produced by Kaytron Allen at Penn State. The rookie is worth tracking this summer, but HC Robert Saleh made it clear in June that Singleton is the clear No. 3 RB for now.

“He’s learning it all, he’s got a long way to go, from that regard, like all rookies do,” Saleh said of Singleton. “But to be clear, Tony and Tyjae are the bellcows of this football team, and Nick’s got to compete his way in to find his way in to that group.”

It’s also interesting, of course, that Saleh called both Pollard and Spears the bellcows. He added this:

“But those two complement each other very, very well. They’re both really, really good third-down backs. I remember last year that you’re not beating Tony 1-on-1 in a protection system. The guy is an elite blocker, and he’s also really good out of the backfield. And then Tyjae is really good from a route-running ability. They do a really nice job complementing one another.”

Consider Pollard the favorite to lead this backfield, but the new coaching staff gives Spears a path to earn more work.

Supporting Cast

The Titans are hoping to get a better Year 2 from QB Cam Ward. He struggled as a rookie, ranking 36th or worse among 42 qualifying QBs in:

• Completion rate
• Adjusted completion rate
• Yards per attempt
• TD rate
• PFF pass grade

Adding WRs Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson should help.

On the offensive line, the Titans return three starters from last year in LT Dan Moore, RT J.C. Latham, and G Peter Skoronski. There will be competition at the other two spots, with none of the potential winners inspiring.

This projects to again be a subpar to downright bad offensive line.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

The Titans will be operating a new offense this season under OC Brian Daboll. He flamed out as Giants HC but had a nice run as Bills OC from 2018-2021.

Daboll has been willing to adjust his play-calling based on his personnel. His later Bills teams leaned pass under QB Josh Allen, but the Giants shifted toward the run with much worse QB play. Expect this Titans offense to be balanced to run-leaning, depending on Ward’s development.

Paths to Ceiling

Spears has established himself as a strong pass-catching back and should retain those duties this year. He has a chance to steal more carries from Pollard, a 29-year-old with waning efficiency. And Tennessee’s offense could improve in QB Cam Ward’s second year and with a new coaching staff.

There’s fringe RB2 upside here.

Risk Factors

Spears hasn’t been productive or efficient on the ground in either of the last two seasons. He faces new competition this year from Singleton, who boasts impressive size and speed.

Spears has also missed significant time in each of the last two seasons and still has long-term concerns with his right knee.