Tennessee Titans rookie running back Tyjae Spears has been an incredible addition to the team this season. These last two weeks, in particular, he has taken that next step toward potentially being the heir-apparent at running back.
With Derrick Henry leaving the Week 13 game with a possible concussion, Spears took over and recorded 88 yards from scrimmage, most of which came on the ground (75).
With Henry struggling to get going this past week against the Miami Dolphins, Spears once again made his presence felt, totaling 118 yards from scrimmage, 89 of which came through the air.
He also had three big catches on the Titans’ first touchdown drive of the fourth quarter, with gains of 12, 21 and eight yards through the air.
Spears is a complete back who can truly do it all. According to Pro Football Focus, he has one of the highest overall grades among all rookie running backs, earning an impressive 73.0, despite being stuck in a limited role.
Expanding on this:
Derrick Henry: 237 touches
Tyjae Spears: 112 touchesDerrick Henry: 4.5 yards per touch
Tyjae Spears: 5.7 yards per touchSpears is underused #Titans https://t.co/R7szCcUXRr
— Mr. Positivity (@jlomas72) December 14, 2023
Furthermore, Spears enters the final four weeks of the season ranked third in yards from scrimmage for rookie ball carriers.
Only Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson (1,100 total yards) and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs (980 total yards) have more scrimmage yards than Spears’ 639.
However, it should be noted that Robinson (209) and Gibbs (173) have gotten significantly more touches than Spears (112), which is due to the fact that the Titans’ rookie is playing behind a future Hall of Famer.
Truth be told, there’s no telling what the Titans will do when it comes to Henry’s expiring contract in 2024.
But if the team ultimately makes the tough decision to part ways with him in favor of Spears, as painful as that would undoubtedly be, it would also pave the way for No. 32 to be a true focal point of the offense, something that should have fans genuinely excited.
