Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 22nd, 2024, 1:00 ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
Network: CBS
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback
Mason Rudolph: Sit
Hey, another QB change! In relief of a disastrous Will Levis performance last week, Mason Rudolph eclipsed 200 passing yards and threw for 2 touchdowns. Still, that shouldn’t be enough for you to trust him in this position against the Colts. He should be left on benches, even in Superflex leagues, unless you were already being forced to start Levis and need to turn to his backup.
Running Back
Tony Pollard: Start, RB2 (if he plays)
Tyjae Spears: Start, RB2 (if Pollard sits)
Whichever back assumes lead duties for the Titans this week has a solid matchup against a Colts defense that allows the eighth-most points to running backs. Tony Pollard missed Wednesday’s practice, but he also didn’t practice last week before suiting up against the Bengals. It’s a crucial trend to monitor ahead of Week 16’s action, as Tyjae Spears was incredibly impressive in the passing game, especially in last week’s multi-TD performance. Should Pollard start (and especially if he can practice), he remains a solid RB2 with a great chance to score this week. If he sits, Spears immediately becomes an RB2 play in his own right. Spears would be a tough FLEX play if Pollard does suit up, but could be serviceable in deeper leagues if the passing game volume remains.
Wide Receiver
Calvin Ridley: FLEX Option, WR3/4
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: Sit
Calvin Ridley has finished above WR33 in PPR leagues just once in his past five games and now has to deal with a QB change and a Colts defense that allows the eighth-fewest points to wide receivers. The last time he faced the Colts, he infamously caught zero passes on 8 targets. I’d try to avoid this matchup if you can, as Ridley has a much higher bust chance than boom chance this week. He’s somewhere around WR35 for me in this week’s rankings. The TD magic for Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has worn off, and he shouldn’t be started if he’s able to suit up this week.
Tight End
Chig Okonkwo: Sit, TE2
Chig Okonkwo saw a season-high 10 targets last week en route to a TE6 finish in PPR leagues. There should be plenty of better streamers out there this week, but the Colts do allow the fourth-most points to TEs, so if you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, I suppose you could do worse. Stream him with caution–I hope you have a better option to get you to the finals.
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
Anthony Richardson: Streaming Option, QB2
There are risky QB plays this week, and then there’s Anthony Richardson. Richardson has finished as a top-9 QB three times this season but has finished as the QB16 or worse in his other seven outings. Much like his completion percentage, the chances of this start finding its mark are lower than most of the other starting QBs in the league. Of course, his legs do give him some upside if he can find the end zone, but the risk is too high for him to be a recommended start for me. A fine enough QB2 in Superflex formats but an avoid in single-QB leagues.
Running Back
Jonathan Taylor: Start, low-end RB2
Oh, Jonathan Taylor, what are we going to do with you? Taylor is in the dreaded fantasy doghouse after dropping the ball at the one-inch line, causing an eight-point swing that likely eliminated plenty of fantasy managers from the playoffs. If you managed to survive this error, you probably don’t feel great about starting Taylor against the team that allows the fourth-lowest yards per carry in the league. The one thing going for Taylor is his guaranteed workload, but a tough matchup and the presence of Richardson at the goal line combine to make this a low-end RB2 week for Taylor. I would trust either of the Titans’ RBs more in their respective starting situations than Taylor this week.
Wide Receiver
Josh Downs: FLEX Option, WR4
Michael Pittman Jr.: FLEX Option, WR4
It’s really difficult for me to recommend either Josh Downs or Michael Pittman Jr. as starters this week. Richardson being at QB limits the passing upside of this offense, and the Titans allow the second-fewest points to opposing receivers. It’s a recipe for disappointment for this group this week–if you absolutely must start any receiver in this game, Ridley is probably your best bet. The Colt’s receivers should be left on your benches.
Tight End
Sit Them All
No Colts TE has been worth starting all season, and that will not change in Week 16.