If it's preseason for the Tennessee Titans, you'll probably see running back Julius Chestnut.
A 25-year-old reserve player, he has become a preseason staple in recent years for the Titans. In their 19-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 23, Chestnut had 11 touches for 72 yards, a typical performance for him in the month of August.
In his past three preseason games, dating to last season, he has totaled 18 carries for 123 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and made three catches for 24 yards. Then, once the preseason concludes, he slides back into his role as a special teams player, which the Titans seem perfectly comfortable with.
Before practice at Vanderbilt Health Football Center on Aug. 25, Titans special teams coordinator John Fassel
was asked what Chestnut brings to his unit.
"Everything, everything, and everything," Fassel said. "Tackling, blocking, returning, protecting, leadership. Like . . . everything."
At 5-foot-11 and 228 pounds, Chestnut isn't the fastest or biggest running back on the Titans. He can occasionally outrun a linebacker or break a tackle, and when he does, he's usually doing so against second- and third-string defenders.
But it's his work on special teams that stands out most. Fassel, who maintains a points system for his special teams players, tracking everything from tackling to protection assignments, said that Chestnut scored the most points he has seen in 18 years last season.
"He's one of the best I've ever had," Fassel said.
That praise is likely what will land Chestnut a spot on the Titans' roster heading into the 2026 season. According to our Titans beat writer Nick Suss, Chestnut is "on the right side of the bubble" ahead of roster cuts on Aug. 30.
While special teams is typically stocked with younger players fighting for roster spots, Fassel sees Chestnut as a unique case.
"We talk about this in the special teams room all the time," Fassel said. "Most of the time, special teams is a way to get a role on game day, especially for young guys. Put a jersey on, being part of the 48 on game day. And then, as their careers go, their roles most of the time change, they become starting offense or starting defensive players. Very few times you have a guy whose career is a special teams guy."
Maybe Chestnut is a career special teams contributor, maybe he develops into something more. Either way, Fassel loves having him on the team.
"I'm his biggest fan when he's running the football," he said. "Give it to (Chestnut), move the chains."
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com, follow him on X at@alexdaugherty1 or check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Titans value RB Julius Chestnut so much on special teams play
