The Tennessee Titans are on their Week 10 bye. Interim head coach Mike McCoy and staff must take advantage to assess their lineup decisions. At 1-8, the Titans are in fact-finding mode down the stretch.
They need to continue offering young players opportunities to prove themselves as future solutions.
We’ve identified four Titans in particular who must play larger roles throughout the second half of Tennessee’s campaign.
Gunnar Helm, TE
Gunnar Helm has been consistently productive when targets are thrown his way. The former Texas Longhorns standout has registered 20 receptions for 187 yards and one receiving touchdown. He’s an athletic pass rusher who’s improving as a blocker.
Helm had one target in Tennessee’s last contest, converting it to an acrobatic 15-yard diving catch. The Titans need to get him more involved. There’s room for Chig Okonkwo and Helm to be productive together.
Marcus Harris, CB
Marcus Harris is seemingly the new nickel cornerback following the Roger McCreary trade. The sixth-round rookie played 28 defensive snaps in Week 9. That accounted for 43% of Dennard Wilson’s defensive snaps.
It was a positive debut for Harris. That’s considering a matchup that placed him in coverage against Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen. The Titans need to find out if Harris is their nickel corner of the future.
Kevin Winston Jr., S
The Titans have eased Kevin Winston Jr. into the lineup. The third-round safety is finally healthy after suffering a setback in last year’s partial ACL tear recovery. Winston has played 21 and 26 snaps in consecutive games.
The Titans possess little incentive to play Quandre Diggs and Xavier Woods. Mike Borgonzi needs to learn if Winston is the long-term partner for Amani Hooker at safety. The ceiling remains high on Winston, who the Titans possessed a second-round grade on.
Chimere Dike, WR
It feels straightforward that Chimere Dike will continue playing a sizable role. He’s having an All-Pro season on special teams. He’s listed because the Titans must keep developing him at wide receiver.
Dike saw three measly targets in Week 9. He was not consistently targeted in the passing game when Calvin Ridley was healthy, and Ridley appears primed to return in Week 11. Dike’s explosive ability must remain at the forefront of McCoy’s offensive gameplan.
