The Tennessee Titans will once again be inside Nissan Stadium's friendly confines as they take on the Houston Texans in their first AFC South battle of 2026.
The Titans head into the weekend with injury concerns: safety Amani Hooker is already out as he navigates the NFL’s concussion protocol, and cornerback Joshua Williams is downgraded to out with his pec injury. Williams will have to wait another week before being activated off injured reserve.
Tennessee does have two players, Carnell Tate and David Martin-Robinson, questionable for the matchup. Tate practiced in a limited capacity Friday with back tightness, while Martin-Robinson sat out with a hamstring, putting him in jeopardy for Sunday’s matchup.
Elavations
Tennessee used two practice squad elevations
this week, safety Isaiah Oliver and running back Kalel Mullings, but neither filled the positions of the questionable players. These standard elevations don't indicate whether Tate or Martin-Robinson will play, but they're definitely a more positive sign for Tate.
Will Tate play against Texans?
Tate appears to be available this week. Head coach Robert Saleh not only described his back injury as tightness, but also said he expected him to go. If Tate can't go, the Titans would be left with only four active receivers after failing to elevate a wide receiver.
Who would replace Tate in the lineup?
If Tate can’t go or suffers a setback, Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, and Chimere Dike would likely pick up his snaps.
Will Martin-Robinson play against the Texans?
Martin-Robinson is more of a question mark than Tate, and he'll likely be a true game-time decision after missing Friday’s practice with his hamstring. Yes, Tennessee didn’t elevate a tight end, but they already have tight end Kylen Granson on the active roster, and he's been inactive for the past few games.
Who would replace Martin-Robinson in the lineup?
If Martin-Robinson can’t go, Tennessee will likely turn to Granson to replace him in three tight end sets and on special teams. Mullings, elevated from the practice squad, could also take over his special teams role.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Will Titans' Carnell Tate or David Martin-Robinson play in Week 5?
