The Tennessee Titans hit the road this week and head to the West Coast to face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. SoFi Stadium is shared between the Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, but in Week 10 it will be decked out in lightning bolts.
The Titans are coming off of their second win of the season, an overtime thriller against the New England Patriots. That game saw Tony Pollard, Calvin Ridley and even Nick Westbrook-Ikhine increase their fantasy value.
The Chargers are coming off of a win over the Cleveland Browns, and while they sit at 5-3, the teams they’ve beaten all rank near the bottom of the NFL. The Chargers defense ranks similarly to the Titans but losing to the struggling Arizona Cardinals is telling. It’s like losing to the Indianapolis Colts.
Still, every game presents an opportunity for fantasy players to earn points based on how NFL players perform. Both the Titans and Chargers have players who are worth consideration in Week 10, so let’s peek at the players poised to do well in this matchup.
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Tony Pollard is the heart of the Titans’ offensive production. His 622 yards on the ground account for over half of the Titans’ rushing yards and has four of the Titans’ six rushing touchdowns. The Chargers have the eighth ranked run defense, allowing 4.6 yards per carry and just three rushing touchdowns on the season. Pollard averages 4.4 yards per carry, so he will have the space to do what we all expect out of him on Sunday.
Currently projected 13.46 points and no touchdowns. The Chargers pass defense is stronger than their rush defense, so Pollard will get plenty of touches which means more opportunities for big plays and touchdowns. Pollard is the 10th ranked running back in the league heading into Week 10 and should start every week on teams that roster him.
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JK Dobbins is in his fourth year in the NFL, spending his first three with the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens acquired Derrick Henry this offseason, though, and did not extend Dobbins’ contract. With the Chargers this season, Dobbins has similar statistics to Tony Pollard: 620 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, an average of 4.9 yards per carry.
The Titans’ run defense isn’t as strong as it’s pass defense, much like the Chargers. In fact, the Titans have the 9th ranked run defense, right behind the Chargers. He is currently projected 16.9 points, which includes three receptions and a touchdown. Whether he manages that or not remains to be seen, but he’s worth a start this week if he’s on your team.
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Calvin Ridley is unquestionably the top target no matter who lines up under center. Brian Callahan says Will Levis will return as soon as he’s healthy, and Ridley has already been more productive with Mason Rudolph in the absence of DeAndre Hopkins, but Ridley and Levis have connected in the past so it’s probable that relationship will continue going forward.
Currently, Ridley is projected 10.99 points as the Chargers defend wide receivers well, but don’t let that discourage you. Ridley will get his touches, and if the quarterback can lead him with the ball, Ridley has the ability to take off down the field.
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This may seem a little crazy because the Titans allow the fewest passing yards in the league right now, but one thing you have to remember is that is largely because of field position. When your opponent doesn’t have to go the length of the field, they aren’t going to put up as many yards because they don’t have to. Still, 9.4 yards per catch is the second lowest in the NFL behind the Atlanta Falcons.
The thing is, Justin Herbert is finding his groove and he’s connecting with both of his receivers. He’s currently projected 15.53 points, which doesn’t include any touchdowns.
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Speaking of Chargers’ receivers, Ladd McConkey is one of those young receivers that Justin Herbert has connected with over the last couple of weeks. McConkey leads the Chargers with 35 receptions for 445 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 12.6 yards per catch. He may not put up those numbers against the Titans defense, but he’s still Herbert’s top target and will get his hands on the ball in Week 10.
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If you’re struggling for a FLEX option this week, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is your guy. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of his last four games, and last week against the Patriots, he also had his best game of 2024 to date. In that game, he recorded five catches on six targets for 50 yards and a touchdown. Four of those receptions were for first downs as well.
He didn’t get a lot of touches early in the season, but with DeAndre Hopkins in Kanas City now, it looks like Westbrook-Ikhine might become a reliable receiver for whichever quarterback plays on any given week. He’s only a flex option, though, he does not belong in WR spots just yet.
