The Tennessee Titansmade an underrated move on the final day of the NFL Draft by selecting Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton. Singleton joins an already talented backfield featuring Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, giving the Titans a three-headed rushing attack that should help take the pressure off quarterback Cam Ward.
ForTheWin recently ranked the running back group among the rest of the groups in the NFL, but unfortunately, the Titans' addition didn't help the running back rankings much.
Where the Tennessee Titans Running Back Room Ranks Among the Rest of the NFL
Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
ForTheWin ranked the Titans group as the No. 29 group in the league. This means that the only teams that the Titans group was ranked better than include the Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
They explained the decision they made.
"Pollard remains a useful veteran capable of soaking up carries. He's also 29 years old and has more than 1,500 career touches to his credit, so it's not unreasonable to think a decline awaits. Spears has struggled to stay healthy and has yet to post a season in which he has a positive RYOE (Rushing Yards Over Expected). Singleton alternated great and above-average seasons across four years at Penn State, but maintains a little bit of breakout juice should Pollard fade or Spears get hurt again," Christian D'Andrea said.
Does the No. 29 Ranking Seem Fair?
One could argue that the veteran running back has shown no signs of decline despite that being a factor in the rankings; however, the group as a whole isn't particularly strong. Spears has yet to put together a truly productive season as his lingering injuries have prevented him from living up to the expectations that came with his draft selection. As for Singleton, he has yet to play a game for the Titans and could begin the season as the team's third-string running back. With that in mind, it's fair to view him as a player who shouldn't significantly impact this ranking, either positively or negatively.
While it may seem a bit unreasonable that the Titans are ranked below the Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys, it's also fair to say they shouldn't be ranked ahead of the Panthers' young running back group, which has the potential to develop into a top-15 unit in the NFL.
