Los Angeles Chargers (0-1) @ Tennessee Titans (0-1) Best Lines Available

Chargers (-142) @ Titans (+126): O/U 45.5
Chargers -2.5 (-110), Titans +2.5 (+100)

Writer’s Record:
Bet: 3-0 +3.6u
Lean: 3-0 +3.15u

The Chargers dropped a close one and the Titans disappointed in Week 1. Both of these teams are on the rebound, but this is a rather one-sided affair on paper. Enter Austin Ekeler’s age/ankle, and now you suddenly have evened the odds a bit. It’s doubtful that Ekeler plays, which paves the way for Joshua Kelley to get RB1 duties in a game where the Chargers should have the lead early and often. This may come down to the difference in offensive lines as the Chargers have a line that is easily in the top third of the league with the Titans sitting somewhere around the bottom five. We’ll see who stands victorious when the dust settles.

Main Storylines to Watch

No Ekeler, no problem? Austin Ekeler has been a fantasy advocate and staple for several years, but he’s been public about wanting the Chargers to dial back his workload and he’s 28 years old now. That’s a bit past middle-aged for a running back in the NFL. It’s looking like he won’t be out there for this game, so how will the Chargers handle that situation? Will they opt to throw the ball more or will Joshua Kelley (16 carries, 91 yards in Week 1) go bananas behind this competent offensive line against an inferior opponent?

Will Tannehill rebound? Ryan Tannehill was awful in Week 1. Point blank. He went 16-of-34 for 198 yards, but threw three costly interceptions in a one point loss to the Saints, finishing with a 28.8 passer rating. That’s abysmal, and it must have been frustrating for fantasy managers who drafted WR DeAndre Hopkins, WR Treylon Burks, and TE Chigoziem Okonkwo. It remains improbable that Tannehill has the arm to prop up all three guys on a week-to-week basis, but of course they played a good defense in the Saints and the Chargers may give up more yards by air. Expect Tannehill to have a better game in this one, and pay attention to who he prefers to target with some opportunity to operate in the pass game in this one.

Is Derrick Henry cooked? I mentioned it in preseason, but there were some indicators that Derrick Henry was finally slowing down. He’s been one of the most prolific running backs we have ever seen, putting up the fifth-most single-season rushing yards in the history of the NFL back in 2020. But last season he saw his yards per carry fall off between the first half and the second half in a big way (5.2 YPC in 1H/3.4 YPC in 2H) and that’s continued through the first game this season (5.1 vs. 2.4). He seems to be losing steam as the game wears on, and Tyjae Spears could begin to eat into his workload as the season wears on. For this game, Henry should surely be safe to deploy.

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