Could Nicholas Singleton end up being the Tennessee Titans’ sneaky breakout story in 2026? That’s the kind of question that starts to matter when a team is trying to give 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward more to work with on offense. If the former Penn State back turns into a real contributor, Tennessee’s attack gets a lot more interesting.
Singleton arrived in the NFL without a ton of noise around him. The attention in the draft went first to former Notre Dame backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, and even at Penn State, his final season didn’t keep him in the brightest spotlight. Kaytron Allen’s breakout year pulled some of that attention away during a disappointing season for the Nittany Lions.
Even so, Singleton still flashed the kind of traits that made him such a strong prospect in the first place. He ran with force, got downhill quickly and used his size and power to press through traffic and punish tacklers. In 12 games last season, he finished with 549 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns while splitting work with Allen.
The version of Singleton Tennessee saw in 2024 was even more eye-catching: 1,474 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns across 15 games. That’s the ceiling the Titans are hoping to tap into.
The rookie has already made a solid early impression in camp. Titans running backs coach Randy Jordan praised both the player and the person, saying, via the team’s official site, "Personality-wise, he fits the culture that we are trying to build around here," Titans running backs coach Randy Jordan said of Singleton, via the team's official site."
He is all about work, all about football. He has a very serious demeanor.
"In terms of what I've seen athletically, he has the ability to find green grass. He's a patient runner, and it's almost like he has a rocket on his back when he hits it.
Downhill, physical presence. I am excited to see what he can do when you actually have to tackle him."
Singleton has also shown enough in preseason action to keep the conversation going. Against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, he ran for 31 yards on eight carries in a 19-13 Titans win. A foot and ankle injury concern kept him out of the second preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, but the early signs have still created intrigue around what he might become once the games count.
His value goes beyond straight-ahead running, too. Singleton can catch the ball out of the backfield, and that gives Ward another possible outlet in the passing game. Ward has been just as complimentary, pointing to Singleton’s explosiveness, patience and steady approach.
"He is real explosive," Ward said. "He is a patient runner, he sees the gap and he hits it hard, and he's a great teammate.
He's not a rah-rah guy, but every time he steps on the field, he has the right mindset. He is capable of being a great player for us.
He is getting way better at the protection scheme of the pass game.
"When his number is called, he is going to be sure to do what he does."
For now, Singleton is projected to begin the season behind Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. But both veterans are in the final year of their contracts, which opens a lane for the rookie to carve out a larger role beyond 2026. If he can turn the flashes from camp and the preseason into regular-season production, Tennessee may have landed far more than an RB3 with the No. 165 pick.
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Brian Thomas Jr. Injury Concern Just Got Some Relief
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It is part of a broader run of updates around the division, with the Colts also getting healthier as Alec Pierce is expected back from an ankle injury and Charvarius Ward set to practice Tuesday. For the Titans, the focus remains on their own roster and the early buzz around rookie back Nick Singleton, but any movement on Thomas matters because these are the kinds of small health swings that can shift a matchup before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]