The Tennessee Titans open the 2026 season on Sunday by hosting the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, with kickoff set for 12:00 p.m. CST. And while the matchup gives the Titans a chance to start the year with a home win, it also invites a familiar exercise: looking at the other sideline and asking which player would fit best in Tennessee.
With the Jets, that answer is not especially obvious. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are both worth a long look, since they’re the top two names on the roster, but the Titans already feel pretty settled at running back and wide receiver. That sent the focus somewhere less flashy and a lot more practical.
Olu Fashanu is the choice.
A third-year offensive lineman out of Penn State, Fashanu built his college résumé in a big way. In 2023, he was a Consensus All-American, the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, and a first-team All-Big Ten selection.
He had already earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2022 before the Jets took him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. By the end of his rookie season, he had worked his way into the starting left tackle job after Tyron Smith went down with an injury.
For Tennessee, the appeal is easy to see. Dan Moore Jr. is aging, and while his play has mostly been sufficient, Fashanu’s 2025 season was clearly stronger.
Pro Football Focus graded Fashanu ahead of Moore in pass blocking, 74.5 to 62.5, and overall, 69.2 to 62.0. He played more snaps, gave up fewer sacks, allowed fewer pressures, and was charged with fewer penalties.
The job description is simple enough: keep Cam Ward clean. Moore hasn’t been a disaster, but the Titans could use more juice on the left side.
Pair Fashanu with Peter Skoronski, and the picture gets even more interesting. Ward would rarely have to worry about pressure coming from that direction, and while no line is bulletproof, that combination would give Tennessee something it can really build around.
So for the first Gimme Him of 2026, the pick is Jets offensive lineman Olu Fashanu.
In Other News...
Titans Lose A Key Defensive Piece Right Before Jets Opener
Cedric Grays Week 1 status changed in an instant, and not in the direction the Titans wanted. The linebacker entered concussion protocol after a UTV accident and has already been ruled out for Sundays opener against the Jets, leaving Tennessee to reshuffle a defense that was counting on him to be part of the early-season foundation.
Grays absence puts more pressure on the backups and rookies who now have to absorb snaps in a game where every early detail matters. The good news for Tennessee is that the rest of the roster is healthy, and the Jets are dealing with their own injury issues heading into the matchup, but Grays availability remains the storyline to watch beyond this one week. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Dabolls Plan For Cam Ward Is Becoming Very Clear
From the start of the offseason and into the preseason, the Titans have made their preference pretty obvious: keep the offense on schedule, avoid turnovers and make the easy throw the first answer. Brian Dabolls approach has leaned toward short completions and efficient runs, with the idea being to spare Cam Ward from too many third-and-long situations while giving the quarterback a steadier runway to grow.
That mindset has also shaped how the backfield and pass catchers are being used, with the offense showing a clear lean toward checkdowns and quick hitters rather than constant shots downfield. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears fit neatly into that plan, and so does a slot target like Wan'Dale Robinson, but the bigger question is how far Daboll is willing to take the conservative approach once the games count and Wards development starts demanding more than just safe completions. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fans Just Got A Painful Chris Johnson Ring Of Honor Reminder
The Titans were already planning a heartfelt tribute to Chris Johnson this season, but the timing around it has shifted. Tennessee has postponed the formal Ring of Honor induction ceremony for the former running back because his family is unable to travel to Nashville for the season opener, though the team still intends to recognize him at halftime.
Johnsons place in franchise history is secure, but the adjustment adds another layer of emotion to a celebration that was always going to carry extra weight. Diagnosed with ALS and having revealed his condition publicly earlier this year, Johnson remains a beloved figure in Titans history, and the team will still have a chance to honor him in front of the home crowd even if the full ceremony comes later. [Read more 🡒]