The Titans’ rookie class keeps giving Tennessee something to watch in an 0-2 start, and after Week 2 there’s a new order taking shape. Some first-year players are rising fast, others are still waiting for a real chance, but the group as a whole is already leaving a mark in Nashville.
At the top, LB Anthony Hill Jr. is making this feel less like a debate and more like a formality. He piled up 10 tackles in Week 2, pushing his season total to 26 and keeping him atop the NFL in that category.
Robert Saleh handed Hill the start at MIKE even with the linebacker room getting healthier, and Hill also led the unit in snaps over Cedric Gray and Cody Barton. That’s the kind of usage that tells you exactly where a rookie stands.
He’s not just in the mix - he’s running the show.
RG Fernando Carmona climbed a spot after another strong showing, and the Titans needed every bit of it against Eagles DT Jalen Carter. Carmona was part of the group charged with slowing Carter down, and he handled the assignment well enough to stand out.
His pass blocking ranks top five among rookies, per PFF, and his physical style has already started to look like something the Titans can build around. There’s one concern, though: he picked up a shoulder injury in Week 2, and that’s the one thing that could interrupt the momentum he’s building.
Carnell Tate took a small step back, which is why he slid one spot. He was targeted five times against Philadelphia, caught three passes for 27 yards, and never quite got into a groove after dropping a tight ball from Ward in the first quarter.
Tate’s first two games have been uneven, but the offense around him hasn’t exactly made life easy. Tennessee’s passing game is still underwhelming, even with the protection and pocket improving for Ward.
Still, for a rookie who opened with 38 receiving yards on four catches in Week 1, the next breakthrough play hasn’t shown up yet.
Nick Singleton finally got his first shot of the season, and the Titans gave him a brief look in the second half. He finished with four touches for 10 yards before Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears took back over.
Saleh said Singleton may have left some yardage on the field, but he also praised him for doing some "good things" in his debut. For now, the rookie back is on the board, and the Titans will see where it goes from here.
At the bottom sits EDGE Keldric Faulk, a first-round trade-up who has barely been able to get going. Through two games, he’s played only 14 snaps on defense and has just one assisted tackle in each contest.
That’s not enough time for any rookie to settle in, and it shows. Faulk is buried in a deep edge-rushing group, and if his role is going to grow, he’ll need to make a stronger case in the limited chances he’s getting.
In Other News...
Marcus Mariota Is Suddenly Back In A Spot Titans Fans Know Well
Week 2 brought a familiar kind of quarterback subplot for former Titans fans to track, and Marcus Mariota was right in the middle of it. With Washingtons starter sidelined by injury, Mariota stepped in for the Commanders and found himself back in the role Tennessee supporters know so well, a veteran backup suddenly asked to steady an offense on short notice.
Around him, a few other former Titans also surfaced in different spots across the league, from TVondre Sweat making defensive contributions for the Jets to Kristian Fulton grabbing an interception for the Chiefs despite the penalty issues that followed. But Mariotas situation carried the most immediate intrigue for anyone who remembers his Tennessee days, because it put him back under center in the same kind of unexpected moment that has defined so much of his career. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fans Facing An Uncomfortable Nissan Stadium Reality Again
The Titans are still dealing with a familiar Nissan Stadium problem: too many empty seats and too many visiting fans. In the recent game against the Philadelphia Eagles, plenty of Tennessee supporters noticed how visible the road crowd was, a reminder that even with a new coaching staff and some on-field progress, the home-field edge has not really returned.
Pricing trends are only adding to the uneasy atmosphere, with ticket costs expected to slide further as interest lags. Lifelong fans are hoping that changes on the field eventually show up in the stands too, with the upcoming meeting against the Houston Texans carrying a little extra weight as another chance for Nissan Stadium to feel more like home. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Add Another Boom Or Bust Twist To Their QB Plan
The Jets have taken another flier at quarterback, this time adding former Titans starter Will Levis to the practice squad after moving on from Bailey Zappe. Levis lands in New York with a familiar label attached to him as a high-variance arm, and he brings the kind of experience that can be useful even in a deep reserve role.
Levis missed the entire 2025 season because of a shoulder injury, but he still has 21 NFL starts on his rsum and now slots in as the Jets third-string quarterback behind Geno Smith and rookie Cade Klubnik. For Tennessee fans, it is another reminder of how quickly the league moves on from a young passer, and for the Jets it is one more layer of insurance in a quarterback room that already has a clear starter and a developmental understudy. [Read more 🡒]