Who Should I Start? Michael Carter or Brashard Smith

Friday, October 30, 2:54 PM

Tennessee Titans running back Michael Carter appears positioned to maintain a complementary role in the backfield following the injury to Tyjae Spears (knee), who has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against Cincinnati. Carter made his Titans debut against Cleveland last week, playing 25% of the offensive snaps while recording three carries for seven yards and one reception for seven yards. Meanwhile, Tony Pollard handled 25 rushing attempts and played 75% of the snaps, making it clear that Carter remains firmly behind him in the backfield hierarchy. Sunday's matchup offers little reason for optimism, as Cincinnati has been one of the league's tougher defenses against opposing running backs, allowing the third-fewest PPR fantasy points to the position. The one silver lining for Carter is his ability as a pass-catcher, which could earn him additional playing time if Tennessee falls behind early and is forced into a pass-heavy game script. With the Titans entering as double-digit underdogs, that scenario is certainly possible, although Carter's limited role makes it difficult to project meaningful fantasy production. He remains little more than a speculative handcuff with some deep-league PPR appeal and should be left on fantasy benches in standard formats.