NO ACL? NO PROBLEM

The first time you heard of Tyjae Spears, it probably came with a disclaimer.

“Incredible burst. But... no ACL in his right knee.”

That report shadowed his entire pre-draft process. Some teams reportedly removed him from their boards. Medical experts projected a short career arc. The dynasty community kept its distance.

And yet here we are—entering the 2025 season—and Spears is the clear starting RB in Tennessee.

Derrick Henry is long gone. Tony Pollard stays in Tennessee but is more of a complement at this point in his career, as long as Spears can avoid some of the injuries that plagued him last year (more on that below).

Head Coach Brian Callahan had this to say about the Titans’ backfield in 2025:

This off-season, the Titans went out and added new QB Cam Ward with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, which should lead to a more effective passing game than they had under Will Levis in 2024. The coaching staff also installed a more creative, motion-heavy offense last year, which should favor Spears as well.

But because of the initial medical report, dynasty managers are still unsure. The hesitation is baked into his price.

That’s the inefficiency.

Let’s look past the knee for a moment and focus on what Tyjae Spears actually did in 2023 and 2024:

In 2023, Spears impressed in a complementary role:

• 💥 Averaged 5.5 yards per touch (top 10 among RBs)

• 🧠 Ran 315 routes, 5th-most of any running back

• 📈 Averaged 13.1 PPR points per game in games with 40%+ snap share

• 📊 0 fumbles, 4 drops, 0 missed games

In 2024, despite battling multiple injuries (two concussions, a hamstring strain, and an ankle sprain) that limited him to just 12 games, Spears still flashed potential, particularly towards the end of the season when his usage increased. He finished the season with:

• 312 rushing yards on 84 carries (3.7 YPC)

• 4 rushing touchdowns

• Catching 30 passes for 224 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown

More importantly, he looked the part—not just explosive, but efficient and nuanced. He found cutback lanes, timed blocks, protected the QB, and thrived in the passing game. His strong finish to the 2024 season, including two games with over 20 PPR points in Weeks 15 and 16 when he saw higher snap shares, highlighted his upside when healthy and given opportunity.

He’s healthy. He’s the starter. He’s versatile.

And yet? Spears is being drafted outside the top 36 RBs in most dynasty startups, including being drafted behind veteran teammate Tony Pollard!

Our SF Dynasty Rankings place him in the low-end RB2 tier—but the public market is even lower. The knee is still dominating the conversation, even though usage, tape, and role all scream value.

We pulled recent Tyjae Spears data from the DLF Trade Finder. Here’s what the community is doing:

• 🤯 Spears straight-up for 2026 3rd

• 🔄 Spears + 3.03 for Brian Robinson Jr.

• 🔄 Spears for Tre Tucker, Roman Wilson, + 4.06

There’s value decay here, but it’s not performance-based—it’s fear-based.

When isolating Spears’ games with over 50% of the snaps, particularly those later in the 2024 season, you’ll see a usage profile that rivals top-15 RBs, especially as he took on a larger role when healthy.

Combine that with our Dynasty Rankings History feature, and you’ll find Spears is one of the rare RBs trending down despite being promoted to starter and showing flashes of high-end production in 2024.

That’s a market inefficiency.

And it’s exactly the kind of inefficiency DLF Premium members are exploiting right now.

👇 Find live trades, dig into usage splits, and play the market before it adjusts.

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