Jonathan Taylor needs just four rushing yards to hit 8,000 for his career as the Indianapolis Colts try to snap a one-game skid against a Tennessee Titans team still searching for its first win.
Tennessee comes in at 0-5 on a five-game losing streak, while Indianapolis sits at 2-3 having dropped its last outing. The Colts are favored by 7.0 points with a total of 44.5 for Sunday's game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Game details
| When | Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET |
| Where | Lucas Oil Stadium |
| TV | Fox |
| Line | Indianapolis Colts -7 | O/U 44.5 (market view) |
| Tennessee Titans record | 0-5 |
| Indianapolis Colts record | 2-3 |
The matchup
According to NFL game notes, Taylor is one of two AFC running backs with six or more rushing touchdowns this season and has put up 510 scrimmage yards with nine touchdowns over his last three games against Tennessee, with three scrimmage touchdowns in each of those meetings. He can also become just the fourth player ever under age 28 with 20 games of two-plus rushing touchdowns, and he's reached the end zone in 42 scrimmage touchdowns across 44 career games at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Tennessee is coming off a 26-3 loss to the Houston Texans in Week 5 and hasn't won a game all season. Indianapolis fell 34-22 at Pittsburgh in its last outing, a step back after wins over Washington and Houston in Weeks 3 and 4. The Colts lead the all-time series 41-21 and have won the past six meetings.
Key matchups
Taylor against a Titans defense anchored by Jeffery Simmons is the headline. Simmons leads all defensive linemen with 28 tackles this season and is one of two defensive linemen with four tackles-for-loss and three pass deflections in 2026, giving Tennessee at least one real disruptor up front against the run.
Cam Ward will try to keep pace through the air against a Colts secondary led by Sauce Gardner, who has four pass deflections over his past four games. Ward has a touchdown pass in six of his past seven road starts and is chasing his fifth straight start with 170-plus passing yards.
Daniel Jones brings a strong track record into this one, with 17 total touchdowns against three interceptions and a 102.9 rating in eight career starts at Lucas Oil Stadium, including a touchdown pass in every one of those starts. Tyler Warren, who leads all AFC tight ends with 30 catches, gives Jones a reliable target if he's able to go.
Injuries that matter
For Tennessee, running back Tyjae Spears is questionable with a knee injury, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott is out for a personal matter, cornerback Joshua Williams is questionable with a pectoral issue, and safety Kevin Winston Jr. is out with a quadricep injury.
Indianapolis will be without wide receiver Ashton Dulin, who is out with a hamstring injury, and linebacker Jaylon Carlies, out with ribs. Tight ends Will Mallory (thumb) and Tyler Warren (groin) are both listed as questionable.
Fantasy angles
Jonathan Taylor is the clear top option in this game, projected for 17.5 DraftKings points, and with his history at Lucas Oil Stadium and against Tennessee, he's a strong lean regardless of format.
Daniel Jones projects at 13.0 points and carries real upside given his numbers at home, though his status isn't flagged as a concern. Tyler Warren is projected at 11.5 points but is questionable with groin, so check his status before locking him into lineups.
On the Tennessee side, Cam Ward projects at 11.5 points and has shown he can push the ball downfield on the road. Tony Pollard, projected at 9.0 points, is chasing his fifth straight game with 50-plus scrimmage yards and has scored four rushing touchdowns in five career games against Indianapolis, giving him goal-line equity if Tennessee can find the end zone.
Wan'Dale Robinson, also projected at 9.0 points, had six catches for a team-high 53 yards last week and is worth a look in PPR formats given his target share.
The pick
The market has Indianapolis as a 7.0-point favorite with a projected score of Colts 26, Titans 19, and that lines up with what's in front of us: a Colts offense getting back a historically productive Taylor against a Titans team still looking for its first win.
Tennessee has shown flashes through the air with Ward and its receivers, but digging out of an 0-5 hole on the road against a team that's dominated this series the past six meetings is a tall order.
Injury report
| Player | Team | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyjae Spears | Tennessee Titans | RB | Questionable |
| Jordan Elliott | Tennessee Titans | DT | Out |
| Joshua Williams | Tennessee Titans | CB | Questionable |
| Kevin Winston Jr. | Tennessee Titans | S | Out |
| Ashton Dulin | Indianapolis Colts | WR | Out |
| Will Mallory | Indianapolis Colts | TE | Questionable |
| Tyler Warren | Indianapolis Colts | TE | Questionable |
| Jaylon Carlies | Indianapolis Colts | LB | Out |
Projected starters
| Pos | Tennessee Titans | Indianapolis Colts |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Cam Ward | Daniel Jones |
| RB | Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears | Jonathan Taylor, Seth McGowan |
| WR | Carnell Tate, Wan'Dale Robinson, Elic Ayomanor | Josh Downs, Keenan Allen, Laquon Treadwell |
| TE | Gunnar Helm | Tyler Warren |
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Tennessee Titans | Wk5 L 3-26 vs Houston Texans, Wk4 L 18-24 vs Baltimore Ravens, Wk3 L 7-12 vs New York Giants |
| Indianapolis Colts | Wk5 L 22-34 vs Pittsburgh Steelers, Wk4 W 30-13 vs Washington Commanders, Wk3 W 19-17 vs Houston Texans |
In this story
- Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
- Indianapolis Colts
- Tennessee Titans
- Ashton Dulin
- Cam Ward
- Carnell Tate
- Daniel Jones
- Elic Ayomanor
- Gunnar Helm
- Jaylon Carlies
- Jonathan Taylor
- Jordan Elliott
- Josh Downs
- Joshua Williams
- Keenan Allen
- Kevin Winston Jr.
- Laquon Treadwell
- Seth McGowan
- Tony Pollard
- Tyjae Spears
- Tyler Warren
- Wan'Dale Robinson
- Will Mallory
Written by Rhett Zone, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores, box scores, injuries and depth charts), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.