Jaguars at Titans Week 10 Preview: Trevor Lawrence and Bhayshul Tuten Draw a Banged-Up Tennessee as Jacksonville Lays 10.5

The Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) visit the Tennessee Titans (1-7) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday as one of the biggest favorites of Week 10, laying 10.5 points with a total of 46.5. Jacksonville went all in at the trade deadline, adding safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux, but Bates and Davis will not play in Nashville. Tennessee, meanwhile, will be without its top receiver and a starting guard. For fantasy managers, this sets up as a game to buy Jacksonville's offense and be selective with Tennessee's.

Jacksonville's deadline splash, on hold for a week

No team was busier at the deadline. Jacksonville sent a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-rounder to Philadelphia for Davis, a 2027 second and a 2028 fifth to Atlanta for Bates, and a conditional sixth to New Orleans for Godchaux. The message was clear: a defense that already ranks second in the league in points allowed per game, at roughly 15 points, was built to contend in January.

Head coach Liam Coen chose not to rush his two biggest additions, and both Bates and Davis will sit out Week 10. Godchaux is expected to play. Jacksonville also ruled out defensive end BJ Green II with a forearm injury. Even short-handed, the Jaguars' defense remains a strong fantasy start against a Titans offense missing key pieces.

Tennessee's injury report

The Titans' list is long, and the most important absence is on offense.

Losing Tate, the rookie who has become Tennessee's top receiver, removes Cam Ward's most dangerous target for a second consecutive week. Skoronski's absence weakens the interior of the line against a Jacksonville front that generates pressure. On defense, the Titans are missing two linebackers and a safety, which opens the middle of the field for Jacksonville's backs and tight ends.

Fantasy fallout: Jacksonville

Trevor Lawrence is a confident start. Jacksonville's implied team total is one of the highest on the slate, and Tennessee's defense is short-handed at all three levels. A favorable matchup and a positive game script make him a solid QB1 this week.

Bhayshul Tuten is the back to own. As double-digit favorites, the Jaguars should run the ball often in the second half, and Tennessee's missing linebackers make the matchup better. Tuten is a strong RB2 with a ceiling in this spot.

The receivers and tight end benefit from Lawrence's matchup, though a blowout script can cap passing volume late. Start Jacksonville's top two pass catchers as you normally would, and be cautious with the third option.

The Jaguars defense is a top streaming choice even without Bates and Davis. Tennessee is missing its top receiver and a starting guard, and Ward has had turnover issues this season.

Fantasy fallout: Tennessee

Cam Ward has flashed. He threw for a career-high 304 yards in the Week 8 overtime loss to Cincinnati, and one Titans analyst this week said he liked what he saw in Ward's most recent outing. But a top-two scoring defense, a missing top receiver and a likely trailing script are a tough mix. Ward is a superflex QB2 with garbage-time upside, not a one-quarterback start.

Tony Pollard stayed in Tennessee at the deadline, partly because his production rose alongside Ward's development, according to reports. He is a flex at best this week. Game script is the problem: a 10.5-point underdog will throw more than it runs, which caps his carries.

The remaining receivers should see more targets with Tate out, but the efficiency is a question against a top defense. Treat any Tennessee receiver as a deep-league flex.

Betting angle

The moneyline sits around Jacksonville -550 and Tennessee +425, reflecting how lopsided the market views this one. Jacksonville's defense, even without two new starters, is the best unit on the field, and Tennessee's injury list hits the offense directly.

The case for Tennessee is the classic one for a big divisional underdog: familiarity, a home crowd and a young quarterback with something to prove. A 10.5-point spread also asks a lot of a defense playing without two new starters. The game will be refereed by Barry Anderson, normally an umpire, after Friday's FAA ground stop forced crew changes, though that should not move a number.

For the model's view, see the Week 10 picks page and the live board on the NFL predictions page.

What's next

A Jacksonville win would keep the Jaguars near the top of the AFC as Bates and Davis prepare to debut, possibly as soon as Week 11. That is the real story for the second half: a top defense getting two more starters for the stretch run, which should keep the Jaguars D/ST a weekly starter. For Tennessee, the rest of the season is about Ward's development and Tate's health. Dynasty managers should treat any strong Ward performance against this defense as a meaningful data point.