Titans QB Marcus Mariota will start Sunday against Saints

In Mariota’s absence, the Titans extended their losing streak to six games. We break down the fantasy implications.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

He has scored three times in the last four games, and he has not put up less than five fantasy points since week 4.

Marcus Mariota will play Sunday vs. Saints. “We have to dust ourselves off and get ready for the Saints”.

“It was positive. I just told him we were gonna do a couple of things different with him”. It’s uncanny how many times over the years in various sports that we’ve joked about how teams win after firing the coach. If the Titans can fix their RT/LG situation, then they will be available to really attack free agency and grab a few great players.

The Titans promoted Mike Mularkey, the assistant head coach and tight ends coach, to interim coach. During last Sunday’s 20-6 loss to the Houston Texans, the Titans allowed backup Zach Mettenberger to be sacked seven times and to be hit a total of 14 times in the game.

Mariota will likely be a bit rusty, but I expect an impassioned effort from the Titans in their first game under Mularkey. “That’s the plan I guess”, receiver Brandin Cooks said with a laugh.

Byron Bell, who started each game this season at left guard, earlier this week said he’s been practicing at right tackle. I’m excited for this game, because we’re going to go out there and one of our goals was to relieve all of our frustration, whatever has been happening, on them. “There’s no panic. We know we can do it. We knew we could do it when we were 1-4, and we’re just proving it now”.

“If we call runs and we don’t block them up front consistently, it’s hard to run the football”, Mularkey said.

Last week, the Saints punted on their opening drive, but didn’t punt again until the 10:47 mark of the 4th quarter. Dexter McCluster will replace Sankey as the Titans’ starting return man.

Beason and Thomas will miss a second straight game.

Perrish Cox will play against the Saints after a hamstring injury essentially sidelined him the last three weeks.

Ironically, Whisenhunt was blamed for continuing to play his quarterback in a loss to Miami when he was damaged goods, contributing to Whisenhunt’s downfall.

Through eight games this year, Watson has 38 receptions on 48 targets for 472 yards and three touchdowns.

The only other players out of Wednesday’s practice were cornerbacks Jason McCourty, who sat out with a groin injury, and Blidi Wreh-Wilson, who was out with a hamstring injury.