Getty Tennessee Titans WR Corey Davis
The Tennessee Titans draw a primetime matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14 with a chance to keep their playoff hopes alive and well. But it won’t be an easy task, as the Jaguars defense seemed to revert to its old form last week, making this an interesting spot for the Titans. Specifically, one name who could find himself in a key matchup is wide receiver Corey Davis.
While Davis has proven to be a go-to option for quarterback Marcus Mariota, it’s expected that he’ll draw Jalen Ramsey’s shadow coverage in this game. In turn, this makes the decision for fantasy football players on whether to start or sit him a bit tough. On one hand, Davis has scored a touchdown in three of the last four games. But he’s also fallen below the 50-yard mark in two of the last four as well.
Let’s take a look at whether the Titans wideout is a start or sit in Week 14 against the Jaguars.
Matchup With Jalen Ramsey & Jaguars’ Pass Rush
Much of this call comes down to whether you believe Davis and the Titans will be able to navigate around Ramsey. It’s hard to envision a situation where the Jaguars‘ top cornerback isn’t locked on Davis for almost the entire the game. Tennessee’s top receiver also plays the bulk of his snaps on the outside, which is where Ramsey stays, so that only hurts his outlook.
Another concern for me comes down to the Jaguars pass rush. Jacksonville has always boasted a strong ability to get to opposing quarterbacks, and last week they brought down Andrew Luck three times. The Indianapolis Colts signal-caller also averaged just 4.8 yards per attempt, which doesn’t bode well for Davis’ outlook to do much work downfield.
With the Jaguars likely to get pressure on Mariota, there could be a fair amount of check-downs and quick passes, benefitting options like Dion Lewis and Jonnu Smith over Davis.
Should You Start or Sit Corey Davis?
It’s tough to find a way to justify starting Davis in this spot. Although the primetime game on his home field is certainly appealing, the matchup is far from it. On the season, the Jaguars have allowed just 130 receptions, 1,691 yards and seven touchdowns to opposing wide receivers. This ranks them as one of the best in the entire NFL.
Unless you are just incredibly thin at receiver, I wouldn’t start Davis in any league smaller than 14 teams. Even in 14-team leagues, I’d see if there were a better option out there on waivers who has a solid floor and fair amount of upside. In a worst-case scenario, using Davis a flex play can be considered, assuming your options are few and far in-between.
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