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The Tennessee Titans are going to have a tough time keeping up with the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4, especially if backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst is forced into the starting lineup. That will hurt the Titans on the field, but for fantasy purposes it may actually serve Shonn Greene well.
The Colts on paper look ready to run away with the game Sunday afternoon, but if the Titans are to keep it close it would be smart to stick to the run game. If Jake Locker is able to play, he will be fighting through a wrist injury and the Titans will want to keep him as healthy as possible. If Whitehurst starts, the Titans should rely heavily on the rushing attack to help get through the game. As the main ball carrier in the Titans’ rushing offense, Greene should have plenty of opportunities this weekend to rush the ball as a conservative game plan looks to be on deck.
The matchup against the Colts’ defense is something that should lead to a productive afternoon for Greene as well. Indianapolis has a susceptible run defense that is usually on the mediocre side. Greene has had success against the Colts in the past, as he recorded his career high for yards in a game with 161 against them in 2012. While he has no role in the passing offense, he should be able to find some success again against the Colts in Week 4. Through three games thus far, the usually plodding Greene has averaged a solid 4.8 yards per carry on 30 attempts with one touchdown.
There is a little risk in playing Greene this week, as the Titans could easily be down multiple scores by the end of the first quarter. They would then turn to more of a passing attack, leaving Greene on the bench. To keep that from happening, it would be a smart move for the Titans to run the ball early and often, and the person who will be getting those carries will be Greene.
Rookie running back Bishop Sankey is the more talented player, but head coach Ken Whisenhunt is hesitant to use him, citing his footwork as the problem. Until Sankey’s footwork improves, Greene will be the lead back for the Titans.
With Greene firmly ahead of Sankey on the depth chart, at least for now, he makes for a sneaky good play in Week 4 against a relatively poor Colts defense. For the Titans to stand a chance facing a team they look overmatched against, they will have to rely on the ground game. If they stick to that, it will make Greene a surprisingly good play this week, and he should be deployed as an RB2/FLEX Week 4.
Kenneth Teape is a New York Giants writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @teapester725 or join his Google network
