Kalel

Mullings

The No. 188 overall pick of the draft will be active for the first time since Week 2. With neither Tony Pollard nor Tyjae Spears producing and the Titans strictly in evaluation mode, sixth-rounder Mullings could get some actual run on offense. He’s a name to file away in 14-team leagues. Inactive for the Titans are WR Elic Ayomanor, S Xavier Woods, S Kendell Brooks, OL Drew Moss, OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson and DL CJ Ravenell.

Mullings, who has not appeared in an offensive snap this year in two appearances, will miss at least the next four weeks. He may come back to the Titans later in the season with Tennessee looking to figure out what he can be for them in the future, but it’s hard to imagine he gets more than a committee role behind Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears at this point. He’s not a must-keep in dynasty leagues.

Mullings was not expected to handle a notable workload, but his expected absence condenses the backfield to Tony Pollard and Julius Chestnut. Tyjae Spears (ankle) is on injured reserve. Pollard is a high-end RB2, thanks in part to his hefty workload. Chestnut does not need to be stashed on benches, but for those who wish to add a primary backup, he is an option.

That makes two absences for Mullings this week. If the sixth-round rookie cannot suit up for Week 2, that would leave the Titans with just Tony Pollard and Julius Chestnut as the available running backs on the active roster. Pollard totaled 19 touches against the Broncos last week, with Tyjae Spears (ankle) on injured reserve. He is likely to do so again against a slightly softer Rams defense. Titans OT JC Latham (hip) and DT T’Vondre Sweat (ankle) were also not seen practicing.

Mullings suffered the injury in the Titans’ Week 1 loss to the Broncos, playing three special teams snaps before exiting. Julius Chestnut is the only remaining backup to Tony Pollard, with Tyjae Spears (ankle) still sidelined. Expect Pollard to take on a workhorse role for the time being.

Tennessee gave Pollard a 1980s style workload while Tyjae Spears was sidelined last year and rarely used Chestnut, so we’d wager we’ll see Mullings as the main backup on non-passing downs while Spears nurses his high-ankle sprain. Pollard should still see the overwhelming majority of the work, just bet on it being more like 75 percent of the snaps than 80 or 90 percent.

Callahan said during a Tuesday press conference that Tony Pollard in 2024 “carried the ball a lot” and that “in a perfect world, we have to have more of an even split with Pollard, [Tyjae] Spears,” and potentially a third back. That third running back could be rookie Kalel Mullings, who was taken with the 188th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. In his two full seasons as a running back, Mullings — a converted linebacker — rushed 221 times for 1,170 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging a solid 5.3 yards per rush and 3.65 yards after contact per rush. The big-bodied Mullings could eventually function as the Titans’ short yardage and goal line back, hurting the fantasy prospects for both Spears and Pollard. Pollard last season saw 62 percent of the team’s carries while Spears had 29 percent of the rushes while missing five games.

He will join Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears in the Tennessee backfield. Mullings (6’2/226) spent his first three years as a linebacker for Michigan, but converted to running back for the 2023 season. In his two full seasons as a running back, Mullings rushed 221 times for 1,170 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging a solid 5.3 YPC and 3.65 yards after contact per rush. Mullings impressed enough coaches in 2024 to eventually surpass incumbent starter Donovan Edwards on the depth chart, putting up more carries, yards, and touchdowns than the College Football 25 cover boy despite appearing in the same number of games. Mullings’ limited experience as a running back will likely be exposed early in his career. In addition to his limited number of carries in his career (235), Mullings has just eight career receptions, and he has a lot of work to put in as a pass blocker. That said, his size will make him a force to be reckoned with in camp.

Mullings (6'2/215) will check out Northwestern in official capacity on May 17, with his Wisconsin official slated for June 7. He is also planning on an official visit to Michigan, though that trip has not been locked in for a specific date. Stanford and OSU are also in play for official visits. On the 247Sports composite board, Mullings ranks as the No. 126 overall prospect in the 2020 class.

Mullings (6'2/215) ticked off a whopping nine programs that he hopes to visit over the coming months. Among them, Penn State, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Michigan and Clemson. He’s just getting the lay of the land right now. Things will really start to pick up next offseason, when he becomes a more tangible potential asset.