Jeremy

McNichols

The Steelers signed running back Master Teague in a corresponding move. McNichols bounced around the league for the first few years of his career before landing a backup gig in Tennessee. He even took the field for plenty of passing downs in 2021, both with and without Derrick Henry healthy. McNichols will be a free agent next spring.

McNichols will battle with Anthony McFarland and Benny Snell to back up Najee Harris, which is a role that has almost no fantasy value. McNichols has 40 catches over the past two seasons and likely profiles best as a third-down back with some special-teams versatility. It wouldn’t be surprising if he won a roster spot.

Part of the Titans’ post-Derrick Henry jumble last season, McNichols made it only 21 days in Atlanta. He played for Falcons coach Arthur Smith in 2021, so it is a poor sign for 26-year-old McNichols’ NFL future that he couldn’t even make it to training camp on the Falcons’ 90-man roster.

McNichols spent 2021 with the Titans, operating as a pass-catching change of pace to Derrick Henry. Once Henry was injured, the Titans did not change McNichols’ role, giving early-down work to D’Onta Foreman and Adrian Peterson instead. McNichols then missed several weeks with a concussion and returned to a minimal role. He was released ahead of Week 18 and has remained unsigned since. McNichols will offer the Falcons some training camp insurance in case one of their pass-catching backs suffers an injury.

The surprising move is even more surprising considering McNichols was not waived to make room for Derrick Henry, who remains on injured reserve and will not play in the season finale. Tennessee did promote Jordan Wilkins from the practice squad, but with McNichols gone, Dontrell Hilliard will have the change-of-pace touches to himself against Houston.

McNichols failed to catch his lone passing-game target. Dontrell Hilliard got the start, D’Onta Foreman got the most carries and only touchdown, but it was McNichols who won the rushing crown with 31. The three backs near-evenly rotated, providing very little clarity heading into a Week 17 date with the Dolphins. Averaging eight touches in three games since returning from his concussion, McNichols has displayed neither a FLEX floor nor ceiling.

He added three catches for 25 yards on three targets in the pass game. McNichols briefly left in the first half with a shoulder issue but was able to return. He and Dontrell Hilliard are splitting reps behind early-down back D’Onta Foreman. McNichols is nothing more than a desperation RB4 in fantasy circles ahead of a Week 16 date with the 49ers.

Most of McNichols’ touches came in the fourth quarter when the game result had already been decided, which doesn’t bode well for his future outlook. With that being said, it was his first game since Week 10, so there could be a chance the Titans simply wanted to ease him back in. D’Onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard look like the Titans’ top-two backs at the moment regardless, so leave McNichols on the waiver wire for now.

McNichols cleared the concussion protocol after practicing fully this week. The Titans are expected to have all three of D’Onta Foreman, Dontrell Hilliard, and McNichols active against Jacksonville. McNichols was averaging 30% of offensive snaps before going down but with Hilliard coming off a 100-yard game, he’ll likely be returning to a reduced role in his first game back.

It means McNichols will be active for the first time since Week 10. The Titans seemed to finally find the right backfield mix before their Week 13 bye, with D’Onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard running roughshod over the Patriots in Week 12, but McNichols will presumably mix in for some pass-catching work. The question is whether it will be enough to damage Foreman and Hilliard as FLEX options. We would not consider McNichols a viable FLEX for his return, even in PPR leagues.