FANTASY FOOTBALL IN-SEASON FEATURES

Prediction: JAC 16, TEN 24

Update: MIke Sims-Walker was held out of practice on Wednesday but returned for some work on Thursday and is still expected to play. His high ankle sprain is no worse than it was last week.

Update #2: Mike Sims-Walker had a setback this week in practice and is now out for the game.

The Jaguars are 6-5 and tied with the Colts for the AFC South lead but are only 2-3 on the road. The Titans are 5-6 but that is with a four game losing streak and a 2-3 home record. This game is a rematch of week six with the Titans won 30-3 in Jacksonville. Much has changed in six weeks and the Titans actually come off a shutout in Houston but should be getting Kerry Collins back this week.

QUARTERBACK: David Garrard injured his non-throwing wrist but said the swelling and soreness would not be an issue for this game and that he won't be limited at all. Garrard has really put some life into his stats for three weeks thanks to playing DAL, HOU and CLE but then came back to earth with a standard 162 yard game in New York. Garrard only passed for 49 yards in the last meeting with the Titans when he was knocked out of the game and Trent Edwards had to finish it. Garrard only had 139 yards in Tennessee last season though Maurice Jones-Drew had a big game that week.

At home the Titans have only allowed five passing scores this year and while several teams have turned in big passing yards on them, the Jaguars are much less likely. This should be a much needed turn around game for the Titans and the Jags are just showing up at the wrong time.

RUNNING BACKS: Maurice Jones-Drew had been on quite a roll for four weeks with efforts over 100 rushing yards each time and three scores while hosting the Browns and Texans. But all of his rushing scores have been at home this year and his only decent rushing yardage on the road came in Dallas during the final days of Wade Phillips and in New York last week. Jones-Drew only gained 57 yards on 17 runs against the visiting Titans in week six.

The Titans have not allowed any runner to score in Tennessee so far and none have broken 100 rushing yards either. Look for a much less productive game from Jones-Drew who feasted on a lighter part of the schedule.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Tiquan Underwood was a healthy scratch last week after seven starts failed to do more than a couple of catches per game. Kassim Osgood stepped in and had just one reception and this team is all about the two starting wideouts anyway. Mike Sims-Walker was a question mark last week because of his ankle injury but played and had ten targets for four catches and 48 yards after HC Jack Del Rio said he would get very little playing time. Mike Thomas had his three game scoring streak broken but he is ineffective in road games anyway and never had more than 50 yards in any away venue.

TIGHT ENDS: Have to like Marcedes Lewis this week with scores in four of the last five road games and healthy yardage in each. The Titans have allowed four touchdowns to tight ends over the last five home games.

Pregame Notes: This four game losing streak came with some significant injuries causing the problem and Rusty Smith was a deer in the headlights even in Houston where most quarterbacks are so comfortable that they wear robes and slippers on the sidelines. The fiasco with Vince Young and Jeff Fisher has run its course and the team expects Kerry Collins back this week. This is a good home game to get back to basics and on a winning track.

QUARTERBACK: Kerry Collins has been out with a calf injury but is hoped to return this week since his presence would make a major difference. Rusty Smith was appropriately named when he only had 138 yards and three interceptions in Houston. The Titans likely won't name him until later in the week but there is no way they want to go with Smith again if they can avoid it. Adding Randy Moss is almost an embarrassment with the level of passing lately.

Collins and Young split the workload in the previous meeting but combined for 171 yards and two scores.

RUNNING BACKS: Chris Johnson comes off a horrific showing of just five yards on seven carries last week when the Texans committed everyone to stopping him and Rusty Smith never made them pay for it. But Johnson gained 11 yards and a score in Jacksonville earlier this year and had been on a hot streak until that game. Look for a big bounce back by Johnson this week against a defense he has already shredded earlier this year. With Collins behind center and Randy Moss to drag the secondary deep, Johnson should enjoy a nice game here.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Kenny Britt remains out and Randy Moss remains criminally under-used. Moss has only caught four passes for 49 yards in his three games as a Titan and already has come into question as to whether he is the most motivated player on the field or not (mostly not). But hope springs eternal and Moss gets his first game with Collins as a starter at home against a bad secondary. The conditions are right for a decent game but that's a tough buy-in regardless.

In the previous meeting with the Jaguars, Kenny Britt scored once on only two catches for 33 yards and Nate Washington was held to just one catch. That should improve at home. The conditions are right here but it is a risk to rely on after the last three weeks.

TIGHT ENDS: No fantasy value here from Bo Scaife who has actually done better with Vince Young than with Collins.