During the Tennessee Titans‘ Week 4 game against the Miami Dolphins, quarterback Will Levis suffered a shoulder injury while diving for a first down. He’s been dealing with that injury ever since, and it caused him to miss Week 7’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
What’s the latest on Levis’ status, and will he be able to return for Week 8 against the Detroit Lions?
What Happened to Will Levis?
Levis missed most of Week 4 after suffering his shoulder injury. After the Titans’ Week 5 bye, Levis was able to play in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills. However, he struggled mightily, throwing for just 95 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Titans decided to sit Levis in Week 7, starting Mason Rudolph in his absence.
While Levis got in a limited practice on Wednesday, Titans head coach Brian Callahan said that Rudolph will likely start once again in Week 8.
“We’ll probably give Will one more week,” Callahan said on Wednesday. “We’ll see how the week goes. He’s still in that week-to-week mode. I’m not necessarily ruling him out, but I do think we’re going to take a look and let Mason take more reps this week to get ready to play and see how Will comes through the week.
“I think he’s getting better every day, and he’ll be out there doing a little bit of work as well, just working back. That’s kind of where it stands. There’s nothing official on that at this point, but I’m probably leaning towards Mason one more week.”
Over the weekend, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport noted that Levis is dealing with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain, and he’s currently “considered week-to-week.” This lines up with what Callahan told reporters on Wednesday.
Will Levis is still dealing with his Grade 2 AC joint sprain, one that has him considered week-to-week, sources say. Could miss more than this week, as it’s his throwing shoulder and functionality is an issue.
The thought was he’d progress enough to play. But not yet. https://t.co/CTmEUHKq6E
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 19, 2024
Levis recently admitted that this is an injury he’ll have to manage going forward.
“I’m grinding my tail off,” Levis said, according to Titans’ reporter Jim Wyatt. “It’s not like an, ‘It’s over,’ type thing. It’ll probably be something I’m dealing with here for a little bit and, hopefully, we can grind through it and get me to a spot where I’m feeling 100% — doing the best I can with everything that they’re having me do.”
Callahan made it clear that he’ll resume starting once he is healthy.
“The minute he is back healthy, the intent is for him to continue to play,” Callahan said. “Hopefully, that is sooner rather than later because I’d like to continue to have him playing football. But I’m not going to let him go out there if he’s not where he needs to be to go perform.”
Fantasy Outlook for Levis and the Titans
Levis (AC sprain in his right shoulder) was forced to sit out Sunday, but if he is the answer to your fantasy football lineup concerns, you’re very much asking the wrong questions.
There are flashes of fantasy viability on a week-to-week basis (12+ rushing yards in all four healthy games this season and 66.4% completion percentage, up from 58.4% as a rookie), but they are offset by inconsistent decision making that makes sustaining drives a near impossibility.
Did you accidentally drink something poisonous and need to vomit it up quickly? Consider watching all 8 of Calvin Ridley's "targets" in yesterday's game. This is not football. pic.twitter.com/bKbFyxJOWm
— Andy Holloway (@andyholloway) October 14, 2024
The second-year QB will have his job back when healthy, but I found it telling that Rudolph had no issue in completing 12 of his first 15 passes for 100 yards and a score. He spread those 12 completions around to six different players, with four of his teammates having a 10+ yard gain.
Levis’ development is slow, if not non-existent, at this point in time. And with DeAndre Hopkins now a Chief, projecting that to change in a meaningful way is irresponsible. That combination makes him the rare QB who I’d consider sitting in a Superflex setting.