Good things come to those who wait. They also come to those who force-feed Carnell Tate the football.
The Tennessee Titans fed Tate in Week 6, and it led to their first win of the 2026 season. Tate finished with six catches on seven targets for 70 yards and his first touchdown as a pro. The fourth overall pick became the engine that Brian Daboll's offense desperately needed and the go-to target that Cam Ward was missing.
After another electric performance, the Titans must continue increasing Tate's involvement in the offense moving forward. He needs to be the focal point.
Carnell Tate's Week 6 should push him into more Titans opportunities
It's no secret. The Titans have been inept on offense for most of the season. Entering Week 6, they were tied for the second-worst EPA per play in the NFL and had the league's third-worst passing success rate. Even with improved surroundings (or at least, theoretically improved surroundings), Ward had not been able to find anything resembling consistency.
If Ward is going to lead a steady passing game, it's only going to come through Tate. Wan'Dale Robinson has shown that he can be effective in a supporting role, but he can't be the focal point of the offense. Calvin Ridley has all but disappeared, and Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike are best used as supplemental receivers.
The Titans spent the fourth pick in the draft on Tate. That needs to be reflected in his target share, which had been comparable to Robinson's until Week 6.
Titans WR Carnell Tate was dominant in Week 6
Against the Colts, Tate's target share jumped to 31.8%. He was excellent throughout the game and came up clutch in important situations. His 19-yard contested catch on a third down in the third quarter helped kick off Tennessee's comeback win. Then, his fourth-quarter touchdown tied the game for the Titans.
Even on his dominant day, Tate wasn't the Titans' outright leader in targets. He and Robinson each had seven targets, and the results couldn't have been any more different. Robinson turned his seven targets into three catches for 22 yards, while Tate logged 70 yards and a touchdown.
The last time Tate had a breakout performance, Daboll didn't give him the chance to follow it up. After the receiver's 145-yard showing in Week 4, he was targeted just four times in Week 5.
Daboll can't make that mistake again. Moving forward, Tate needs to be featured in the Titans' offense, even if it means drawing up plays to get him easy touches.
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