With the installation of first-year head coach Robert Saleh's program aside, the biggest story for the Tennessee Titans might be the play of rookie receiver Carnell Tate. The No. 4 overall pick out of Ohio State might be the sort of "BFF" receiver who makes sweet downfield music with second-year quarterback Cam Ward for years to come. He could be the sort of star who stirs the drink in Nashville, so to speak. But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Tate does not yet have a single meaningful NFL snap. As a young player, he needs a lot more practice and time with the Tennessee offense, especially during the preseason. So, it should be no shock to learn that Tate will, in fact, play for the Titans in their first 2026 preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. To what extent, we are not exactly sure for a top draft pick like him. But he still definitely needs all the reps he can get:
.@Titans rookie @carnelltate arriving for his preseason debut vs @49ers. pic.twitter.com/Z1XEDUPM7G — Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) August 13, 2026 For what it's worth, Ward has seemingly liked having Tate on his team from the get-go. The Titans quarterback reportedly "smiled from ear to ear" when Tennessee drafted the playmaker in April. More from Titans Wire:
"I was in Nashville, I was at the house," Ward said. "I had it on [the NFL Draft] and I saw who the (Arizona) Cardinals took right there. Then I saw it was another unbelievable playmaker at four [Tate], and man, I was smiling ear-to-ear when we got him. And he's been incredible [Tate]. He's himself each and every day. I think the best thing about him is he's a people person, and then on the field, he's an elite wide receiver just for how young he is to come out of Ohio State."
The fact that Ward and Tate already seem to have such great chemistry is awesome news for Titans fans. We'll see how this chemistry manifests on Thursday night. Who are the Titans' other main receivers besides Carnell Tate? Former New York Giant Wan'Dale Robinson is also listed as one of the Titans' top receivers on their depth chart. Veteran playmaker Calvin Ridley is also up there while entering his third season with the team. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Is Carnell Tate playing preseason game against 49ers?