The Los Angeles Chargers head to Nashville on Sunday to take on the Tennessee Titans. The Chargers enter the game as heavy favorites. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward has yet to find a rhythm in an offense that has been subpar at best. This is the type of game the Chargers might have taken lightly in the past. With all the injuries that have plagued this team, anything could happen. However, the defensive captain is looking to help avoid a collapse by suiting up despite an ankle injury.

The Chargers’ defense is coming off a strong outing last Thursday when they easily defeated the Minnesota Vikings, holding them to just 10 points. This performance came after Jesse Minter’s squad had slipped a bit, particularly against the run. Prior to Thursday’s victory, the Chargers had allowed over 100 rushing yards to an opposing running back in three consecutive games. Star safety Derwin James was especially vocal about the defense’s performance after allowing Jonathan Taylor and the Indianapolis Colts to move the ball at will. James took accountability for the team’s lack of effort, setting an example for the rest of Minter’s defense.

James would leave Thursday’s game with a low ankle sprain and did not return. Chargers fans are all too familiar with the term “ankle sprain,” so most feared the worst. However, after a full week of practice, James appears to be on track to play Sunday. The safety began the week as a limited participant before being upgraded to a full participant on Thursday. Assuming his ankle responds well to the increased workload, Derwin James should be ready to help Justin Herbert and the Chargers improve to 6–3.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh will have a decision to make on Sunday: does he allow Derwin James to suit up against the underachieving 1–7 Tennessee Titans? This Chargers team has endured its fair share of injuries, and risking further injury to arguably its most important defensive player could prove detrimental to the team’s long-term outlook. The Titans have been among the worst offenses in the NFL this season, so if the Chargers’ defense can’t handle them without James, then perhaps this defense isn’t as strong as once believed. If Harbaugh decides to rest James on Sunday, he would benefit from a 17-day break to get fully healthy.

Whether Derwin James plays Sunday or not remains to be seen. But with a tough stretch of games ahead, this could be an opportunity for the Chargers to make quick work of a Titans team already looking toward the draft. Wins won’t come easy down the stretch, so expect star safety Derwin James to do everything in his power to be on the field representing the Chargers’ defense on Sunday.