Tennessee Football's Depth Following Joakim Dodson's Injury

Joakim Dodson was supposed to provide depth this season. With him now gone, how does the depth look?

Sep 5, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Joakim Dodson (9) runs the ball against the Furman Paladins during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tennessee Vols wanted to get out of the Furman game healthy; unfortunately, that has not been the case. The Vols have suffered a loss in the wide receiver room, with sophomore WR Joakim Dodson suffering a season ending injury. This injury hurts the depth of the WR room, as Dodson was expected to be a rotation player this season.

This loss not only hurts the offense but also the return game, as Dodson was one of the Vols' best kick returners. On the depth chart, Dodson was listed as the starter alongside Duane Morris. Dodson did have one return in the game, and he took it for 45 yards to set up the Vols in good field position, but there was a flag for holding on the play that negated it.

The loss for the Vols does mean others have to step up in his place. Though he was not a starting WR, there is still a hole needed to be filled, as the Vols routinely rotate in different receivers to keep them fresh the whole game.

Tennessee's Depth Following The Injury

Tennessee wide receiver Travis Smith Jr. (1) during Tennessee football preseason practice in Knoxville, Tennessee, Aug. 14, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The silver lining with this injury for Tennessee is that it was not to one of their starting receivers. This allows the starting lineup to stay intact and means that the offense can still rely heavily on their two best receivers in Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley.

What it does change is who rotates in. WR might be the position where the Vols have the most depth though, so the options are still strong. Players like TK Keys, Travis Smith Jr., or Ian Duarte might now have bigger roles. Duarte was also injured during the game, and it remains unknown what his status looks like. This leads many to believe that Tyreek King could find a bigger role as well.

Who Has the Biggest Opportunity?

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel during a Tennessee football game against Furman at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 5, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The player who can make the most of the opportunity might be Keys. Keys is a true freshman five-star prospect who made his mark known Saturday when he was able to get his first career touchdown on a catch in the 3rd quarter from quarterback George MacIntyre. While Keys isn't necessarily the typical slot guy for the Vols, one could argue that the Vols would be better off getting him on the field even if it isn't a natural look.

---

Send your questions, comments, and hot takes to our email tennesseeonsi@gmail.com for the chance to be featured in an article!

Follow Our Social Media Accounts

• Follow Vols on SI on X (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Facebook (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Instagram (Click HERE)
• Subscribe to Vols on SI on YouTube (Click HERE)

Sign up for our newsletter to have articles sent straight to your email daily HERE.