Week 14 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
As can happen with Derrick Henry, he was game-scripted out of a large role with the Titans trailing the Eagles virtually the entire game in Week 13. Henry has some of fantasy's best usage for any player except in one scenario: the Titans falling behind early and being forced to pass. That is unlikely to happen in Week 14 when the Titans host the Jaguars' below-average run defense, meaning Henry is set up for his typical huge workload. Even with some slow weeks mixed in along the way, Henry leads the NFL in carries, is third in rushing, and has 10 touchdowns on the year. He is a surefire starter and clear RB1 in Week 14.
Week 13 at Philadelphia Eagles
Derrick Henry was held out of the end zone in Week 12, but he still racked up 117 total yards on 20 touches, three of those coming as receptions. Henry's fantasy finishes can be a little disappointing when he fails to score as he does not see as much receiving work as most RB1s. That being said, he remains one of the more steady backs in all of fantasy as one of the best bets in the entire league to see 20+ touches any given week. The Titans have a tough road trip to Philadelphia this week, but the Eagles actually struggle to contain opposing runners. Henry does face some game script risk this week in the event the Titans fall way behind on the scoreboard and have to abandon their run-first mentality, but he remains a strong RB1 as he should see plenty of work in any sort of competitive game.
Week 12 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
After a hiccup in Week 10, Derrick Henry was back to his old ways in Week 11 when he handled 30 touches and racked up 132 total yards and a rushing score, not to mention a passing touchdown on a jump pass to Austin Hooper near the goal line. Henry has now finished as a RB1 in six of his last eight games, showing the incredible floor/ceiling combination that stems from his elite combination of workload and rushing ability. Henry gets to face off with the Bengals at home this week, and Cincinnati's run defense ranks about average according to schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed. Henry is once again a no-doubt RB1 for fantasy managers and will be the focal point of the offense as usual on Sunday.
Week 11 at Green Bay Packers
After six straight games rushing for over 100 yards, the Broncos' elite defense held Derrick Henry to 67 total yards without a score on 19 carries and two catches. Henry remains a premier running back in both real and fantasy football, but he is more dependent on game script than other elite backs. Henry only played 58% of the snaps against the Broncos, which is a lower share than you would expect from a workhorse of Henry's caliber. Henry does get an easier matchup this week against a Packers defense that is middle-of-the-pack against opposing running games. With no workload concerns and a decent matchup on deck, Henry is once again a solid RB1 for fantasy managers in Week 11.
Week 10 vs. Denver Broncos
Derrick Henry enters Week 10 fresh off his latest rampage, where he racked up 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground against the Chiefs. That yardage total is actually Henry's lowest since Week 2 when he was held to 25 yards against the Bills. Henry is getting massive weekly workloads and knows what to do with them as evidenced by him finishing as a fantasy RB1 in five of his last six games. Henry will have to deal with a solid Broncos run defense this week, but the game sets up well for him in the sense that it should be a low-scoring, run-heavy affair which locks Henry into a massive volume projection. Henry is once again a surefire RB1 for fantasy managers this week.
Week 9 at Kansas City Chiefs
It's safe to say the floodgates have burst open for Derrick Henry in 2022. Henry racked up an astounding workload in Week 8 when he carried the ball 32 times for 219 yards and a pair of scores. Since Week 3, Henry is averaging an absurd 157.6 scrimmage yards per game and has logged six rushing touchdowns in that stretch. With Ryan Tannehill struggling with an ankle issue last week, the Titans went all-in on feeding Henry as a workhorse and the clear centerpiece of their entire offense as rookie QB Malik Willis only attempted 10 passes for 55 scoreless yards. If Tannehill is out again this week, Henry will again have a realistic shot at 30 touches. The Kansas City run defense is below average, so as long as game script doesn't get out of hand Henry will again be an elite RB1 for fantasy in Week 9.
Week 8 at Houston Texans
After threes straight finishes as a top-ten fantasy RB, Derrick Henry's healthy workload continued in Week 7 where he saw 30 carries for 128 scoreless yards to go along with three catches for another 10 yards. Unfortunately, Henry did not find the end zone this past week, but on such extreme usage that will be a rare occurrence. Henry is primed for a huge Week 8 coming off a hot stretch of games and now getting to face a Houston defense ranked dead last in our schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric with regard to RBs. Henry is a virtual lock for 20+ carries this week and a great bet to score a touchdown, and his moderate pass game usage (16 targets the last four weeks) has bolstered his floor. Lock Henry into lineups against the Texans as a strong RB1 with a chance to smash the slate in a prime matchup.
Week 7 vs. Indianapolis Colts
After a slow start to the season, Derrick Henry has logged three straight RB1 performances. He has logged at least one touchdown in his last three games and has yet to record fewer than 20 carries or 130 rushing yards in that span. Henry only saw two targets in Week 5, but he caught both of them as he continues to get marginally more involved in the passing game, which is all that's really necessary in fantasy when you get the kind of rushing usage Henry does. In Week 7, Henry will come off a bye week to take on a Colts defense that has been about average against opposing backs in fantasy this season. Shake off the slow start to the season and start Henry as a clear RB1 this week against Indy.
Week 5 at Washington Commanders
In Derrick Henry's Week 4 profile, we wrote that Henry was at risk of losing his RB1 status if his pass game involvement did not pick up. Since that time, Henry has seen 11 targets in two games and logged 91 receiving yards out of the backfield. It would appear that the Titans have realized getting the ball into their best weapon's hands as much as possible is sound offensive philosophy. Henry also has 20 carries in three of four games so far this season, showing that he still possesses a huge ceiling on a weekly basis and boasts one of fantasy football's most secure workloads. Henry will get the Washington Commanders in Week 5, a defense who is not easy on opposing backs. With that said, there's no way you are sitting Henry who looks to be back safely on the RB1 line with the increasing target share.
Week 4 at Indianapolis Colts
Derrick Henry had his best game of the season so far in Week 3 with 20 carries for 85 rushing yards and a touchdown, but the most important development for Henry's fantasy managers was his injection into the passing game. After recording one target through the Titans' first two games combined, Henry had six targets on Sunday and caught five balls for 58 yards. An active role catching passes out of the backfield would do wonders for Henry's fantasy floor while he maintains an elite weekly ceiling thanks to his massive rushing workload. While Week 3 was encouraging on this front, we have seen Henry fade in and out of the passing game in the past so we will need to see continued target volume to include more receptions in his fantasy projections moving forward. A pass game role would certainly be helpful in Week 4 when Henry will face off with a Colts defense that has been tough on running backs so far (4th in fewest schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs). Keep Henry in lineups as a RB1 and hope Ryan Tannehill continues to look for him out the backfield.
