Derrick Henry

2021 Fantasy Upside
Fresh off defending his 2019 rushing title and also leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns for the second consecutive season, Derrick Henry projects to finish among the league leaders in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns again in 2021. In 2020, Henry parlayed an absurd 378 carries into an astounding 2,027 rushing yards, becoming the first running back to break the 2,000-yard barrier since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Henry's 17 rushing touchdowns resulted from a combination of big-play ability and receiving an elite share (71%) of the team's carries inside the five-yard line. Nothing in the Titans' offseason moves suggests a departure from their steadfast commitment to Henry as a foundational piece of the offense in a workhorse role. Henry's virtually peerless rushing volume solidifies his status as a surefire RB1 in fantasy.

2021 Fantasy Downside
Henry's fantasy ceiling is capped due to limitations in the passing game. Henry only managed 19 receptions in 16 games during the 2020 season and the Titans continued to delegate obvious passing downs to backups Darrynton Evans and Jeremy McNichols. Henry has also surely benefited from Tennessee's extreme offensive efficiency in recent seasons, something that will be subject to likely regression in 2021. While Henry remains one of the best volume bets in all of fantasy football, repeating his gaudy stats from last season remains highly unlikely.

2021 Bottom Line
Despite a limited role in the passing game, Henry remains an elite RB1 for fantasy purposes due to his monstrous rushing workload and the high likelihood he reaches double-digit rushing scores again in 2021. Henry is a first-round fantasy pick in all formats and a truly elite option in non-PPR leagues.