Week 7 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Derrick Henry had his first real dog game of the season, going for just 28 yards on 15 carries and adding one catch for five yards last week against Denver's run defense. But the Chargers' run defense could be more to his liking. The Chargers are 29th in scoring defense against running backs. Henry should be able to take advantage of that and is an RB1 play this week.
Week 6 at Denver Broncos
Derrick Henry was held to a season-low 78 rushing yards last week, but also scored for the fourth time in five games. He's not sexy. He's not flashy. But you can pencil him in for 80-plus yards and potentially a score every week. He also won't catch many passes, which hurts his overall value, but he's still a solid RB2 seemingly every week regardless of the matchup.
Week 5 vs. Buffalo Bills
Derrick Henry failed to get into the end zone for the first time this season, but he did have 27 carries for 100 yards and one reception for another eight. The Bills will present a challenge. Buffalo has allowed just over 300 rushing yards to opposing running backs in four games this season, with two rushing touchdowns to the position. But Henry is getting volume. And volume matters. In fact, it makes him a solid RB2 in any given week.
Week 4 at Atlanta Falcons
Derrick Henry had just 44 yards on 17 carries last week, but did score for the third consecutive week to salvage the game. The Falcons have already allowed five rushing touchdowns this season, which bodes well for Henry. He's a very solid RB2 start this week. Even if he posts similar numbers to last week -- which they should be better -- he's a very good bet to score once or twice in this game.
Week 3 vs. at Jacksonville Jaguars
Derrick Henry got the workload last week, carrying the ball 15 times for 82 yards and a touchdown against the Colts. He also added 12 yards on two receptions in the loss. As long as he's getting 15-plus touches per game, he's a solid RB2 regardless of the matchup. He's going to get the short-yardage carries in this run-heavy offense. Henry has averaged 82 yards per game over his career against his hometown team, the Jaguars. He should be good to go as an RB2 this week.
Week 2 vs. Indianapolis Colts
Derrick Henry had a solid start to the season, gaining 84 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and adding a 75-yard touchdown catch, as well. He only got two targets in the passing game, which isn't great, but if Henry had any doubters regarding his preseason calf injury, they're gone. He's a solid RB2 play this week against an Indianapolis defense that struggled to stop the run last week against the Chargers.
Week 1 at Cleveland
After missing the entire preseason with a calf injury, Derrick Henry proclaimed himself ready to go for the opener. But with the Titans' offensive line a little banged up and missing suspended Taylor Lewan, there might not be a lot of running room. Henry finished the season strong in 2018 and there might be better days ahead, but this will be a tough one in which for him to gain traction. He's a strong flex play or useful as a low-end RB2, but that's it this week.
Fantasy Upside
Finally. That's what Derrick Henry owners -- those who held on to him through another slow start -- had to be saying down the stretch last season, as Henry finished with at least 84 rushing yards in each of his last four games. That included a 234-yard, four-TD game against the Jaguars. Henry enters this season as a clear-cut starter in Tennessee, so the expectation is more of what we saw at the end of last season.
Fantasy Downside
Henry is still going to lose some playing time to Dion Lewis, who is a much better receiver. Henry had just 15 catches for 99 yards last season despite rushing for 1,059 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 215 carries. He's also dealing with a leg issue early in training camp. The Titans don't seem concerned, but it's never good to have lower body injuries before the season even starts.
2019 Bottom Line
Was the end of last season a mirage or a portent of things to come? The hope is the latter. At 6-3, 247 pounds, Henry is a load. But he's also a big target for opposing defenses to hit. Even splitting time with Lewis, he should exceed that career-high in carries of 215 he had last season. And he's a big-time goal-line threat, which is nice. But the lack of production in the passing game hurts his PPR value. Henry's ADP is in Rounds 3 and 4 right now. That's a bit rich for my taste for a back who doesn't catch a lot of passes. But as he showed down the stretch last season, he can single-handedly win you some games. The hope is that the Titans will get him 20 touches per game. But there's no consistent track record of that.
Week 17 vs. Indianapolis Colts
Derrick Henry was slowed somewhat last week by Washington's defense as he managed 84 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. He also had one catch for eight yards. His 22 touches were solid and he'll get at least that many again this week. Henry isn't going to give you anything in the receiving game, but 20 carries are 20 carries and make him a solid RB2 play with some upside.
Week 16 vs. Washington Redskins
Derrick Henry followed up his big game in Week 15 with another in Week 16, rolling up a career-high 33 carries for 170 yards and two touchdowns. He's still not going to give you much in terms of pass catching, but when he's getting 30-plus touches, that's fine. The Redskins have allowed 131 yards and 5.2 yards per carry to opposing running backs in their past seven games. There's no reason to think the Titans won't continue to feed Henry this week, making him a low-end RB1.
