Week 3 vs. Carolina
Henry had another solid outing in Week 2 as he caught six of his eight targets for 83 yards. Regardless of QB, Henry seems to be safest option in this LA passing game with his trajectory continuing to rise. Henry will continues to compile receptions and yards so it is only a matter of time until the touchdowns follow as he is already on track to see the most targets of his career. Keep Henry in your lineups as he should be viewed as a solid TE1 in his matchup against Carolina.
Week 2 vs. Kansas City
Seemingly the biggest beneficiary of Tyrod Taylor under center was Hunter Henry, who tied for second in targets with Keenan Allen but led the team with five receptions for 73 yards. Henry looked good in this one and it appears he is finally healthy, an issue plaguing the last two seasons. This type of early production keeps Henry firmly in the TE1 tier and we like him as low-end TE1 against Kansas City.
Week 1 vs. Cincinnati
When he has been on the field, Hunter Henry has shown exceptional talent in production. Heading into 2020 fully healthy, it will be curious to see how he meshes with Tyrod Taylor and what his role will be in this offense. The good news for Henry is that Taylor has an affinity for targeting his TEs and now that they are down Mike Williams, Henry might get more red-zone looks than usual. Feel free to start Henry as low-end TE1 for the season opener.
Fantasy Upside
The Chargers will have a new quarterback in 2020 after Philip Rivers' offseason departure to Indianapolis. Rivers started all 235 games for the team since 2006 so the upcoming season will certainly be one of transition. Keeping a degree of continuity was a priority, so the team used the franchise tag on Hunter Henry in March. By doing so they have armed that new quarterback with a tight end known for his abilities as both a receiver and blocker. Henry missed four games due to injury last season, but he still had career highs in targets, catches and receiving yards. In three seasons -- he sat out all but one game in 2018 because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament -- Henry has scored 17 touchdowns. Per NFL.com, Henry ranked eighth in fantasy points per game (12.5) among tight ends, and he scored double-digit points in eight of his 12 games in 2019.
Fantasy Downside
The downside here is easy. It's the same reason Henry is playing on the franchise tag rather than a long-term contract. The problem, of course, has been staying on the field; Henry's missed 23 games in four years and played just 12 over the last two. He has to prove he can remain in the locked and upright position for a full 16 games.
2020 Bottom Line
Whoever is throwing the ball for the Chargers in 2020 will continue to lean on Henry, who should remain a top-10 fantasy tight end. As CBSSports.com suggests, with a 71.2-percent career catch rate, he definitely has the potential to approach 1,000-yards if he can manage a full season.
Week 17 at Kansas City Chiefs
In Week 16, Henry had five receptions on seven targets for 45 yards, 50 air yards, 18% of the team targets, and 24% of the team air yards. Henry topped 40 yards for the first time since Week 11.
The Chargers have been out of the playoff picture for quite some time. However, at the time of writing this, the Chargers are likely to play their starters because this could be Rivers’ last game as a Charger.
Kansas City is the seventeenth best defense against tight ends, per our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4’s rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Henry ranked as the half PPR TE9.
Week 16 vs. Oakland Raiders
In Week 15, Henry lost a fumble, had two receptions on two targets for 29 yards, 22 air yards, 5% of the team targets, and 6% of the team air yards.
Henry had a brutal matchup against the Vikings last week but is in a bounce-back spot this week. Oakland is the fourth-worst defense against tight ends, per our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4’s rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Henry ranked as the half PPR TE7. Henry hasn’t topped 40 yards in his last three games but he is projecting as a mid TE1, has a favorable matchup and is better than any widely available streaming options for championship matchups.
Week 15 vs. Minnesota Vikings
In Week 14, Henry finished with two receptions on four targets for 39 yards, one touchdown, a very nice 69 air yards, 15% of the team targets, and 26% of the team air yards.
Henry is in a difficult matchup against the Vikings who are fifth-best against tight ends, per our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric.4for4’s rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Henry ranked as the half PPR TE6. Hooper may have a difficult matchup but the Chargers receiving options are extremely thin. In Week 14, Henry, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams accounted for 93% of the targets. Henry is a bet on talent start for semifinal matchups.
Week 14 at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are 13th against tight ends, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4’s rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Henry ranked as the half PPR TE5. The Jaguars play zone defense at a high rate, per Evan Silva, so Henry could be targeted heavily in the short passing game.
Week 13 at Denver Broncos
The Chargers had a bye in Week 12.
The Broncos are ninth-best against tight ends, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. The matchup isn’t ideal but Henry is most likely a must start for fantasy managers because tight end continues to be very thin. 4for4’s rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Henry ranked as the half PPR TE4.
Week 11 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Mexico City)
In Week 10, Henry had four receptions on seven targets for 30 yards, 92 air yards, 23% of the team targets, and 23% of the team air yards and finished as the half PPR TE9.
Tight end is extremely thin this week with Evan Engram injured and on a bye, George Kittle questionable at best, and Austin Hooper potentially out a month with a sprained MCL. Be thankful to have Hunter Henry. The Chiefs are 10th against tight ends, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. The matchup isn’t ideal but Henry is a must-start because he is one of the few healthy top tight ends playing this week. 4for4’s rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Henry ranked as a high-end half PPR TE2 in Week 11.
