With Lamar Jackson’s speed and Derrick Henry’s size at 6’2″ and 247 pounds, good luck to defenses against the Ravens trying to stop a read option in 2024.
“The King,” despite getting over 2,000 carries in his 8 seasons with Tennessee, his so-called “cliff” doesn’t seem to be close yet, and has been uber-productive as a featured part of the Titans offense.
I could see him getting back to his 2022 form, as Henry won’t benefit from getting more volume, but the involvement he will get could result in more yards and touchdowns potentially in Baltimore.
This deadly combination is the nasty 1-2 punch rushing attack the NFL has likely seen, and it should make the Baltimore Ravens “must-see TV” as a top AFC team again coming off a 13-win season when they step on the field in 2024.
Derrick Henry 2023 Stats and Production
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Most would consider 1,000 rushing yards with double-digit touchdowns a good season but for Derrick Henry, that is essentially the floor of his production when healthy.
The 30-year-old running back signing with the Baltimore Ravens seems like a match made in heaven, as the threat of him and Lamar Jackson create their version of “Lightning and Thunder” when both are in the backfield.
Henry is looking to become the rushing leader once again, as the former All-Pro, NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2020, 4-time Pro Bowler, and two-time NFL rushing yards and touchdowns leader (2019, 2020) will be heading into his 9th season. He finished 2nd in rushing yards for 2023, only behind San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey with yards on the ground.
In 2023, Henry finished as the running back 8 overall in PPR, as he was usually a 2nd-round pick in 2023 fantasy drafts according to FantasyPros. Last season, he finished with 11 double-digit performances even in a down year, where he still averaged 4.2 yards per carry, tying his career low from 2017.
For standard, last year’s finish jumps him up to the top-5 out of all running backs in fantasy football in 2023.
Even with an older Derrick Henry, double-digit touchdowns are the baseline of what he can do in Baltimore, as he has not had single digits for touchdowns since his 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Derrick Henry 2024 Fantasy Outlook
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Derrick Henry should benefit from being in the Raven’s offense along with Jackson and hopefully a better offensive unit than in Tennessee. The Titans had one of the worst blocking units and that did negatively impact him getting him from behind the line frequently.
Baltimore still has Justice Hill, who had some splash runs last year, and Keaton Mitchell, their undrafted rookie from last season coming off a gruesome season-ending knee injury. Mitchell won’t be available till most likely the midpoint of 2024. The Ravens also drafted Rasheen Ali on day three of the 2024 NFL Draft as a 5th-round pick, so Hill will likely be the number 2 back on the depth chart.
If anything, those backs would just spell Henry and not deduct too much from his overall workload, as they could help him stay fresh for the playoffs. The veteran running back’s touchdown potential is still sky-high despite that scenario, as it wouldn’t deter Henry from being a top fantasy back in 2024.
Currently, Derrick Henry is being drafted as the 13th running back in PPR, and with more names elevating in ADP, he is 42nd overall, making him a 4th rounder according to FantasyPros. He is more valuable in standard or half PPR formats in comparison, as Henry is a mid-2nd-round pick in standard at 19th overall, and 23rd in half PPR as a late 2nd or early 3rd rounder in fantasy for those formats.
With the 13th easiest schedule against running backs in 2024, I would target him in all formats, especially if Henry falls to the late 2nd or early 3rd round in fantasy drafts.
Final Thoughts on Derrick Henry
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If offensive coordinator Todd Monken and head coach John Harbaugh understand what happened in the playoffs last season and get the message, the goal will be to let the “King” Derrick Henry get his share.
A repeat against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Conference Championships shouldn’t happen again, as the Ravens went away from the run game early and were knocked out in a close finish at home by the Super Bowl-winning champs.
Now whether that fully translates to fantasy production for Henry or if that means he’s used as a closer in the back half of the season as Baltimore should be a potential Super Bowl contender, is a different question.
At the baseline, he should be given 15-20 looks per game and should do what Gus Edwards has done the past few seasons. Edwards is now with the Los Angeles Chargers, as he had a breakout season in 2023, rushing for 810 yards on the ground and had 13 touchdowns, mostly on the goalline as a 29-year-old.
With a slight age difference and a noticeable enough size difference, Henry is Edwards plus way more production, along with the accolades the King has accomplished for Tennessee. While the former Titan has had more carries, he’s been healthier career-wise compared to Edwards, who had a season-ending injury in 2022.
Now with Derrick Henry in Baltimore, it will be shocking if he doesn’t finish as a top-10 running back in fantasy.
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