For many of the free agent running backs, there’s a chance they return to their former teams. Derrick Henry, however, has already said goodbye to the Tennessee Titans. Now 30 years old, what would be the best landing spots for Henry’s fantasy football value?
Potential Landing Spots for Derrick Henry
Henry Could Replace Tony Pollard on the Cowboys
There are seldom high-end fantasy seasons from running backs over 30. But if there ever were a back who could be the exception, it’s Henry.
The Cowboys let Ezekiel Elliott go last year, setting the stage for Tony Pollard as the feature back. Unfortunately, Pollard did not quite prove up to the task, with his efficiency taking a hit last season.
The biggest area in which Pollard struggled was at the goal line. Pollard saw 72 red-zone touches and nine goal-line carries. Yet, he scored just six times. Elliott may have been over the hill in 2022, but he was still effective at short-yardage and goal-line work.
Henry may not be the guy he was from 2019-2021, but he can still eat carries and remains near-unstoppable inside the five-yard-line.
It’s hard to see a scenario where the Cowboys sign Henry and he isn’t the feature back. He may not be involved much in the passing game, but that’s par for his entire career. Henry on a Cowboys offense that has scored 50+ touchdowns in three straight seasons, even at the age of 30, is a recipe for success.
Ravens Could Bring in Henry While J.K. Dobbins, Keaton Mitchell Recover
The Baltimore Ravens have a lengthy history of signing old running backs. Other than Mark Ingram, though, typically, they sign running backs who are completely finished. Henry would harken back to the Ingram signing as he is certainly past his prime but still looks to have some juice left.
The Ravens want to be a running team. They led the NFL in neutral game script run rate last year. Their problem is they can’t seem to keep their running backs healthy. Of course, there’s no guarantee any player will stay on the field, but Henry would provide the Ravens with exactly what they want from a running back.
Keaton Mitchell was a revelation last season. However, he’s still a UDFA coming off a torn ACL. If the Ravens sign Henry, that’s curtains for Mitchell’s fantasy value in 2024.
As for J.K. Dobbins, at this point, it’s safe to say the Ravens are operating as if he’s not going to be a factor. He’s now torn his ACL and his Achilles. There’s no guarantee he returns as anywhere near the explosive player he once was. Similar to Mitchell, Henry’s presence would vaporize Dobbins’ fantasy value.
As for Gus Edwards, he’s currently a free agent. Based on early reports, it seems more likely than not that he will play with another team in 2024. If the Ravens sign Henry, that would all but guarantee they don’t bring back Edwards.
Henry Would Be a Good Fit With Justin Herbert on the Chargers
A Henry-Austin Ekeler backfield would allow Ekeler to return to his more traditional receiving back role. It would be a lot of fun for the Los Angeles Chargers. Unfortunately, it’s just not going to happen. There’s no way the Chargers will dedicate the capital necessary to sign both Ekeler and Henry. If Henry comes in, that means Ekeler is gone.
Ekeler has served the Chargers well in a lead-back role. But he’s always taken on more carries than they’ve wanted him to. Ever since Melvin Gordon III left, the Chargers have been looking for that hammer back. They’ve tried Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree, Sony Michel, and Isaiah Spiller. Suffice it to say that none of them proved to be the answer.
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Henry would give new head coach Jim Harbaugh exactly what he wants in a running back. Harbaugh has always utilized a run-heavy offense. Whether in San Francisco or Michigan, Harbaugh’s teams consistently rank near the bottom in pass attempts.
With Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen back, the Chargers’ offense should remain quite potent in 2024. Henry could have a bunch of scoring opportunities.
It’s always risky drafting old running backs in fantasy, but Henry has been an outlier his entire career. If he lands in Los Angeles, fantasy managers may just need to be willing to continue betting on Henry.