Is anybody more important to the identity of their franchise than Derrick Henry is to the Titans? Things have been difficult without him, as Henry suffered a Jones fracture injury on Halloween. What is his status in Week 17 ahead of the Titans’ matchup against the Miami Dolphins? Is there a shot that Henry is available for fantasy football lineups, and of course, the Titans?
Will Derrick Henry be available in Week 17 despite a foot injury?
There are murmurs that Henry might squeeze in a few snaps before the NFL playoffs, which is when he’s currently expected to return.
While reports state he might play in Week 18 to shake any rust before an all-important postseason game, the expectation is that Week 17 against Miami will be too soon for Henry to suit up.
According to reports, his rehab is going well, and the Titans have hinted at Henry making a return in the near future. Currently, he’s not quite close enough to a return, and Tennessee will once again have to call on a committee of backs to fill the void.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen D’Onta Foreman, Dontrell Hilliard, Jeremy McNichols, and even Adrian Peterson for three games. Ultimately, the Titans cannot replace Henry — or his production. Without him in the lineup, the pressure mounts on QB Ryan Tannehill.
How has the loss of Henry impacted the Titans?
Well, quite simply, with Henry on the field, the Titans were 6-2 and scoring over 28 points per game. Without him, they’ve gone 4-3 and are scoring just over 18.5 points per game — a significant drop. Still, we can’t attribute all of that to Henry, as the Titans have also missed Julio Jones and A.J. Brown. But the fact remains that without Henry, things get a lot tougher for Tannehill and the offense.
It’s simply impossible to replicate what Henry does for a football team, even with a whole committee of backs. Henry has posted 68 touchdowns and almost 7,500 yards in the six years he’s been in Tennessee. And he was only a starter for four and a half of those years. He’s one of the most unique talents in the league, and before getting hurt, he was averaging over 100 yards a game.
Should you look at Titans RBs for fantasy football?
It’s difficult to predict who might carry the ball the most each week for the Titans. They seem to be using a formula based on whoever is most productive on the day. Foreman had an excellent outing against the Steelers in Week 15, rushing for over 100 yards. However, he followed that up with 17 yards on 9 carries against the 49ers in Week 16.
Largely, I’d avoid Tennessee’s backfield, as they are splitting carries three ways for the most part. Plus, Miami’s defense is hot right now, and I have a feeling they will force Tannehill to attempt to win the game with his arm.