Derrick Henry Breaks 2,000 Rushing Yards
Now for a really fun one.
The NFL hasn’t seen a 2,000-yard rusher since Adrian Peterson hit that mark in 2012. But the Titans have their own history of running backs in the 2,000-yard club when Chirs Johnson hit the mark in 2009. And for as crazy as it might sound, Derrick Henry might be able to join him in 2020.
Similar to projecting Ryan Tannehill’s 2020 touchdown total, for Henry, you have to look at the final 10 weeks of the 2019 season to get the full idea of what he might be capable of in 2020. While the Tennessee offense looked lost at sea through the first six games, things changed in a hurry when Tannehill took over– Henry’s performance included.
The Henry of Week 7 onward looked like an entirely different player than he did from weeks one through six.
In his first six games, he managed just 69.3 yards per game, 3.68 yards per rush, and four touchdowns on 113 carries, but his final nine regular-season showings were a renaissance.
When Tannehill took over the offense in Week 7, Henry turned into the Tractorcito we all know and love. The player that averaged 124.9 yards per game, 5.92 yards per run and 12 touchdowns on 190 carries.
Stretched over a full 16-games, Henry’s 124.9 yards per game would have put him just two yards shy of 2,000.
But in 2020, Henry will (hopefully) be getting 16 starts in a Tannehill led offense, the same offense that saw him flourish in 2019. The Titans showed their willingness to lean on Henry in the playoffs when he averaged over 27 carries a game, so volume shouldn’t be a question, especially without an experienced RB2 on the roster.
The real concern is whether or not Henry can match that insane production from 2019 this season. But with the offense that unlocked Henry’s potential still intact going into 2020, there should be a reason for hope that Henry could reach this impossible goal.
Maybe don’t go betting on this one, but they’re called “bold predictions” for a reason.