Can Derrick Henry reclaim his rushing throne?

The Titans’ Derrick Henry has been one of, if not the most feared running back in the NFL for some time now.

That fear won’t be leaving NFL defences any time soon. But Henry will be out with a vengeance this season after a difficult 2021.

The NFL Offensive Player of the Year for 2020 only featured in half of the season last year due to injury, which saw him lose out on the most rushing yards to Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts.

There is big debate on whether Henry will be able to reclaim that title from Taylor this season, or if another running back will be able to claim the throne.

Will ‘King Henry’ return?

Henry’s skill set and power are amongst the best in the league and will remain there for years to come. Yet, with younger and as talented players entering the league, his competition grows stronger.

Tennessee know how to make the most of Henry. They will look to offer a run heavy offence again this year, especially following the loss of key wide receiver AJ Brown in the summer. 

Over the last three seasons, Henry has rushed for over 4,500 yards, which beats all of his competitors by over 600 yards. It’s a remarkable stat, even more so considering he missed half a season with a foot injury.

The Titans are very reliant on Henry’s ability, and since 2016, the running back has the second highest work load amongst all running backs, with 1,557 carries, only behind Ezekiel Elliot of the Dallas Cowboys. 

However, the Titans have drafted Hassan Haskins this year, who will most likely receive a decent amount of carries, which could help lower Henry’s workload. 

Defences know of Henry’s ability, and the Titan faces mainly stacked boxes, as defences try and stop his threat as much as possible, however this hasn’t stopped him in the past, and with his unique strength and speed, it probably won’t stop him this season either.

Strong pack of competitors

There are plenty of running backs out there who will be challenging Henry in 2022. Colts star Taylor is the strong favourite to rush for the most yards for the second year running.

Taylor is lightning quick, and at just 22 years of age, there’s still plenty of opportunity for the young star to develop his skills further, which is a scary prospect for any defence that had to face the Colts.

Taylor finished the 2021 season with 1811 rushing yards, nearly 600 more than any of his competitors in the league.

Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns has been another of the league’s ground runners since entering the league four years ago. That won’t change in the 2022 season.

The major factor affecting Chubb’s ability to claim the most rushing yards is backup Kareem Hunt. Having the former Kansas City Chief as the backup allows Chubb to have a more manageable workload.

Like Henry, Minnesota Vikings’ Dalvin Cook is also coming off a year that was riddled with shoulder and ankle injuries. But if he remains at full strength, he is comfortably one of the leagues best backs.

Cook is a premier zone rushers. If he’s able to stay healthy for a full season, then his ability to break down defences will shine through. 

Elsewhere, with the likes of Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott expected to be back at full fitness for 2022, competition is huge for the season ahead.

Who is the favourite?

Bookies believe that Taylor is going to go back to back this year and rush for the most yards, and it’s hard to look past a player with his ability. 

However, a full healthy season of Derrick Henry is hard to bet against, especially in this Titans run heavy offence.