Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry had a very odd 2018 campaign. Yes, he ended up rushing for 1,059 yards and 12 touchdowns, but his season was really like the tale of two halves, as he was very quiet over the first couple of months before exploding later in the year.
Of course, that had quite a bit to do with the Titans' usage of Henry, as his carries were dramatically increased in the latter stages of the season with Tennessee in the playoff hunt, but it was still weird, nonetheless.
Regardless, Henry showed just how dominant he could be over the final several weeks of 2018, and hopefully, for the Titans, he can carry that production over into 2019.
So, here are three numbers for the 25-year-old to target this year:
3. 30 Receptions
Henry is really just a one-trick pony right now, as he hasn't shown any indication of being a threat as a receiver out of the backfield.
Through his first three seasons, Henry has totaled just 39 receptions, catching a career-high 15 passes in 2018. If Henry truly wants to take that next step into becoming an elite running back, he needs to start catching some passes.
You would think in a Titans offense, where the passing game has suffered so much over the last two seasons, that Henry would have been racking up some receptions off of checkdowns, but that has not been the case.
And honestly, this is right in line with what Henry did in college, as he accumulated just 17 catches over three years at Alabama.
Perhaps Henry is completely inept as a receiver, but I find it hard to believe that a professional running back can't catch at least 30 passes.
2. 4.5 Yards Per Carry
Henry averaged 4.9 yards per carry in 2018, but that number was a bit skewed due to a couple of monster performances during the second half of the year, particularly on Dec. 6 when he racked up 238 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 14 yards per carry in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But in six of Henry's first seven games of the season, he averaged under four yards per attempt, not really kicking it into gear until the second half.
How about a more consistent effort all year this time around?
We can't place all of the blame on Henry, as the Titans' passing offense was so middling that defenses were able to key on the run, but Henry is talented enough where he should be averaging at least four yards per carry week in and week out.
I'm not expecting him to average 4.9 yards per attempt again, but how about 4.5 and doing that regularly?
1. 1,200 Yards
Yes, this is attainable.
The Titans showed during the second half of this past year that they are a better team when they are giving the ball to Henry, so it's reasonable to expect him to get a bunch more touches in 2019.
Now, prior to 2018, Henry's career high in rushing yards was 744, so asking him to rack up 1,200 yards this year might be a tall order, but with Marcus Mariota still being such a major question mark, it's possible Tennessee runs the ball a lot.
That means a heck of a lot of opportunities for Henry.
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