The 2022 NFL season is nearly upon us, which means one thing. It's time to prepare for fantasy football. The Tennessee Titans are an intriguing team right now as there are several solid fantasy options within the offense. However, each of them does come with some sort of risk. For that reason, we're going to dive into Derrick Henry's fantasy football outlook for the upcoming season.
Last year, Henry went bonkers in the first half of the regular season until suffering a serious foot injury. He eventually came back to the lineup for the playoffs, but the Titans fell short after earning the one seed without their superstar running back. It's important to note that Tennessee was successful at running the ball without The King, which could decrease his carries in 2022.
Regardless, it's still Derrick Henry. Tennessee is still going to rely on the rushing attack and he is clearly the bell cow for the backfield. It'll be interesting to see if he can get back to form, but either way, Henry is likely a safe bet this year.
With that said, here is our fantasy football outlook for Derrick Henry in the 2022 NFL season.
Derrick Henry Fantasy Football Outlook
The King would have won the rushing title in back-to-back years if it wasn't for the injury. He was on pace to nearly crack 2,000 rushing yards as well. This year though, there are some red flags when considering Derrick Henry as a fantasy football option. The injury is a key component, however, his age is a factor and the Titans lost Rodger Saffold at left guard.
Despite that, Henry has a real chance to produce solid fantasy numbers. In fact, ESPN projects him to finish with a stat line of 1,464 rushing yards, 12 total touchdowns, 29 receptions, and 217 receiving yards. That would be good for 265.66 points in PPR formats. So even though there are some doubts surrounding Derrick Henry and the Titans, he's still projected to have a solid outing in the 2022 NFL season.
Considering Tennessee's offense for a moment, Henry is in line to be the focal point once again. AJ Brown and Julio Jones are no longer on the roster, as Robert Woods and Treylon Burks takeover at wide receiver. The Titans are going to have a 30-year-old wide receiver coming back from an ACL injury and a rookie leading the way in the passing attack. It's no wonder Mike Vrabel is going to lean on Derrick Henry once again.
Looking at all of the factors, the Titans' superstar running back is probably going to be a consistent fantasy option. Tennessee got him involved in the passing game last year so that should continue in the 2022 season. Derrick Henry is an absolute beast who has played as the best running back in the league the last several years. Any concern should be washed away, as he has a real chance to bounce back in full force.
He's still projected to be a first-round pick, however, you can likely snag him in the late portion of round one. That means you can draft a safe RB1 with the potential of being the top running back in the league again. Considering his extremely safe floor and high ceiling, Derrick Henry should be a solid asset in fantasy football.