Based on depth and talent, there may not be a better backfield in the NFL than the one in Los Angeles – and it’s not the Chargers. The Rams have a remarkable combination of top-end skill and overall depth at running back heading into 2019, largely thanks to the addition of Darrell Henderson and retaining Malcolm Brown.
Of course, Todd Gurley is still RB1 in L.A. as long as he’s healthy, but even if he’s not 100 percent, Henderson and Brown are there to help carry the load. Henderson, in particular, is an easy player to get excited about. The 70th overall pick in the draft, who the Rams traded up to select, is going to carve out a role as a runner and receiver.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com thinks highly of Henderson, ranking him among the top five rookie running backs in the NFL.
With knee issues dogging Todd Gurley at the end of last season, the Rams could choose to limit his snaps in 2019 to ensure his effectiveness at crucial junctures later on in the year. This creates a potential opportunity for Henderson, a matchup nightmare. At Memphis, Henderson showed he has the quickness to hit the hole, the toughness to run through tacklers and the speed to reach the edge. He doesn’t need much room to run and tends to finish forward. He was able to split out wide at times at Memphis, and he showed the ability to make adjustments catching passes out of the backfield. He also owns the second-most rushing yards (3,545) and yards from scrimmage (4,303) in Memphis history. His height (5-foot-8) is a source of concern, and he’ll have to show he’s a better option than current Gurley backup Malcolm Brown, who was not allowed by the Rams to walk as a restricted free agent this offseason.
Brandt also projected Henderson’s stats in his rookie season, which is difficult to do considering how many running backs – John Kelly and Justin Davis included – the Rams have.
Here was his projection: 95 carries, 475 rushing yards, 3 rush TDs, 42 catches.
His predicted carry total is rather high. in the last two seasons combined (23 games), Brown only carried the ball 106 times total. He also only caught 14 passes in that two-year span. Of course, Gurley was healthy and didn’t come off the field much, so Brown wasn’t needed much.
If Henderson does touch the ball 147 times on offense, it’ll be somewhat of a surprise. Gurley will still get his touches, but certainly not nearly as many as he’s been used to the last four years.
