Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has been one of the team’s most important players since late in his third season in Nashville, and that’s hardly without reason.
Henry was the league’s most prominent rusher yet again in 2021, totaling 378 carries for 2,027 yards with 17 touchdowns, en route to winning a second consecutive rushing crown.
That brings him to a career total of 1,182 rushing attempts for 5,860 yards with 55 touchdowns over the course of five seasons with the Titans.
We’ve watched Henry secure the league’s rushing title over the likes of Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns and Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings the past two seasons, and there are also particular areas where he reins supreme on the stat sheet.
Putting eight defenders in the box isn’t something that’s going to give Henry much trouble. In fact, he had the most rushing yards in 2020 when faced with that situation, with a total of 702, according to Pro Football Focus.
Most rushing yards vs. 8+ defenders in the box last season
👑 Derrick Henry – 702 pic.twitter.com/iK6rQVm07G
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) April 12, 2021
This is the second straight season in which Henry has thrived against stacked boxes, as he also led the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and 10-yard rushes in the same situation back in 2019.
Per @NextGenStats when facing 8 or more defenders in the box this season, Henry leads the league in rushing touchdowns (12), 10-yard rushes (15) and rush yards (571). If the Ravens plan on putting 8 defenders in the box to slow down Derrick Henry, that still may not be enough. pic.twitter.com/Mj8GPqutuo
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) January 8, 2020
The Titans will be a different-looking team by the time the 2021 NFL season kicks off, given the significant moves and departures from the roster already this offseason.
But if there’s one thing we can bet on, it’s that Henry and quarterback Ryan Tannehill will have the offense shaking and baking.
