Derrick Henry vs Brock Bowers

“While some won't draft Henry for fear his age makes him an injury risk, the veteran has played in at least 15 games in all but one year of his career, including 17 contests in three consecutive seasons. He was RB8 last year, averaging 16.4 PPR fantasy points per game despite totaling only 15 receptions, 18 fewer than any other running back to finish top 20.”

“If Lamar Jackson can bounce back, Henry could inch back closer to his 2024 production (RB4 in fantasy points per game). He's at worst a low-end RB1 with top-five upside.”

“Last year was another impressive year for Derrick Henry. He didn't show any signs of slowing down with 307 rushing attempts, 1,595 rushing yards, 16 total touchdowns, and an RB8 finish in fantasy points per game.”

“Veteran RB Derrick Henry said he's been impressed by Randall's work ethic and drive to improve so far this offseason, noting "Since he got here, he's just been working, keeping his head down, wanting to learn, just wanting to get better." Henry also praised new RBs coach Eddie Faulkner, saying "He had been on the other side for a little while, but you see why the guys over there had success. Pittsburgh ran hard, good in pass protection and are just good overall backs."”

“For all of his accolades as the league's most physical runner, Henry is a non-factor in Baltimore's passing game. With 20 or fewer receptions in eight of Henry's 10 NFL seasons, a sudden shift turning him into the next Christian McCaffrey or Jahmyr Gibbs is not envisioned.”

“The Ravens run first and do everything else second, and they run through Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, leaving few rush attempts for Randall.”

“Derrick Henry's 30.2 Sleeper ADP is a classic case of dynasty anxiety ruining redraft logic. Managers see his age and automatically assume a total collapse, completely ignoring the fact he ran for 1,500+ yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Henry remains the ultimate hammer in a Baltimore Ravens offense that completely sanitizes his negative game scripts. He retains a locked-in monopoly on goal-line touches and high-value red-zone opportunities.”

“While some won't draft Henry for fear his age makes him an injury risk, the veteran has played in at least 15 games in all but one year of his career, including 17 contests in three consecutive seasons. He was RB8 last year, averaging 16.4 PPR fantasy points per game despite totaling only 15 receptions, 18 fewer than any other running back to finish top 20.”

“At the end of the day, drafting Henry is a bet that he can continue to stiff-arm Father Time and post the best rushing season of the last two decades for a player this old. But there are other elite-upside players at his ADP without the red flags, so the juice is not worth the squeeze.”

“The issue with Henry is that, coming off a season with fewer than one reception per game, he needs to be absolutely dominant on the ground to provide elite fantasy value. And in recent history, the list of dominant rushing seasons by players 32 or older is essentially nonexistent.”

“Derrick Henry is just one representative of a simple site-wide trend: ESPN drafters love running backs compared to the expert consensus. His positional ECR is RB13; his ESPN ADP is RB10, where experts see King Henry as a high-end RB2, ESPN drafters still view him as a top-10 option.”

“That might be the right move and use that "leftover" $12 on a more impactful player, such as moving from Derrick Henry to Jahmyr Gibbs.”

“Bowers came into the NFL as one of the most highly regarded TE prospects of all time and had 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns on 153 targets as a rookie while playing with QBs Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder. Injuries kept Bowers from big things in 2025, but he should have a monster 2026 season as the top target earner in what should be an improved Raiders offense.”

“Brock Bowers lead the way as the top candidates to finish above 200 fantasy points (half-PPR). With the league shifting towards TE-heavy offensive sets, we could see snaps across the position skyrocket.”

“Managers consistently overpay for superstars early (the curse of Brock Bowers in 2025). A star player like Bowers is going to cost a lot early in the season, especially if you are playing with inexperienced or uninformed chopped players.”

“The passing game will also get a lift from a healthier Brock Bowers. The team's top pass-catching weapon suffered a PCL injury and a bone bruise in his knee in Week 1 and played through the injury for three weeks before shutting it down until Week 9.”

“Bowers, meanwhile, is onto his third quarterback in three years and will be hoping that Fernando Mendoza adjusts quickly to the NFL.”

“I've had the best results getting my starting RBs from this stage, a solid, back-end top 12 WR, and Brock Bowers if he's going for somewhere near the mid $30s.”

“Bowers was plagued by injuries last season. He played through a couple of lingering injuries at the start of the season, and ultimately ended his season after 12 games.”

“As a rookie, Bowers set the rookie record for most receptions and yards at the position. These stats will knock your socks off: 153 targets, 112 receptions, 1,149 yards, five touchdowns.”

“Whether you prefer Brock Bowers or Trey McBride doesn't really matter. Neither should be drafted this high. Bowers, meanwhile, is onto his third quarterback in three years and will be hoping that Fernando Mendoza adjusts quickly to the NFL.”

“Everyone is expecting the Raiders' rookie QB to pepper Bowers as he gets his feet wet. Expect to pay a premium for the top-ranked TE, this year.”

“Bowers is worth a look in the back half of the second round or early in the third round of 12-team fantasy drafts.”

“Widely considered one of the best TE prospects to ever enter the league, Bowers had 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns on 153 targets as a rookie. With better health in 2026, he has a chance to match or exceed his rookie numbers.”