Puka Nacua vs Derrick Henry

“Among all pass catchers, McBride trailed only Puka Nacua in receptions.”

“Not in the chart but still very relevant is that in the 27 instances of guys finishing top 24 yet running under 80% of their team’s routes, we have 4 seasons of Mike McDaniel WRs, and two seasons of Puka Nacua’s insane efficiency to take into consideration.”

“Round 1: Puka Nacua (WR – LAR) The counter-pick was Puka Nacua , ranked as the top overall wide receiver ahead of the field’s other top options. Only two players outscored him in fantasy points per game last year, and neither was one of the running backs typically drafted with the first or second overall pick.”

“Rams WR Puka Nacua came in as the fourth-best receiver in the same poll: “Strong hands, contact balance, ability to block in the run game, run after the catch, run through the catch, can go get it, can play any spot,” an NFL coordinator said.”

“Off the field, Puka Nacua hasn’t had a great offseason, and the Rams seem to be slightly hesitant to extend him, with reports suggesting that’s not in their immediate plans despite Nacua being extension-eligible and watching Jaxon Smith-Njigba reset the market.”

“The star of this class is Nacua, without a doubt. One of the single best wide receivers in the NFL, he had over 1,000 yards as a rookie and never looked back.”

“Nacua is coming off another incredible season, leading the league in receptions (129) for 1,715 yards (2nd) and 10 touchdowns (tied for 6th). He has averaged 7.1 receptions (2nd) and 95.3 yards per game (1st) since entering the league.”

“Landing the league leader in catches and receiving yards at pick 1.05 is never a bad thing. With Matthew Stafford under center, Puka Nacua is set up for another monster year.”

“Nacua led the league in receptions (129) and receiving yards per game (107.7) in 2025. He averaged an outrageous 3.57 yards per route run last season and has averaged 3.16 YPRR for his career.”

“Last season was by far Puka Nacua's most complete year in the NFL, with 10 receiving touchdowns. That was one more than he'd managed in his first two years combined. Touchdowns aren't always sticky, though, and before committing to Nacua this early, we have to consider that more in-depth.”

“Other guys were commanding targets (Puka Nacua & Davante Adams) and Whittington's percentage plummeted.”

“Puka Nacua (ADP ~230, finished WR5 as a rookie) and Brian Thomas Jr. are the modern proof points. But pointing to them ex post does not make them findable ex ante – the average outcome at their ADP was still a miss.”

“Top-12 Drafted RBs in 2025 RB 2025 ADP 2024 Finish 2025 Games Played Bijan Robinson RB1 RB3 17 Saquon Barkley RB2 RB13 16 Jahmyr Gibbs RB3 RB4 17 Christian McCaffrey RB4 RB1 17 Derrick Henry RB5 RB7 17 Ashton Jeanty RB6 RB12 17 Josh Jacobs RB7 RB15 15 De’Von Achane RB8 RB6 16 Jonathan Taylor RB9 RB2 17 Bucky Irving RB10 RB33 10 Chase Brown RB11 RB8 17 Kyren Williams RB12 RB9 17 2025 RB Health Last season, nine out of 12 top RBs drafted finished as an RB1, resulting in a mostly chalky season at the top for RBs.”

“Overall, the increase of under-center snaps favors Derrick Henry , which poses a specific siphoning risk related to rushing TD opportunity.”

“Other skill-position players with a similar LTV include fellow veteran Derrick Henry and Sam LaPorta.”

“Baltimore now turns to head coach Jesse Minter, whose offseason reviews highlight a more explosive and creative scheme. That shift should benefit Henry's usage and the offense as a whole. The veteran's current average draft position in the middle rounds is a clear value.”

“Every season, managers expect Derrick Henry to decline, and every season he proves them wrong. Henry turned 32 in January, yet his power, durability and efficiency remain intact. He finished as the RB8 in PPR formats last year with 279.5 fantasy points and continues to play well beyond typical age curves.”

“Much like fine wine, it just seems like Derrick Henry is getting better with age. However, only the 1972 Miami Dolphins and Father Time are undefeated. King Henry is coming off a career season in which he had 27 carries in the 5-yard line. There isn't anyone challenging him on the depth chart for touches, so the only concern in 2026 is age and the departure of center Tyler Linderbaum.”

“Derrick Henry is entering his late-career danger zone, and the depth behind him is paper-thin.”

“Every season fantasy managers wonder whether Derrick Henry is finally slowing down. Jake Ciely isn't buying it. His reasoning is simple. Henry's draft cost continues to fall even though his production hasn't. Ciely also pointed out that Henry's fantasy scoring remains remarkably consistent regardless of game script, making him one of the safest veteran running backs available. At his current ADP, he's comfortable betting on Henry one more time.”

“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.”

“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.”