Is Derrick Henry still worth a top 5 pick?
Liz Loza and Matt Harmon debate whether Derrick Henry's first major injury is a sign of decline or if fantasy managers can still confidently draft him with their first pick.
Video Transcript
LIZ LOZA: If we're talking about injuries, let's talk about Derrick Henry's. Because the trope on Henry has been well, he's the anomaly, right? Like, he does things that we can't compare him to the rest of the pack because he is just different. Nobody runs at his size the way he does. He is special.
He also had never been injured previously. And even though it was amazing that he came back when I interviewed him at the Super Bowl, he talked about the fact-- or media week of the Super Bowl, he talked about like yeah, he came back. But it's still quote, wasn't enough.
This is a foot injury. Obviously, if you're thinking physiologically, big man. Your feet take more pressure, the heavier you are, the broader your build. So I do feel like people want to roll their eyes like that is a factor.
I will personally say, and I can be wrong on it, but we get to pick out players, and that's the joy of this choose your own adventure football game we play. I am going to stay away from him, because I just don't want to have to deal with it. And I might lose out, but I think he's probably going to be like the second or third overall pick. Are you as interested in investing in him that early in drafts?
MATT HARMON: I think if he goes around the 3-4 pick, like I'll certainly think about it. I mean, I just would feel so much better taking like a Cooper Kupp, or a Davante Adams, if Aaron Rodgers is back in Green Bay as we expect. Or a Justin Jefferson, even, who we talked about earlier. Like, it is definitely one of those things with Derrick Henry where you wonder if this is the start of something.
But he has been an anomaly so far. And I think that's so true, like he came back in that playoff game. We were like, all right, Derrick Henry's back. And then you watch Derrick Henry run the rock a couple of times, like OK. Maybe he's-- maybe they ought to give Donta Forman some more carries. And that's always how this stuff goes, you know, like with these-- like these stars return for the playoffs.
And that's great. But then you actually watch them out there, and it's like well, maybe there's a reason he's out for the season. The season just happens to be what, a couple of weeks longer for the Titans here than we'd expect?
So yeah, I think that was a-- think you're right, though, that he'll be an extremely like-- a pick you take and you're always going to be kind of thinking, until you see him week one, week two, and if he's out there looking like the old Derrick Henry, then great. You'll feel great about it until something else happens.