Derrick Henry getting franchise tagged is good for fantasy football
By John Buhler
Derrick Henry getting franchise tagged by the Tennessee Titans may not be great news for him personally, but here is why it is good for fantasy football.
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry was one of the handful of players to be slapped with the franchise tag this offseason. The NFL’s leading rusher in 2019 has been a monster in the backfield for Tennessee the last few years, but the Titans wisely decided to tag him for the upcoming season. He may not like this, but it is great for your fantasy team and here is why.
The Fantasy Footballers agree tagging Henry was the right move for the Titans to make. This allowed them to put together a long-term deal with Ryan Tannehill as their quarterback at a number considerably lower than what he’d get if he were slapped with the tag instead.
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Of course, Henry can still work out a long-term deal with the Titans, but Jason Moore believes it’s best to go one year at a time with a running back like Henry. He has seen first-hand what happens when a team gives a running back big money on a long-term deal with the team he roots for in the Arizona Cardinals with David Johnson, as well as Todd Gurley with the Los Angeles Rams.
Moore isn’t opposed to Henry getting hit with the tag again in 2021 because he doesn’t expect Henry falling off a cliff in the next two years physically. However, Henry has had to carry the rock plenty during his four-year NFL career with the Titans, as well as his three-year college career with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The reason tagging Henry is good for fantasy purposes is Henry will be playing on another prove-it contract. He’ll be amped up to secure a long-term deal somewhere soon, whether that be with the Titans or some other NFL team. All the while, Henry will return and be a vibrant part of Arthur Smith’s Titans offense with all their key offensive weapons returning.
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Though you may want to consider moving off Henry at some point here soon in dynasty leagues, he has to be one of the first running backs off the board in 2020 fantasy league drafts. Unless he plans to sit out and not honor the contract, you should expect a charged up Henry ready to rock for the Titans next fall. He’s in the midst of his prime and he won’t want to waste any minute of it.