10 NFL players who are regression candidates in 2020
35. Pick Analysis. RB. player. 10. Scouting Report. Tennessee Titans. Derrick Henry
The Titans running back may not lose a step from his incredible 2019 in terms of his level of performance, but regression is almost guaranteed for Henry following a season that saw him win the rushing title.
Henry ran the ball a whopping 303 times last year, more than any other back in the league. He was still extremely efficient, averaging over five yards a carry as he racked up 1,540 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. However, even if the Titans do not plan on signing their franchise player to a long-term deal, using him on the same number of carries would not be a smart utilization of resources.
The Titans gave Henry a new complementary back to replace the ineffective Dion Lewis by selecting Darrynton Evans in the third round of the draft. Evans will likely cut into Henry’s workload on passing downs due to his superior skill set as a receiver.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill will likely be asked to throw more often by offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to preserve Henry and diversify their attack. With A.J. Brown and Jonnu Smith set to become even more significant parts of the offense, a dip in carries and numbers for Henry appears inevitable.