It has been a wild year for the running back position in fantasy football this year. Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey have been hurt. Ezekiel Elliott has been ineffective. Other runners that were drafted high like Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake have been inconsistent. And yet injuries continue to pile up. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is hurt, along with Cam Akers. That means some teams might be coming into the championship game with questions at the running back position. Well, Darrell Henderson might be an answer.
Darrell Henderson a Fantasy Football Add and Start Championship Week
A Murky Backfield on the Year
The Los Angeles Rams backfield has been a headache for much of the year. In their first year without Todd Gurley, the team has used a running-back-by-committee approach. Many expected rookie Akers to come in and run with the starting job. But that didn’t happen. Instead, the team has rolled with a combination of Akers, Henderson, and Malcolm Brown. Brown has functioned more as the goal-line back, as Akers and Henderson rotated out.
However, Akers was starting to run away with the job recently. After Akers turned nine carries into 84 yards and a touchdown in Week 12, Sean McVay handed over the reins to him. In the last three weeks, Akers hasn’t gotten less than 15 carries, including a 29 carry, 171-yard outing. Henderson was limited to a combined six carries during that three-week span.
Unfortunately for Akers he suffered an ankle injury and has already been ruled out for week 16. This puts Henderson right back at the top of the pecking order.
Darrell Henderson Has Done Well in Fantasy Football When Given the Chance
On the season, Henderson has 126 carries for 562 yards and five touchdowns. He doesn’t do much in the receiving game, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t competent. Henderson has added 16 catches for 159 yards and one touchdown.
Henderson has gotten 12 or more carries five times this year. In three of those games, Henderson had at least 18.50 points in half-PPR. In the other two games, he had 9.2 and then 8.6. Henderson is almost guaranteed to get at least 12 carries next week, and a touchdown is not out of the question.
Overall, Henderson has a great floor with Akers out, and as good a ceiling as anyone.
Seattle Seahawks Game Preview
Next week the Rams take on the Seattle Seahawks. Last week they held the Washington Football Team to just 84 yards on the ground. However, the Football Team was without their top running back in Antonio Gibson. J.D. McKissic operated as the lead back, but he is a scat back. He managed 51 yards on 14 carries but added another nine catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. That resulted in over 21 fantasy points.
It is tough to look at stats from the week prior for Seattle against the hapless New York Jets. The Seahawks blew them out 40-3, with Josh Adams and Frank Gore combining for 14 carries and 50 yards. But Week 14 they played the New York Giants, where they allowed Wayne Gallman to rack up 135 yards on 16 carries. Alfred Morris added another 39 yards on the ground.
It is worth noting that Seattle is ranked third in the NFL, only allowing 94.1 yards-per-game. This will also be the second time the Rams play Seattle this year. Last time around it was s defensive game that ended in a 23-16 Rams victory. Akers led the team in carries (10), and rushing yards (38). Henderson had seven carries for 28 yards and a score. If Henderson can get into the end zone and at least combine for those carries, he could help someone win a championship.
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