It has been a long journey for rookie TreVeyon Henderson to get some major opportunities with the New England Patriots. Despite being drafted in the second round, he has fallen behind on the depth chart, with Rhamondre Stevenson and Terrell Jennings taking the starting nod over him.
However, this week, he finally got a big chunk of the offensive snaps to himself, especially with Jennings going down with an injury. Unfortunately, as the third quarter neared its end, a fantastic night for the rookie running back came to a premature end.
What Happened to TreVeyon Henderson?
With Jennings injured, the youngster was given a majority of the snaps at the running back spot. He was immediately effective, tallying a career-high 83 rushing yards, as the Patriots held a 21-16 lead at the end of the third quarter.
However, with the ball in their hands, New England was trying to increase its margin when Drake Maye scrambled to the right sideline. As Henderson tried to protect him further, tragedy struck.
As Maye was tackled from behind, the running back got tangled up in the mess, leading to an injury to his knee. Even though he tried to re-enter the game, the medical staff, along with head coach Mike Vrabel, convinced him to return to the sidelines.
But, after less than five minutes of game time, New England chose to bring him back in for the next drive, after the Buccaneers’ drive did not result in the team putting up points on the board.
Any concerns about Henderson, though, were quickly proven to mean naught. With less than two minutes remaining, a five-point lead made it seem like the Patriots would be content to run out the clock.
However, the rookie had some other ideas. After breaking open a 55-yard touchdown run earlier in the game, he put together another masterful rushing attempt on the left sideline, this time going for 69 yards to give New England a commanding 28-16 lead.
What Henderson’s Injury Means for the Patriots and Fantasy?
The Arizona Cardinals previously had the worst running back situation in the NFL. After this week, it might very well be the Patriots. Already down Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, the Patriots lost both Henderson and Terrell Jennings against the Bucs.
Someone has to play running back for this team. If Henderson and Jennings are out, and Stevenson isn’t ready to return, D’Ernest Johnson stands alone as the last healthy member of this backfield.
Johnson would be picked up on the Week 11 waiver wire simply because someone has to carry the ball, but don’t expect anything more than high single-digit fantasy points.
