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Most fantasy football leagues came to an end in Week 17. But if your league is a little different and concludes in Week 18, the final week of the regular season, or if you are playing DFS, then you should still be monitoring player news and injury information across the NFL.
The Tennessee Titans jumped into the top spot in the AFC playoff picture last week with a win over the Dolphins and a Chiefs loss to the Bengals. In order to keep the No. 1 seed and secure a first-round playoff bye, Tennessee needs to knock off the lowly Texans on the road. Could they be getting a key player back for this game?
Is Derrick Henry (foot) returning from Injured Reserve to play in Week 18 against the Texans? And if Henry is active on Sunday, should he be started in fantasy lineups? Let's take a closer look at Henry's situation and what the Titans backfield will look like to close out the regular season.
Is Derrick Henry Playing This Week Against the Texans?
Titans running back Derrick Henry is back at practice after the team designated him to return from IR on Wednesday. The star RB has been out since breaking a bone in his right foot on Oct. 31 (Week 8).
It would be a cruel twist of fate for fantasy managers that held onto Henry in hopes of him returning to win them a championship only to see him rest up for another week. And that's the way this thing looks to be headed. If the Titans secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Henry would have two more weeks to rest his foot for the playoffs. Don't get your hopes up...
Should I Start Derrick Henry if he Plays in Week 18?
In the unlikely event that Derrick Henry actually plays in Week 18 against the Texans, he should be returned to all starting fantasy lineups. This precise possibility is why fantasy managers have hung onto King Henry since Week 8 in the first place.
Of course, there's the potential for Henry to see a much smaller role than he's accustomed to if he plays, given his long injury layoff. But when healthy, the 28-year-old bruiser has been one of the most dominant RBs in the NFL.
The matchup would be a dream come true as well, as the Texans' defense has allowed the most rushing yards per game (143.4).
Not only is Henry ranked sixth in rushing yards despite not playing since Week 8, he's tied for sixth among RBs with 10 rushing touchdowns. He's the RB13 in overall fantasy points. Think about it... he's a top-15 RB and hasn't even played since Halloween.
The most likely scenario for Sunday against Houston is that D'Onta Foreman continues to serve as Tennessee's lead back. Behind a strong Titans offensive line, Foreman has been great in recent weeks while trying to give his best Henry impersonation.
Foreman had season-highs in carries (26) and rushing yards (132) in the Week 17 win over the Dolphins. He's topped the 100-yard mark on the ground in three of the last five games and has scored three TDs in the last four weeks.
It would be nice to have Henry plowing through Texans tacklers this weekend in a championship matchup, but it's unlikely to happen folks. But Foreman is not a bad consolation prize at all, and he should have no problem putting up big numbers against Houston.
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