Fantasy fallout: Derrick Henry injury | What Henry owners should do; what league owners should offer to Henry owners

Fantasy football king Derrick Henry injured his foot in Week 10 and could be out for the rest of the season. At best, Henry returns towards the end of the season just in time to save the Tennessee Titans’ playoff hopes, but he’ll be too late to save fantasy football managers because the fantasy playoffs will be over.

In the immediate reaction for fantasy purposes, if your league has an IR spot, stash him — do not drop Derrick Henry from your roster — and go pick up running back Adrian Peterson from the waiver wire. Peterson will not win you the league, but he will be fantasy relevant and will be able to plug the hole in the bottom of the ship that is your fantasy team. In 16 games with the Detroit Lions in 2020, Adrian Peterson still had seven rushing touchdowns.

If your league does not offer an IR spot, the first thing you should do is not renew the team for the league next season. Every fantasy league should have an IR spot. Next, if possible (and you have enough space on your bench) you should hold on to Derrick Henry for another week in case there is an injury update that indicates he could return in the weeks during the fantasy playoffs. You will have to stash the Titans running back and if you go far in the playoffs, unleash the Yeti and win your league.

In the longer run, there are several options whether you have Derrick Henry on your fantasy team or if you’re on the outside looking in and want to take advantage of team managers needing to replace Henry on their roster.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry

Fantasy lineup advice for Derrick Henry’s injury if you have him on your team

It’s nearly impossible to replace a top 5 fantasy draft pick, but you don’t have to give up on the season quite yet.

If you’re near the top of your league’s standing, your first move is to fill your RB1 slot. The waiver wire might offer a cheap fill-in running back who will just get you some points while you can shore up other positions like wide receiver or tight end.

If you have several top-ranked wide receiver options, you could consider trading Cooper Kupp and Justin Jefferson for an RB2 and a WR3. You won’t get anyone close to Derrick Henry’s production, but by parting with one WR1, you can get two solid options to balance your roster.

If you’re near the bottom of the league rankings, chances are it’ll be difficult to climb out of the cellar without your league leader, Derrick Henry. To sniff any chance of the playoffs, team owners in this position should aggressively shake up their rosters with multiplayer trades and grab long shots still on the waiver wire.

Regardless of the scenario, now is the time for fantasy team managers to trade for or even scoop off the waiver wire rookie running backs who are about to blow up the second half of the season. New York Jets running back Michael Carter is a prime example, while Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams could take over the Broncos' backfield, especially if the Broncos decide to trade Melvin Gordon.

Fantasy lineup advice for Derrick Henry’s injury if you do not have him on your team

If you are one of the lucky fantasy team managers who do not have Derrick Henry on their roster, now is the time to approach the vulnerable fantasy manager whose team is certainly reeling from Henry’s injury. Offer them your RB2 in exchange for a WR1 or TE1 if it means strengthening a position of need at wide receiver or tight end in exchange for your second-best running back.