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Much like he did in 2019, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is sitting on top of the NFL.
Henry has picked up where he left off last year, when he finished first in the league in both rushing yards (1,540) and touchdowns (16), respectively. It was a breakout season, as the former Heisman Trophy winner established that his name had to be mentioned among the game's most elite playmakers.
It hasn't stopped there, as halfway through the 2020 season, the bulldozing back is on an even better pace. With just seven games played, Henry is once again leading the league with 775 rushing yards, along with eight touchdowns.
Tennessee Titans are tied for first place thanks to Derrick Henry
Tennessee is currently tied for first place in the AFC South, largely behind the legs of the league's leader in rushing.
With the emergence of Ryan Tannehill at quarterback and explosive wide receiver A.J. Brown, the Titans are now a team that has to be feared on the offensive side of the football. But most of that starts with Henry, who sets the table for his fellow skill-position players.
A classic example of Henry's ability to dominate came in Week 6 against the Houston Texans, when he racked up 212 yards on the ground with two TDs.
One of those touchdowns happened to be a stunning 94-yard sprint for a score.
That breakaway speed is uncanny for an athlete who is 6'3" and 245 pounds. Maybe that's why nfl.com recently called Derrick Henry, "The Scariest Running Back to Tackle".
Derrick Henry wasn't always a superstar
Before he was standing on top of the mountain, Derrick Henry spent a lot of time standing on the sidelines.
The 2015 Heisman winner entered the league with a terrific pedigree, following a stellar NCAA career at Alabama. However, he wasn't drafted until the Tennessee Titans called his name in the second round (45th overall).
Then he would spend his first few seasons splitting time with other Tennessee Titans running backs like DeMarco Murray and Dion Lewis. Henry finally managed enough caries in 2018 to go over 1,000 yards and take over as the No. 1 guy on the depth chart.
Since then, he hasn't looked back; Today, he's the most dominant runner in the league. And if Tennessee wins their division and has a solid playoff run? All the Derrick Henry fans down in the Music City will be able to make the case that he should at least be mentioned in terms of the NFL MVP award.
At 26, Derrick Henry still has a few prime years left at his position, and he's also locked in comfortably in Tennessee, having just signed a new four-year, $50 million contract back in July. So the future looks bright for him and his franchise.
However, at 5-2 and eyeing the postseason, the future is now for Henry and the Tennessee Titans. Coming off two straight losses, they will continue their playoff push on Sunday, when they face off with the Chicago Bears (5-3) in Nashville.
Heading in to the second half of the season, one thing's for sure: If the Titans are going to make it to the Promised Land? They'll likely be carried there by the powerful legs of Derrick Henry.
