The New England Patriots defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 45-17 on Sunday, but were dealt yet another Injury blow to second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson.
TreVeyon Henderson suffered an ankle injury during the second quarter against the Raiders and did not return to the game. Henderson previously injured the same ankle during the preseason, which saw him miss the first game of the season. Tests taken on Monday (October 12th) confirmed that Henderson suffered a high ankle sprain.
Before the injury, Henderson had four carries for 22 yards and one catch for 16 yards. The 23-year-old from Ohio State has shown flashes of what he can do in the NFL, running for 5.1 yards per carry during his rookie year—the fifth-best mark in the league, ahead of players like Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor.
Henderson has been splitting backfield duties with Rhamondre Stevenson, who lacks his explosiveness, but has held onto the starting role due to his ability to block for Drake Maye in the passing game.
While Henderson is projected to be out for a few weeks, the Patriots are hoping to have wide receiver AJ Brown back in the fold after he suffered the same injury as Henderson in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots are optimistic that Brown will return for Week 6 against the New York Jets.
TreVeyon Henderson Injury Update
An MRI confirmed that Henderson has a high right ankle sprain, and he is expected to miss multiple weeks. The injury will not require surgery, but typically takes three to six weeks to recover from, depending on its severity.
It is concerning that the injury affects the same ankle that Henderson sprained this preseason. Henderson is a relatively quick healer, tending to recover from injuries faster than the average player. Nevertheless, his absence will be prolonged, meaning that Stevenson will be the primary running back in New England for the foreseeable future.
Fantasy Football Advice for TreVeyon Henderson Owners
With Henderson on the sidelines, Stevenson will likely see a boost in production because he will no longer split time with his backfield partner. Consequently, Stevenson should be a top-20 running back in fantasy every week that Henderson is out.
Beyond Stevenson, rookie Corey Kiner is the only other running back on the Patriots' roster. Kiner has 20 carries for 81 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and a fumble so far this season.
Once Henderson went down, Kiner registered six carries for 52 yards and one catch for seven yards against the Raiders. Kiner received an extended look because the Patriots put the game away early, but he is not expected to be a major contributor for fantasy purposes.
The Patriots are expected to sign a running back from free agency or another team's practice squad to provide depth while Henderson is sidelined. Because Henderson will not miss the rest of the season, managers are advised to not drop him to waivers unless it is absolutely necessary.
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