Will TreVeyon Henderson Be the Patriots' Top Running Back for Fantasy Football?

Rookies are always a hot debate for building fantasy football teams. Running backs with a path to produce in their first year can be especially valuable, and this should ring true for this season considering the loaded 2025 running back class.

While several prospects landed with teams where they're likely to walk into roles -- such as Ashton Jeanty -- others have unclear expectations. TreVeyon Henderson's landing spot generated concerns about his ability to produce in fantasy football as a rookie as the New England Patriots don't exactly have a wide open RB room as Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson are still part of the group.

According to FantasyPros' consensus average draft position (ADP) data for half-PPR leagues, Henderson sits at 61.0 overall as RB23. Stevenson looks to be the next in line in the backfield with an ADP of 112.0 and RB39. This suggests Henderson will operate as the Pats' lead back, but is this too big of a risk considering his ADP?

Let's look at the latest news surrounding New England's backfield and what it means for Henderson's rookie season.

Will TreVeyon Henderson Be the Starting Running Back?

With the season under one month away, the hype surrounding Henderson is higher than ever. In his very first touch during preseason football, he made a house call with a 100-yard kickoff return. Pairing this with team sources labeling Henderson as "special" and a "difference-maker" has his stock higher than ever.

After producing countless highlight plays with the Ohio State Buckeyes while running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, Henderson's home-run ability was well known. However, his main concern has been durability. Will he get enough touches to make a true fantasy impact?

His pass protection and ability as a receiver have been highlighted throughout camp, providing a big boost of his chances to become the Patriots' top running back. Considering Henderson's ADP, he's going to need to win the starting job to provide good fantasy value.

Stevenson logged 3.3 yards created per touch (38th) and -39.1 expected points added (140th) in 2024, per PlayerProfiler. Gibson boasted an impressive 4.5 yards created per touch (5th) but had -5.6 expected points added (92nd). Plus, his 4.5 yards created per touch was on a small sample size with a 33.6% opportunity share (47th).

If Henderson is performing as well as the reviews say, New England probably won't have many second guesses considering Stevenson's and Gibson's lack of efficiency from a season ago.

As of now, Henderson looks to be in a position to start and provide value.

TreVeyon Henderson's 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook

While Henderson could eventually get the lion's share of volume, don't expect him to become a workhorse. Entering the 2025 NFL Draft, it felt like Henderson needed to land in the right spot to maximize his potential.

During his collegiate career, Henderson's body faltered when tasked with taking on large workloads. In his true freshman season, he played in 13 games while logging 210 touches for 1,560 scrimmage yards and 19 touchdowns. All of those marks went on to be career-high numbers as Henderson managed to play only 8 and 10 games in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Ohio State's blueprint from the 2024 season is where Henderson's potential feels the highest -- a split backfield. He shared the load with Quinshon Judkins while racking up 171 touches for 1,300 scrimmage yards and 11 total touchdowns. Most importantly, he was healthy, playing in 16 games.

Henderson boasted absurd efficiency in 2024 with a career-high 7.1 yards per rushing attempt while earning his second-highest player grade (86.5) and rush grade (89.6) of his career, per Pro Football Focus. Henderson's 78.5 receiving grade in 2024 was also a career high.

To get the most out of Henderson, this feels like a Jahmyr Gibbs situation. Give him opportunistic touches without forcing him to shoulder too large of a workload, and Henderson should stay fresh and constantly be a big-play threat.

While Stevenson and Gibson are threats to Henderson's workload, this should also aid Henderson's chance of being at full health. He seems to be in the driver's seat to start, ensuring valuable touches. His elite speed is already being circled during training camp and preseason, suggesting a high weekly ceiling in fantasy.

Henderson is checking all of the right boxes thus far, but will it be enough to get value out of his RB23 ADP? He has receiving upside as an all-around back, helping his case for half-PPR leagues. Finding the end zone will likely be the biggest debate about drafting Henderson.

The Patriots logged only 17.0 points per game (third-fewest) last season. However, New England has a potential franchise QB in Drake Maye, added Stefon Diggs and fourth overall pick left-tackle Will Campbell, and hired coach Mike Vrabel. There's a good chance this offense takes a step forward, allowing us to be hopeful about Henderson's scoring potential.

Ultimately, Henderson seems to be in a great spot to start. Rave reviews are suggesting he should immediately produce, but this has caused his ADP to rise to RB23. If you're buying New England's offense improving as a whole, Henderson should be worth a draft selection at this ADP.

Futures Day is coming August 26th. Learn more here.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.