Who Should I Start? Derrick Henry or Austin Ekeler

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Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
16.2 85.6 0.8 1.2 9.9 0.1

Derrick Henry News

Derrick Henry Is Easier to Fade in Full PPR

Sunday, August 16, 9:44 AM

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry still hasn't given anyone much evidence that he's slowing down. He ran for 1,595 yards and 16 touchdowns on 307 carries last season, averaged 5.2 yards per attempt and closed the year with four straight 100-yard games. Baltimore still views him as the clear leader of the backfield, too. The concern in full PPR is everything that happens outside of those carries. Henry caught only 15 passes for 150 yards last year and has 34 receptions in two seasons with the Ravens. That can leave some quiet fantasy weeks when the rushing touchdowns aren't there, even for a player this productive. RotoBaller has Henry 12th overall in half-PPR but 18th in full PPR, which tells the story pretty well. Nobody needs to predict an age-32 collapse after the season he just had. The rushing upside is still enormous. It's just easier to pass on Henry early in full PPR when other backs in that range can give you much more through the air.

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Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Austin Ekeler News

Austin Ekeler 100 Percent Medically Cleared for Football Activities

Thursday, April 30, 9:22 AM

Veteran free-agent running back Austin Ekeler (Achilles) is 100% fully medically cleared for all football activities after suffering a torn right Achilles last September against the Green Bay Packers, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Ekeler intends to play in 2026 and is expected to draw plenty of interest. The 30-year-old was one of the premier pass-catching backs in the NFL in his seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers before he signed a two-year deal with the Washington Commanders before the 2024 season. He appeared in 12 games (six starts) for Washington in 2024, carrying the ball 77 times for 367 yards and four touchdowns while catching 35 passes for 366 receiving yards. Ekeler missed some time due to a concussion that year before playing in just two games in 2025 before tearing his Achilles. Ekeler might not be the same shifty back in space after his season-ending injury, but he could still give a team some solid pass-catching depth out of the backfield as he nears the end of his career.

Derrick Henry vs. Austin Ekeler

Still trying to decide between Henry and Ekeler? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Derrick Henry is projected to score 16.2 points this week while Austin Ekeler is projected to score 0.0 points.