Who Should I Start? Derrick Henry or Breece Hall

Wednesday, May 14, 1:50 PM

Running back Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens reached an agreement on Wednesday on a two-year, $30 million contract extension that includes $25 million fully guaranteed over the next two seasons, according to Todd France of Athletes First. It is the largest deal in NFL history for a RB over 30 years old. The Ravens have rewarded the 31-year-old five-time Pro Bowler and former Offensive Player of the Year after he recorded 1,921 rushing yards and a league-high 16 rushing touchdowns on 325 carries in 17 regular-season games in 2024 in his first year in Baltimore. He added 19 catches for 193 yards and two more TDs. While some were expecting physical decline from King Henry last year, he was as dominant as ever in the Ravens' run-first offense, finishing as the RB1 in fantasy. Henry has limitations as a pass-catcher, but until he proves otherwise, he's a high-end RB1 target in fantasy.

Tuesday, July 1, 1:52 PM

New York Jets running back Breece Hall has had a turbulent start to his NFL career. The first ball carrier selected in the 2022 NFL Draft (No. 36 overall) suffered a torn ACL in Week 7 of his rookie campaign after an excellent start. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry and 11.5 yards per reception on 99 total touches. He has flashed upside in his last two campaigns, but New York's offensive environment with Zach Wilson or Aaron Rodgers was not conducive to high-level production, and he's averaged fewer than 4.6 yards per carry since the start of his sophomore campaign. Heading into Year 4, Hall is determined to put his name back in the "high-end" running back discussion. "Just proving that I'm still the guy and still one of the best in the league," Hall said. "Just trying to go out there every weekend and prove that I deserve to be out there." While quarterback Justin Fields has plenty of question marks as a passer, his rushing skill set could open running lanes for Hall behind a potentially improved Jets offensive line. New York's coaching staff has hinted at a split backfield with second-year pro Braelon Allen, but Hall should continue to be viewed as the starter for Gang Green. That said, Fields likely won't target running backs often in the passing game based on his previous trends.