Week 9 at Los Angeles Rams
How the Tennessee backfield shakes out following the serious injury to Derrick Henry is one of the more intriguing fantasy questions on the Week 9 slate. The loss of Henry leaves a gaping void on the Titans' backfield, and it seems unlikely that they would rely on one back to fill it. That being said, Jeremy McNichols looks to be in solid position to absorb a significant amount of the work that normally goes to Henry. McNichols is in his second season with the Titans and knows the offensive system better than any other back on the roster. He already had a small role in the passing game with Henry healthy and should maintain an expanded version of that role following the signing of Adrian Peterson. The early-down work is where things get interesting. If McNichols can hold off Peterson for carries as well as pass routes and targets, he would have massive upside in an offense that loves to run the ball. However, a more likely scenario is Peterson absorbing much of the early-down rushing while McNichols enters on third down and other passing situations. That scenario would render either back as nothing more than a flex option until we see how roles shake out post-Henry.
