Even at 32 years old, Derrick Henry was still running like one of the best backs in the NFL last season.
Though slightly less explosive than the 1,921 rushing yards he posted in his first season with the Baltimore Ravens, Henry finished 2025 with 1,595 rushing yards (second in the NFL) and 16 rushing touchdowns (also second) on 307 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per carry while appearing in all 17 games for a third straight season.
At 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, many would have expected his physical, downhill running style to catch up with him by now. Instead, Henry just keeps proving otherwise.
On Tuesday, July 7, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler ranked the top 10 running backs heading into the 2026 season after surveying executives, coaches, and scouts around the league, and put Henry at No. 6 overall, noting how “his demise still feels far away.”
Another longtime defensive coach in the NFL took it even further.
“He hasn’t really slowed down, to be honest, at least from what I’ve seen,” the veteran coach said. “You can knock him because he’s not the pass threat the others are. But he’s still a major problem. Guy takes care of himself like no other.”
While other stars like Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Christian McCaffrey, and De’Von Achane have built their careers around becoming dominant pass-catching backs, Henry has kept his Hall of Fame status almost entirely on the ground. He’s finished with fewer than 200 receiving yards and under 20 catches in each of his two seasons with the Ravens.
Fumbles, however, have been the major concern. He’s recorded seven total over the last two years, four of them in 2025 alone. It’s a trend defenses will look to exploit more as Henry ages, targeting the ball rather than trying to tackle him outright.
But when it comes to the best pure running back in football, nobody tops King Henry just yet. He ran for nearly 600 yards over his final four games of the season last year, a reminder that defenses wear down against him long before he wears down against them.
The Ravens are still listed among the Super Bowl favorites for 2026, and their offense will again lean on Henry’s power running to try to get them there.