Tennessee Titans themselves may prevent Derrick Henry from repeating as NFL rushing champion

The Tennessee Titans' Derrick Henry is the definition of a workhorse running back – he's old school. Last season, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound bulldozer topped the NFL with 303 carries, although it did lead to his first-ever rushing title. The 2015 Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama entered Week 17 trailing Cleveland's Nick Chubb by 124 yards, but Henry gashed the Houston Texans for 211 yards on 32 carries to finish with a league-best 1,540 yards.

Tennessee also rode Henry into the ground in the playoffs as he rushed 34 times for 182 yards in the Wild-Card upset in New England, carried 30 times for 195 yards in the Divisional Round stunner in Baltimore and then 19 times for 69 yards in the AFC title game loss in Kansas City.

Henry's 386 total carries ranked Top 25 in league history in a combined regular season and playoffs. The regular-season record is 416 by Kansas City's Larry Johnson in 2006. Johnson rushed for a career-high 1,789 yards that year but was never the same after.

Henry's carries have jumped significantly every year in the NFL, and the average career span for a tailback is about four years. This will be his fifth season. Thus, the Titans want to limit his touches. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said to the media this week that it probably would be better for the offense is "if more guys are touching the ball."

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If this is true, that could seriously hurt Henry's chances of becoming the first player since Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson (2006-07) to lead the NFL in rushing back-to-back seasons. Henry projects to be the +500 favorite on the NFL odds to be the rushing king and should be given an Over-Under of around 1,300 yards. He is +4000 at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL MVP honors.

The Titans let third-down back Dion Lewis go this offseason but selected Appalachian State's Darrynton Evans in the third round of April's draft. Like Henry, though, Evans hasn't proven much as a receiver. Henry had just 18 catches last year and Evans 21.

Thus, it might make a ton of sense for the Titans to sign free-agent running back Devonta Freeman. Evans can spell Henry as a runner and Freeman can take Lewis' spot as the third-down back. Freeman's career high in catches is 73 and he had 59 last year.

Tennessee opens the season Monday, Sept. 14 in Denver, and the Titans are currently +2 against the spread.

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