(Photo: People)
8. Derrick Henry: Two have been revealed, and another is set to hear his name today! As expected, offense has dominated this edition of “Best in the Business,” and that trend continues with the next player. It’s crazy to think of this guy as a savvy NFL veteran because it feels like he just entered the league. From his days under Nick Saban with the Alabama Crimson Tide and winning a Heisman, to his breakout years with the Tennessee Titans and now with the Baltimore Ravens, he’s always been an elite player you can depend on to take over a football game. The King has returned—Derrick Henry, that is—and he claims the eighth spot on my list while entering this season as my third-best Running Back in the NFL.
What more is there to say about him? Derrick is one of the most physically dominant Running Backs the NFL has ever seen. Since his early days in the league, he’s been a rare combination of size, speed, and power, with the ability to wear down a defense for a full 60 minutes. All he’s ever needed is the green light, and he’ll break off one of those back-breaking runs late in games to seal the deal for his team. Derrick is now 32 years old, and normally Running Backs begin to break down around 28 or 29. That hasn’t been the case for him, as he’s remained elite because his playing style has aged better than many expected. Despite standing 6’3″ and weighing 250 pounds, he possesses some of the best straight-line speed I’ve ever seen from a Running Back. It’s a scary sight to see someone that big move as quickly as he does, and once he reaches the second and third levels of the defense, he’s incredibly difficult to catch or bring down. He’s by far the hardest Running Back in the NFL to tackle because he consistently breaks arm tackles and is strong enough to drag defenders with him. I’ve said this on the radio and on this website: I always recommend tackling him low because if you try to bring him down high, you’ll likely become the victim of a vicious stiff arm. Derrick also displays elite vision and patience, pressing the line of scrimmage before identifying cutback lanes, particularly in gap and outside-zone concepts. In all my years of watching him, I think the most impressive thing about Derrick is his stamina because he somehow gets stronger as the game goes on, especially in the fourth quarter.
It was another typical year at the office for No. 22. He finished the 2025 season with 1,595 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Since becoming a Raven, two moments stand out to me. The first came in 2024 on Sunday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills. On Baltimore’s opening offensive possession, the Ravens handed the ball to Derrick, and he raced 87 yards for a touchdown to put his team on the board first. The play was run straight up the middle, and it set the tone for the rest of the game. He finished with 199 rushing yards that night. The second moment came just last season in Week 17 on a Saturday night against the Green Bay Packers. Derrick carried the ball 36 times for 216 rushing yards and four touchdowns, and in doing so, he helped save the Ravens’ season. This offense is simply better when it runs through the King.
