Patriots rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson led the team in rushing yards and tied for the lead in receptions in his regular-season debut. But that's where the positive stuff ends. Henderson carried five times for just 27 yards in Sunday's loss to the Raiders. His six catches went for just 24 yards, while his six targets ranked fifth on the team.
2025 Fantasy Football Impact
The Patriots' 46 passing attempts for the game certainly helped the volume for Henderson, who finished the first half with 2 receptions. The team abandoned the run in the second half, despite staying within a TD of the Raiders until the middle of the fourth quarter.
The worst aspect for Henderson is that he played just 25 snaps vs. 46 for Rhamondre Stevenson. That included trailing Stevenson 25-18 in pass routes.
The Pats obviously like Henderson quite a bit. They drafted him sixth overall. But Sunday's usage shows at best a frustrating level of patience for his development.
Of course, it was just one game ... and a loss. Perhaps New England coaches review this one and decide they need to deploy their backfield differently -- and that the change needs to happen immediately.
But unless we get some indication this week that'll come in Week 2, Henderson doesn't look like a fantasy starter for next Sunday's visit to Miami.
It's way too early to panic, but you might need more patience with Henderson than his draft position would indicate.