Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is outside the top five of running back rankings.
Rankings are always subjective, and there is generally a lot to agree or disagree with in terms of where to place players on whatever list they are being placed on. That has become the case for Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry.
Henry has continued to be a top back in the league, even at the age in which is considered to be "old" playing football and at the running back position. Despite his age and expectation that he will slow down, that has not happened yet, making his new ranking seem a bit questionable.
ESPN compiled a list of running back rankings based on votes from executives, coaches, and scouts. That list contains the usual players at the top, minus Henry.
Despite being second in the league with 1,585 rushing yards in 2025, Henry was ranked No. 6 overall. He was surpassed by Christian McCaffrey, Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson.
Granted, all the listed players are some of the best backs in the league, but to ignore the 2025 stats seems a bit strange.
"Henry's demise still feels far away. Last season, Henry broke off 17 runs of 20 or more yards -- four more than any player -- on his way to a 5.2 yards-per-carry average on 307 attempts. His five seasons with at least 1,500 rushing yards tie Barry Sanders for the most in NFL history.
"'He hasn't really slowed down, to be honest, at least from what I've seen,' a veteran NFL defensive 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,'" the ESPN ranking states.
Henry not only brought in 1,585 rushing yards, but he was tied with Cook with 5.2 yards per carry. The one caveat to this and the understanding that his ranking should have taken a hit is due to his fumbling issues.
Henry committed four fumbles in 2025, but that was two fewer than Cook, at six. Despite not leading running backs in that unfortunate stat, losing the ball is something that cannot happen. Still, being ranked sixth when nearly leading the league in two categories is odd.
Despite the critiques, Henry remains one of the most prolific backs and is a huge part of the Ravens offense. If he can continue his production in 2026 in what is supposed to be a bounce back year for the team, his ranking will likely not be outside the top five, or possibly even the top three.
