Welcome to Week 5 of the 2025 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
Let's roll...
Matt Waldman: Jackson will likely miss multiple weeks with a hamstring injury. How will this impact Derrick Henry's fantasy production moving forward?
Josh Fahlsing: Overall, Jackson's absence is likely to help Henry's production this week, but I do believe the impact will be minimal. The Texans' defense ranks 30th in the NFL against rushes outside of the tackles. Henry has excelled outside of the tackles so far this year, averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. If Cooper Rush can do enough to keep the Texans from stacking the box against Henry, then Ravens coaches could ride the star running back until Lamar Jackson can get back.
Jeff Haseley: I have a feeling Derrick Henry's role won't change much, whether or not Lamar Jackson is playing. His success really boils down to the game script.
Think about all those times we've watched Justice Hill's usage spike, usually in the passing game, while Henry is on the sidelines. That almost always happens when the Ravens are down by more than a touchdown.
Houston's defense is not one to take lightly, but with this being a home game, I like Baltimore's chances of getting a lead or being close in points, which bodes well for Henry. So, in my opinion, it's not whether Jackson plays, but whether Baltimore is playing from ahead or behind.
Will Grant: It will undoubtedly hurt Henry's fantasy production with Jackson out of the lineup. Part of what makes Henry so dangerous to the Baltimore backfield is that he's back there with Jackson.
Defenses can't focus exclusively on Henry running the ball because Jackson has the speed and skill to take off and run the other way. RPOs are especially deadly with the Jackson-Henry combination because if your defense comes up to cover both, Jackson can throw it downfield.
Once Henry gets going, he's much harder to bring down. By the time defenses realize he's the primary option, he's already in fifth gear, and it's off to the races. With Cooper Rush under center, that option is gone, and defenses can focus on slowing down Henry before he gets to the second level.
Henry is not a 'sit' for your fantasy squad, but expect his performance to drop until Jackson returns to the lineup.
Matt Montgomery: Henry stands to benefit significantly in this scenario. The Ravens lack depth at receiver, and Mark Andrews is showing clear regression, limiting their passing options. John Harbaugh is unlikely to task a backup quarterback with replicating Lamar Jackson’s dynamic game plan. Instead, expect a strong emphasis on the run, where Henry thrives. Always one carry away from a touchdown, Henry is poised for a potential boom week. At minimum, his opportunities should increase substantially, making him a strong bet for a big performance.
David Zacharias: The Ravens are at home this week versus Houston, and are favored by 3.5 points. Either Cooper Rush or Tyler Huntley will be called upon to manage the game. Neither will be asked to replicate Jackson's rushing production through the first four games (21 carries for 166 yards).
Most of those opportunities will be transferred to Henry in a ball-control game script. Henry is RB18 to date, averaging a healthy 5.8 yards per carry. He's only been asked to run the ball 12 times a game thus far (compared to 18.8 in 2024).
Even though the defenses will no longer need to account for the threat of Jackson's rushes, Henry should receive a 25%-30% increase in carries, which will more than make up for any reduction in yards per carry.
Dave Kluge: Derrick Henry should get back on track this week, but it has much more to do with the opponent he’s facing off against than Jackson’s absence. Henry has feasted against the Texans over his career, rushing for 200-plus yards in four of his last eight matchups against them.
The one time he’s seen them as a Raven was in Week 17 last year, where he amassed 147 rushing and 18 receiving yards. Expect the Ravens to lean on Henry in this matchup.
Jason Wood: Lamar Jackson's absence almost certainly hurts the entire offense, including Derrick Henry. Henry has averaged an impressive 5.8 yards per carry through the first month, but he ranks outside the Top 15 at the position because he's done nothing as a receiver and has only 49 carries.
Some may think the Ravens will try to slow the game down and feed Henry 20–25 times without Jackson under center, but that’s a myopic view. Henry is at his best when the game script allows for it, and losing the league's most efficient scoring passer is a problem. So too is the lack of defenders needing to leave a spy to account for Jackson’s scrambling ability.
With Cooper Rush at quarterback, the Ravens' offense becomes predictable and bland. Justice Hill should see more snaps as the prototypical third-down receiving back, and the Ravens will likely face more third-and-long situations with Rush.
Finally, the Ravens face the Texans, which is a neutral matchup against the run but one of the league’s most difficult passing matchups. Expecting Rush to keep the Ravens on script against a top-tier pass defense is asking too much.