Who Should You Draft in Fantasy Football? Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Jahmyr Gibbs Outlooks (2024)

The arrival of the 2024 NFL season is coming quickly, and fans are eagerly looking forward to it. Many fantasy football players will have their drafts in the coming days, and they might have some doubts about which player to draft.

Having a good running back is quite critical to performing well in the fantasy football landscape. Players like Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, and Jahmyr Gibbs are among the best at their positions and will be highly sought after in drafts this year.

Who among Henry, Gibbs, or Taylor should you draft for fantasy football in 2024? Take a look at all of their fantasy outlooks and the players you could look to draft among the three.

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Derrick Henry Fantasy Football Outlook

Henry signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. Playing alongside a very good quarterback, Lamar Jackson, and a better offensive line than he had in Tennessee will help Henry put up better numbers this year.

Last year, Henry had 280 carries for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns in 17 games, averaging 68.6 rushing yards per game. He also had 28 receptions for 214 yards and will be a go-to guy for the Ravens in the red zone.

Henry could easily score close to 15 touchdowns this year, which makes him an ideal player to target in drafts.

ANGRY. RUN. CHAMPION. 🏆 @gmfb@KingHenry_2 99 YARDS TO THE HOUSE! pic.twitter.com/FCCLpgDVA0

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 7, 2018

Jonathan Taylor Fantasy Football Outlook

Taylor has dealt with injuries in the past two seasons, following a breakout year in 2021. A thumb injury limited him to only 10 games last year, and an ankle injury that required surgery caused him to miss six games the year before.

Despite all of that, Taylor is still one of the best running backs in the league. Last year, he had 169 carries for 741 yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games, averaging 4.4 yards per carry and 74.1 yards per game. Taylor also had 19 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown.

The Colts got better at the wide receiver position this offseason, and it will further help their star running back. Staying healthy will be key for Taylor, as playing alongside Anthony Richardson could elevate his game to the next level.

Jahmyr Gibbs Fantasy Football Outlook

The Detroit Lions drafted Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick last year, and he exceeded all expectations. In 15 games last season, Gibbs had 182 carries for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and 63.0 rushing yards per game.

Gibbs is a big contributor to the Lions' passing game, and in his rookie season, he had 52 receptions for 316 yards and a touchdown on 71 targets, averaging 21.1 yards per game.

When healthy, the Lions star has the potential to finish the season as RB1 in fantasy football, but he has dealt with a hamstring issue in the training camp. Gibbs has not played a single game in the preseason, but based on reports, he will likely be ready to play in Week 1.

Jahmyr Gibbs, who has been dealing with a leg injury, is out on the field running routes and catching passes from Jared Goff #Lions pic.twitter.com/55K1ysIxCD

— Bridget Condon (@BridgetCondon_) August 24, 2024

Who Should You Draft in Fantasy Football?

In PPR scoring leagues, Taylor, Henry, and Gibbs put up these numbers last year:

1. Derrick Henry - 17 games, 246.7 total points, averaged 14.5 points per game.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs - 15 games, 242.1 total points, averaged 16.1 points per game.
3. Jonathan Taylor - 10 games, 156.4 total points, averaged 15.6 points per game.

Anthony Richardson to Jonathan Taylor at the goal line. pic.twitter.com/1BK7xPqxT2

— Jake Arthur (@JakeArthurNFL) August 20, 2024

Among these three-star running backs, the personal preference is to draft Gibbs, with Taylor being the second choice ahead of Henry. The Ravens running back will undoubtedly put up big numbers this year, but having a running back who is 30 years old is still a risky bet to make in fantasy football.

Gibbs will contribute much more to the passing game than the other two, and as mentioned earlier, he has the potential to finish as RB1 this year if he stays healthy. It feels like Taylor is also primed to have another big year, but that will largely depend on his health as well as the health of his quarterback, i.e., Anthony Richardson.

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