Derrick Henry vs J.K. Dobbins: Who Should You Start?
Two running backs who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens) finished the 2025 season averaging 16.0 fantasy points per game in 17 games. J.K. Dobbins (Denver Broncos) came in at 11.0 PPG over 10 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Derrick Henry carries a 5.0-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Derrick Henry ran for 1595 yards and 16 touchdowns; J.K. Dobbins posted 772 and 4. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 14 bye. That means you need a backup plan at running back for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
