TreVeyon Henderson has already shown enough in New England to make the breakout talk feel less like hype and more like a warning shot.
The Patriots running back, a second-round pick out of Ohio State, is drawing fresh attention after an impressive rookie year and a second-half surge in 2025 that turned heads around the league. Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport ranked Henderson No. 3 on his list of five NFL running backs poised for breakout seasons in 2026, putting him in a group that also includes Ashton Jeanty of Las Vegas, Omarion Hampton of the LA Chargers, Cam Skattebo of the Giants and Bhayshul Tuten of Jacksonville.
Davenport pointed to Henderson’s uneven rookie season, but the production still jumped off the page. He topped 1,100 total yards, averaged more than five yards per carry, ranked fifth among qualified running backs in EPA per attempt at plus-.03, and finished 10th in rushing yards over expected per carry, according to Next Gen Stats and SI’s Eva Geitheim. The issue, Davenport wrote, was that Henderson spent too much of the year behind Rhamondre Stevenson because of struggles in pass protection and as a receiver out of the backfield.
"TreVeyon Henderson had an up-and-down rookie season. On one hand, he topped 1,100 total yards and averaged over five yards per carry. Per SI's Eva Geitheim, he ranked fifth in the NFL among qualified running backs in EPA per attempt (plus-.03) and 10th in rushing yards over expected per carry, according to Next Gen Stats.
On the other hand, Henderson's struggles in pass protection and as a receiver out of the backfield led to the Ohio State product spending most of the season playing second fiddle to Rhamondre Stevenson in the New England backfield. He played just 46 percent of the Pats' offensive snaps...
As Henderson improves as a player, he's going to earn a larger share of the backfield work in New England. And if that larger share comes sooner rather than later, look out."
Henderson’s own offseason focus backs up that evaluation. Davenport noted that the running back said he’s working on his pass-catching and blocking, though the receiving piece already looks like a real part of his game. In 2025, he caught 35 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown, while also piling up 911 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
The big-play element is what makes the whole thing dangerous for defenses. Henderson had four touchdown runs of more than 50 yards last season, and the Patriots appear to want that explosiveness front and center in 2026.
With Drake Maye continuing to develop and additions like A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs joining the offense, New England has more firepower around him, too.
The setup around Henderson also matters. The Patriots signed fullback Reggie Gilliam to block, and Stevenson remains on hand as the bigger back to handle the physical work. That leaves Henderson with a clearer lane: get the ball in space and let his speed do the rest.
If that’s the role he settles into, the label “breakout” may not be strong enough.
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