TreVeyon Henderson is already forcing his way into the conversation for New England’s 2026 outlook.
The Patriots have plenty of offensive names to sort through - Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Rhamondree Stevenson, Hunter Henry and Mike Onwenu among them - but Henderson’s tape keeps jumping off the screen. In the team’s “Top 25 Patriots of 2026” rankings, he lands at No. 13 and becomes the first running back on the list.
That placement comes after a rookie year that gave New England plenty to build on. Henderson finished with 911 rushing yards on 180 carries and nine touchdowns, while also adding 76 yards on 30 carries during four playoff games. He topped 1,000 total offensive yards, earned a nomination for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and showed enough in Year 1 to make a bigger second-season leap feel very possible.
What makes Henderson such an intriguing piece is the way he fits alongside Stevenson rather than replacing him. There’s no real concern right now that he’ll unseat Stevenson as the starter, but his role as a change-of-pace back looks tailor-made for Josh McDaniels’ offense. Henderson brings the kind of speed and burst that can stress defenses on the edge and create explosive plays when he gets into space.
That big-play element showed up last season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills, when he ripped off long touchdowns that looked exactly like the kind of plays New England wants more of. The flip side was also clear: when Henderson got trapped behind the line, the Patriots ran into trouble. Cleaning that up will matter.
The Patriots drafted Henderson in the second round with the 38th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he made an immediate impact as both a runner and a blocker. When healthy, he looked like one of the team’s most dynamic weapons, and his ability to contribute in multiple ways gave the offense a different gear.
His usage in the postseason hinted at where this could go next. Henderson was trusted with 12 carries in the AFC Divisional Round against the Houston Texans, a sign that his role is already expanding. With another year in McDaniels’ system, his versatility should only make him more valuable.
The next step is refining his power running, especially in the red zone, during training camp. At 23, Henderson is heading into a season that could shape not just his immediate production, but how the Patriots use him moving forward.
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