Without a doubt, Hunter Henry is a must-add on the Week 3 waiver wire. After finishing 19th in DraftKings points among tight ends last season, Henry ranks third following the Week 2 Sunday slate of games, thanks to 10 receptions for 127 yards through the first two weeks.
The reason for his success has been Henry’s elite usage with Jacoby Brissett under center in New England. This season, Henry leads the Patriots with 15 targets – including two red zone targets – and a massive 31.9% target share while running a route on 85% of Brissett’s dropbacks, the highest route participation for New England.
Henry’s elite 31.9% target share is the highest among all tight ends and ranks sixth among all skill players. While we can’t expect Henry to maintain a target share this large all season, his usage should remain strong, as the Patriots’ top receivers are young and lack experience.
Most of Henry’s routes (53.6%) have come from the slot this season, and relying on the veteran with short passes should be part of the Patriots’ game plan all season long. Brissett’s 6.7 aDOT ranks 24th of 32 qualifying quarterbacks this season, and as a rookie, Drake Maye will almost certainly rely on the short pass whenever New England decides to start the 22-year-old.
Given New England’s reliance on their run game – they rank 28th in pass rate this season – our expectations on Henry need to be tempered. That being said, the veteran has the potential to be a top-10 finisher in fantasy points at his position, and he is worth perusing on the waiver wire in all season-long formats, regardless of your team’s situation.
Even if you already have a stud tight end that you would start over Henry and can only start one tight end in your lineup, picking up the 29-year-old has a ton of merit, as Henry is an appealing piece to put on the trading block right now, with many people desperate for consistent production at the tight end position.
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