All eyes will be on the defenses for this Texans vs. Patriots AFC Divisional contest. Both defensive units are exceptional and will look to dial it up against two young quarterbacks. Veteran pass catchers will be crucial in this game, and Hunter Henry may prove awfully important for the Patriots.
Below, I’ll go over my favorite Hunter Henry prop to consider from this contest.
Best Hunter Henry Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Hunter Henry 4+ Receptions (-119)
It’s difficult to find a weakness in this Houston Texans defense. They have one of the best secondaries in the game, an elite pass rush, and a front seven that can thump the run all night long. But if they have a weakness, it’s in the linebacking core. Azeez Al-Shaair is excellent, but he can’t do it all. The Patriots know that.
New England was one of the best teams in the league at running 12 personnel. For those who haven’t heard the term before, that’s when the offense fields one running back, two tight ends and two receivers. The Patriots’ offense was third in EPA per pass when throwing out of 12 personnel, utilizing Henry and Austin Hooper well to create mismatches over the middle, up the seams, and in the flats. Henry is a true matchup nightmare for linebackers and slot corners.
New England ranks 19th in the NFL in 12 personnel usage, but I expect that usage to go up in this game because of Houston’s pass rushers. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter will eat these Patriots tackles alive if they’re not getting help. Some of that help will come from the backfield, but the TreVeyon Henderson snaps open up a weakness since he has struggled in pass protection. They’ll want more tight ends on the field to provide chip blocks.
Chip blocks also mean a lot of leakouts. Henry will run plenty of direct routes in 11 and empty sets, but he’ll get that extra usage when New England goes heavy to counteract the pass rush. It may not result in huge gains, but Henry’s presence as a checkdown option will be constant. I expect Drake Maye to be looking Henry’s way often.
