5 Elite RBs Hitting Free Agency Who Can Replace Nick Chubb Long-Term for the Browns

2. Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry is probably the best comparison to Nick Chubb in the NFL right now. They're truly elite running backs who don't really fit into the modern mold. They're guys who can shoulder workloads that would destroy most backs, and they do it without complaint. If anything, they get better the more volume they see, wearing down defenses and often doing their biggest damage in the fourth quarter.

The big red flag with Henry is just how much work he's received in Tennessee.

He’s led the NFL in rush attempts in each of his last three full seasons, and he had even more attempts per game than he did in any of those seasons when he ended up getting hurt in 2021. By the end of 2023 he'll probably have eclipse 1,900 career rush attempts already.

But if anyone is capable of bucking the trend and continuing to produce at an elite level "late" into his career, it's Henry.

His efficiency has dropped over the last couple seasons, but that seems to have much more to do with the offense around him than it does with his own play. Like Barkley, he tends to be the only real weapon in his offense, and he also doesn't have an especially strong line in front of him.

Henry is right up there with Chubb in terms of skill level, and we saw Chubb produce as the NFL's most efficient rusher for years behind the outstanding Cleveland offensive line. Henry is capable of doing the same.