After an injury-plagued training camp, New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson finds himself sidelined once again. Henderson suffered a high-ankle sprain during New England's Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, ESPN reported on Tuesday morning. While he is expected to miss multiple weeks, all indications suggest Henderson avoided surgery and could return sooner rather than later.
Henderson previously dealt with a Grade 1 ankle sprain during training camp that cost him multiple weeks. The injury didn’t just keep Henderson out of practice, but it also forced him to miss the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. It’s unclear if this is the same ankle injury, but Henderson has struggled to stay healthy since entering the league as a second-round pick out of Ohio State.
Henderson has also struggled on the field this season, but injuries have undoubtedly played a factor in his regression following an impressive rookie season. Through four games, Henderson has rushed for 163 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and just a single touchdown. With Henderson now sidelined, veteran running back Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to step back into a three-down workhorse role.
Meanwhile, rookie Corey Kiner should serve as the primary change-of-pace option moving forward. Kiner is coming off a strong performance against the Raiders. After Henderson left the game, Kiner stepped up to rush for 52 yards on six carries (8.7 yards per carry), headlined by a 32-yard run.
With the Patriots sitting at 3-2, the time for the offense to click is now in a competitive AFC East. With Henderson sidelined and wide receiver A.J. Brown still on injured reserve, even more pressure continues to fall on the shoulders of quarterback Drake Maye.
