Despite rushing for a whopping 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns for the University of Alabama in 2015, Derrick Henry hasn't seen a ton of work since being drafted 45th overall by the Tennessee Titans last year. Henry ran the ball just 110 times last season and was targeted just 15 times in the passing game, ceding much of the backfield work to three-time Pro Bowler Demarco Murray, who finished the 2016 campaign with 346 touches.

Murray, however, is now dealing with a hamstring injury that limited him to just 10 touches and 28 total yards in Week 2's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Henry was impressive in Week 2 with 14 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown, and he could be poised to explode in a Week 3 date with the Seattle Seahawks as a result of Murray's injury.

Murray should take a seat in Week 3

Murray was sluggish in the game against Jacksonville last weekend, plodding his way to 3.0 yards per carry in the first half before seeing just two carries after halftime. Murray's limited second-half usage was initially a bit of a mystery, but it was reported after the game that Murray's hamstring tightened up on him, and he has yet to practice this week as a result of the ailment.

The tight hamstring is the same one that caused Murray to miss time during training camp.

With a lengthy injury history, 1,760 NFL touches (regular season and playoffs), and a 30th birthday not far down the road (February 12), Murray very well may be best suited taking his time with his hamstring injury. Soft-tissue injuries can be tough to shake, especially for an older athlete with a lot of mileage on him, so the Titans would be wise to let Murray get to a hundred percent, or close to it, before reinserting him as a featured offensive player.

Even if Murray is active this week against the Seahawks, the Titans will likely limit his workload and use him as a change-of-pace runner to complement Henry.

Henry's great opportunity

The Titans obviously did not make Henry the 45th overall pick and second running back selected in the 2016 draft (after Ezekiel Elliott) to have him spend his prime years as a backup.

The hope was that, when the right time came, the team would be able lean on Henry has a focal point of the offense. Well, that time is now. Henry pulled through in a big way against the Jaguars, ripping off 6.6 yards per carry, but the Titans are facing a tougher opponent this week in the Seahawks.

Seattle may have struggled to a 1-1 record through the first two weeks of the season, but the Seahawks defense is still fearsome, particularly against the pass. The team ranks fifth in points allowed and eighth in yards allowed per pass attempt. Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota may have a tough time moving the ball through the air against defensive backs like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor, pass-rushers like Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, and a couple of linebackers who excel in pass coverage.

That being said, the Seahawks have been gashed on the ground through two games, allowing 243 yards on 47 rushing attempts (5.2 yards per carry) against a couple of teams that aren't particularly strong on the ground—the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. Several of the Seattle defensive linemen, particularly on the interior, have struggled against the run this season, resulting in the team's ugly run-defense numbers.

That should result in the Titans leaning on their rushing attack to move the offense against the Seahawks, and given Murray's injury, Henry will likely be worked hard throughout the game.

Not only is run defense the Seahawks' weakness, but run blocking is also the strength of the Titans offensive line. In a game at home against an offense that has posted just 21 points through two games, the Titans' game plan will almost certainly be to grind out yards on the ground and wear out the opposing defense.

Henry has the talent to shine

Opportunity doesn't always translate to success in the NFL, but in Henry's case, it almost certainly will. At 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, Henry is among the most physically imposing runners in the league, and he runs with a vicious style that punishes anyone who tries to tackle him. In college, he proved that he can hold up through a heavy workload by tallying a whopping 395 carries in his final year at Alabama.

On his first 130 professional rushing attempts, he proved that he can succeed against NFL talent by averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

When Henry gets to the second level, he can be among the toughest runners in the league to take down—when 247 pounds is going downhill on a pair of legs that busted a 4.54 40-yard dash at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine, sometimes it's best to just get out of the way and live to fight another day. Given the run-blocking prowess on the Titans offense line along with the Seahawks' struggles on the defensive line, Henry should have plenty of opportunities to pick up a full head of steam before plowing into linebackers and defensive backs. Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright are high-quality linebackers, but even they will be in for a long day if Henry is able to blow through open running lanes.

This weekend's matchup between the Seahawks and Titans should be a joy for anyone who loves to watch explosive, physical running-back play, as one of the league's most impressive young runners will have an opportunity to showcase his skills. Henry has notched double-digit carries just five times over his NFL career (including last weekend), but he looks to be in a good position to blow past his career high of 16 rushing attempts in Week 3. Get ready to fire up Henry in fantasy lineups on Sunday.
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