Is TreVeyon Henderson the Patriots' Secret Weapon or Biggest Liability in Super Bowl LX?

The New England Patriots spent a second-round draft pick on running back TreVeyon Henderson, and in the build-up to Super Bowl LX, they effectively stopped playing him. 

The 23-year-old has had a remarkably turbulent time in the NFL despite a sparkling career at Ohio State. He had 147- and 148-yard performances against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills, both times scoring two touchdowns, yet he only logged three carries for five yards in the AFC Championship Game. 

Are the Patriots waiting to unleash Henderson as a secret weapon in the Super Bowl, or is he flat-out unplayable? Here are the arguments.

TreVeyon Henderson Big Game Prop Bets

Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.

• Over/under 17.5 rushing yards (-110/-110)

• Over/under 2.5 receiving yards (-114/106)

• Anytime touchdown scorer (+500)

• First touchdown scorer (+2700)

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Why Henderson Could Star in Super Bowl LX

Henderson is a big play waiting to happen.

Arguably the most impactful play of his college career was a 75-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass against Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinal, giving the Buckeyes a 14-7 halftime lead. They won that matchup and then took home the national championship 10 days later.  Without that play, there’s no telling how their season would have finished. 

His touchdowns against the Buccaneers and Bills also came on gains of 69, 65, 55, and 52 yards. His breakaway speed means that he’s always one play away from making a house call, regardless of who is in his way.

Henderson also does a nice job of reading his blocks and finding the open hole. He ranks third among all running backs in yards before contact per attempt, trailing only Blake Corum and Jahmyr Gibbs. 

The rookie’s 911 yards and nine rushing touchdowns both easily led the Patriots, while Rhamondre Stevenson (603 yards and seven TDs) was second in both categories.

After Antonio Gibson suffered a torn ACL in Week 5, it seems unlikely that the Patriots would ride just one back, Stevenson, into the most important game in the franchise’s last seven years.

Why Henderson Faded

Henderson has not been reliable when given opportunities.

The 38th-overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft took nine carries for 27 yards (3.0 YPC) in the Wild Card against the Los Angeles Chargers. He followed that up with 12 carries for 25 yards (2.1 YPC) in the divisional round against the Houston Texans, and three carries for five yards (1.7 YPC) against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.

Henderson also wasn’t special down the stretch in the regular season. He ran for 82 and 53 yards on 4.3 and 4.1 against the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins, neither of whom were even close to qualifying for the playoffs.

The Pats have something working with Stevenson, who leads them in playoff rushing with 198 yards. His average was greatly hurt by the snow in the AFC Championship Game, but he leads the NFL in broken tackles in the playoffs, and he also had the highest rate of 20+-yard gains during the second half of the regular season. 

TreVeyon Henderson Super Bowl Reclamation

Henderson only needs one touch to potentially change the course of the Super Bowl.

While he might not see a lot of the ball, especially if he struggles in his limited opportunities, he could also be a game-changer. The Patriots would be unwise not to think of a way to weaponize his speed against the best defense in the NFL.

Anyone with a strong belief in Henderson can find him for +2000 prop odds at FanDuel to have the most rushing yards in the Super Bowl.

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