The most valuable player in fantasy football will miss a significant period of time, as Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry will have foot surgery that will keep him off the field until further notice.
It's a major bummer for the player and the franchise, as his brilliance has landed him in the conversation for the NFL's Most Valuable Player, a spot usually earmarked for top quarterbacks on successful teams.
As far as fantasy is concerned, there is no easy way to replace Henry. Through eight weeks, he has been over 40 points better than the next-best running back in fantasy this season, a gargantuan gap that is just one way to describe his impact.
It's sort of unprecedented as well, as Henry's durability has been a hallmark of his dominance. For those asking what the Titans' offense looks like without Henry ... who knows? Henry has missed just two games in his career because of injury and has handled over 95% of the running back rushing attempts for his team this season.
It took just hours for the Titans to make a move at running back, as they added veteran Adrian Peterson to their practice squad, with the expectation that he'll be elevated to their active roster in short order. In recent seasons, I've been skeptical of consistent fantasy value for Peterson because he has minimal passing game impact. He posted just 12 catches in 16 games last season while splitting duties in Detroit.
With that being said, if there were ever a team with which his between-the-tackles prowess could shine through, Tennessee is it. Peterson not only still has enough acceleration to get to the second level but plenty of ability to handle a significant workload, as he had five games last season with at least 15 touches. We'll continue to follow along for any updates or news surrounding the Henry situation, with more insight below.
It's the Week 9 ESPN Fantasy waiver wire.
Note: All players on this column are available in over 50% of leagues on ESPN.com.
Week 9 byes: Buccaneers, Lions, Seahawks, Washington Football Team