Week 11 vs. Green Bay Packers
We’ve done this with Nyheim Hines before. We’ve gotten really excited about him after he scores multiple touchdowns. He legit looked great against the Titans last week on his way to 115 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries and five receptions, but Hines is just as likely to follow that up with four touches and 30 yards as he is to build on it next week.
That being said, Hines faces a Packers defense that ranks 30th in aFPA to opposing running backs this week. The Colts also figure to be playing from behind, making it likely Hines sees a few extra snaps on passing downs. He’s a solid RB3 or low-end RB2 in PPR formats.
Week 10 at Tennessee Titans
Nyheim Hines was limited to just four touches, including a pair of receptions, for a total of 38 yards last week against the Ravens. Hines has a nice matchup this week against the Titans, but if you take away his two games with multiple touchdowns, you’re looking at a player averaging just 7.6 touches and 40.9 yards per game. He continues to have some streaming value in deep PPR formats, but in most leagues, he should remain on waivers.
Week 9 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Nyheim Hines had two touchdown receptions against the Lions last week. They were his first touchdowns since he scored twice in Week 1. Otherwise, his numbers were fairly on par for him. He carried the ball five times for eight yards, and caught three of five targets for 54 yards. Don’t expect that kind of production every week, but he has PPR value in deeper leagues, since he’s averaged 3.7 receptions per game. Sit him, or drop him in most leagues.
Week 8 at Detroit Lions
Nyheim Hines didn’t get any carries against the Bengals before the bye last week, and he had just 27 yards receiving. He caught five balls on six targets, which is nice for PPR formats, but he’s averaging just 6.3 yards per reception this season and hasn’t scored a touchdown since the two he had in Week 1. Expect continued targets with very little production from Hines moving forward, giving him deep-league PPR value, but only for desperate owners. In most leagues, he droppable.
Week 6 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Nyheim Hines had three carries and two receptions for just 12 total yards last week against the Browns. Hines is averaging 8.8 touches per game, but he’s only cracked double-digit PPR points twice so far this season, making him a risky bet in any given week. He has upside in deep leagues against the Bengals in Week 6, who rank 21st in aFPA to opposing running backs, but he’s risky, and only valuable in PPR formats.
Week 5 at Cleveland Browns
Nyheim Hines has been pretty quiet since his big Week 1, but he’s still getting double-digit touches, giving him upside in deep leagues. Hines has seven receptions over the past two games combined, and is just two weeks removed from an 11-touch, 61-yard game that included four receptions. Those numbers are reasonable to expect in good matchups for Hines, so fantasy owners in deep, PPR leagues should consider him this week against a Browns team that has put up at least 34 points in three straight games and should be able to keep the Colts in passing down situations.
Week 4 at Chicago Bears
Nyheim Hines had seven carries and four catches for a total of 61 yards. He’s quieted down after multiple touchdowns in Week 1, but his totals from last week should be a reasonable expectation for fantasy owners moving forward. Hines is a talented pass-catcher, so his value comes from PPR formats. This week, he’s a low-end RB3 option in that format against a vulnerable Bears defense that ranks 29th in aFPA to opposing running backs this season.
Week 3 vs. New York Jets
Nyheim Hines had a huge game in Week 1, but found himself with just one catch and four yards against the Vikings last week. That could largely be attributed to the game situation, as the Colts got up early on and didn’t need to throw the ball much. Hines will continue to be used on passing downs, so he’s still worth flexing in PPR formats against decent opponents. This week, against the lowly Jets, expect more running plays and positive game script, meaning probably another clunker for Hines. Bench him.
Week 2 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Nyheim Hines clicked immediately with new quarterback Philip Rivers, catching all eight balls thrown his way for 45 yards and a touchdown. He also added 28 yards and another touchdown on seven carries on the ground. Hines should continue to play a pivotal role in the passing game, and Rivers has always made good use of his running backs, so Hines should be active in the offense moving forward.
The Vikings got killed by the Packers last week, though they look better than that on paper, so we’ll see if the Colts have as much success with Rivers and not Aaron Rodgers behind center. Don’t expect multiple touchdowns each week from Hines, but feel free to get excited about the eight targets and 15 total touches. Those are numbers that could be repeated, and would make him a solid RB3/flex option this week in PPR formats.
Week 1 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Nyheim Hines had a great matchup this week and he should benefit this season from the presence of Philip Rivers, who always used his running backs extensively in the passing game. However, with the presence of Jonathan Taylor in this offense, it’s hard to trust starting Hines until we see what his snap count is going to look like. If he gets back to the 81 targets he had as a rookie, then he’ll be worth flex consideration in PPR formats. If not, he may not be worth rostering in most leagues. We’ll see, but either way, take a wait-and-see approach for this week.
