Colts head coach Frank Reich said Nyheim Hines will have a bigger role in the team's offense with Matt Ryan at quarterback.
Reich likened Hines' 2022 usage to how he was deployed with Philip Rivers under center for Indy in 2020. That year, Hines was third among running backs in targets and receptions, trailing only J.D. McKissic and Alvin Kamara. He was graded by Pro Football Focus as 2020's top receiving back. Hines took a step back in 2021 with Carson Wentz at QB for the Colts, seeing 53 targets to Jonathan Taylor's 48. Headed into the 2021 season, Wentz had targeted running backs on a meager 9 percent of his pass attempts in the league. Matt Ryan, meanwhile, has a history of running back dump offs that have turned into PPR goodness for RBs in his backfield. Falcons running backs in 2021 combined for a 25 percent target share, and Devonta Freeman was a valuable PPR producer during his run as Atlanta's starter. That more touches for Hines might mean fewer touches for Taylor might cast skepticism on Reich's desire to boost Hines' involvement in the Colts offense. The Athletic's Stephen Holder on Monday recommended fantasy managers draft Hines in 2022, for whatever that's worth.
- Zak Keefer, Twitter