Nyheim Hines (RB, IND) - 2020 Fantasy Football Draft Sleeper

4 years ago by Antonio Losada

BALLER MOVE: Target Around ~130 Overall

CURRENT ADP: ~150

ANALYSIS: At this point, there isn't much to uncover in Indianapolis' backfield. It's been months since the Colts drafted stud-running back Jonathan Taylor and he's getting drafted as the RB22 while projecting to be the RB25 overall in 2020 per PFF projections. That is not a great variation between draft position and expectations until we consider his true ADP of ~50 overall and the not-so-good ROI that type of player would yield.

Not only that, but Taylor will be sharing the backfield with an already-tested rusher in Marlon Mack--who I have as Indy's RB1--and a very capable, do-it-all RB in Nyheim Hines. If all things stay the same given those three players' profiles and past performance, Hines would be the pass-catching running back among them. That means that he should in principle suffer the least inside this committee, as he will keep his role virtually intact. Hines already rushed for 199 yards last season on 52 carries (2 TDs) and added a pretty neat 320 yards on 44 receptions for an average of 7.3 yards per catch.

Fantasy GMs are drafting Hines almost a round earlier than they were doing a month ago in mid-July, which makes me think they are starting to realize Hines' upside on the passing game. While obviously not a league-winning player himself, Hines projects as one of the better pass-catchers among RBs in the whole league and as a top-10 player in receiving yards and receptions at the position even with his RB3 role in the Colts offense. Steal of a player at his current ADP, and he would still be even if that number keeps rising and Hines keeps falling down draft boards.