Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update: Nyheim Hines, RB IND
Editor’s Note: To help you dominate your rookie drafts, this series will feature a look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of over 40 dynasty rookie draft prospects and run all through the month of May and even into June. We’ll cover all the premier prospects but also give you critical information on some of the lesser known talents. All of these rookie updates will be loaded into our ever-evolving 2018 Rookie Draft Guide – the ultimate resource for dynasty enthusiasts all over the world.
Name: Nyheim Hines
Position: Running Back
Pro Team: Indianapolis Colts
College Team: North Carolina State
Draft Status: Round four, 104th overall
Video Highlights
Combine Review
- Height: 5’8’’
- Weight: 198 Pounds
- Arm Length: 30 3/4”
- Bench Press: N/A
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.38
- 20-Yard Dash: 4.35
- Vertical: 35.5’’
- Broad Jump: 119’’
- Three Cone: 7.18
Strengths
Hines is an electric player who can play both running back and slot receiver. He’s exceptional as a receiving option out of the backfield. The one thing that sets him apart from the rest of the backs in this class is his speed. He is capable of scoring from anywhere on the football field. Linebackers, safeties and nickel corners are going to struggle to keep up with him in space. He can eat up yards in bunches and will be a mismatch nightmare.
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He might be small, but he’s not afraid to lower his shoulder and pick up the yardage that’s given to him. Hines is a ball of clay ready to be molded into a top-notch satellite back. I wouldn’t be surprised if he develops into one of the best PPR backs in fantasy.
Weaknesses
At 198 pounds, Hines does not have the size to play in a three-down role. Even though he runs with some power, once he hits his top-end speed, he’s still easy to bring down around the line of scrimmage. His lack of vision and inability to immediately find the running lanes is a big issue because it could limit his workload.
His explosiveness in the open field makes him a tremendous asset the passing game. However, he does struggle with getting in and out of his breaks while running routes. He’s also not a natural hands catcher and he needs to be more aggressive at the catch point.
Opportunities
The Colts should be leaning on Hines as their primary pass-catching option out of the backfield. Josh Ferguson is his only competition in this regard, considering he’s the only other satellite back on the roster. Although the price tag wasn’t super hefty, Indianapolis still spent a fourth-round pick on Hines, which is enough draft capital to make him a favorite to rise on the depth chart early his career.
Threats
There’s plenty of competition in Indy. Marlon Mack is slated to be the team’s lead back and is capable of playing all three downs for the Colts. He’s a major threat to cut into Hines’ workload. The team also has Christine Michael and Robert Turbin still on the depth chart. Neither player should be considered a major threat, but they are still veterans who have some prowess.
Hines’ inability to handle a three-down role could impact his ability to see a large enough volume to see fantasy relevancy. The Colts have yet to invest a high draft pick or a big free agency signing on a running back. If the run game doesn’t hit this season, then they could decide to invest premium capital on a more talented runner.
Short-Term Expectations
Expect him to get sprinkled in the offensive game plan during the first couple seasons of his career. His ability to break off long gains should make him a trendy cheap option in DFS. I wouldn’t be surprised if he develops into a key proponent in the passing game for the Colts as early as his rookie season. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it takes him a few years to become a key contributor to the team.
Long-Term Expectations
His long-term player value is dependent on if he can develop a rapport with Andrew Luck. If he develops into one of Luck’s favorite weapons in the passing game, then he could be one of the top PPR backs in fantasy. If not, then he could be ‘just another guy’ you keep on the end of your bench to fill bye weeks.
NFL Comparison
Danny Woodhead is a player who compares to Hines’ skill sets. Both backs are small and shifty but also have the speed to be dangerous in the open field. Woodhead caught 300 passes for 2,698 yards during his nine-year career. Hines has the ability to be a dependable PPR asset like Woodhead was when he was considered one of the top receiving backs in the league.
Projected Range for Rookie Drafts
With a Rookie ADP of 23.80, Hines is currently a late-second to a mid-third round option in rookie drafts. Depending on how things shake up in your draft, he could fall as far as the middle of the third round. I’ve also seen owners take a swing at the piñata in the middle of the second-round.
The DLF team has him ranked as the ninth-best running back prospect in this year’s class. They also have him ranked 26th overall. The running backs who are typically ranked ahead of him are Saquon Barkley, Derrius Guice, Nick Chubb, Ronald Jones, Rashaad Penny, Sony Michel, Royce Freeman and Kerryon Johnson. The common factor between all of the backs who are ranked ahead of him is that they are all capable of handling a three-down workload. Also, all of those backs were drafted well ahead of Hines.
The cheapest way to acquire Hines’ services might be through startup drafts. Here he carries a 185.17 ADP and is typically the 57th running back off the board. With him being a tenth-round startup pick, there’s little to no risk to involved in selecting him. The price is so low that you’re not out much if he busts, making him a very palatable option in this portion of the draft.
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