If you're planning on doing some fantasy football prep for the 2022 season, this is the time of the year you want to pay attention to what NFL coaches are saying. There are players standing out to coordinators early, late-round rookies grabbing headlines, and players who could benefit now that they are on new rosters. If you are creating your fantasy football sleeper list, you should hear what Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich said recently.
The Colts have a bonafide star at running back in Jonathan Taylor, but coach Reich is excited for another player in his backfield: Nyheim Hines.
"I think that last year, as we've documented well, we got probably a tad more run-centric than we wanted to be, than I wanted us to be," Reich said, via Pro Football Talk. "Just worked out the way the dynamics were. Nyheim still made an impact in games but not as much as normal, and if you look at his years here, it's been like every other year where he seems to have a better year.
"I was just laughing with (senior director of football communications Matt) Conti coming in here, talking about Nyheim, and I said, 'If I was a fantasy owner, if I was going to be in a fantasy league, I think I'd pick Nyheim this year. I think I'd consider drafting Nyheim. I think it's worth [it] to consider drafting him.'"
Hines didn't have an incredible campaign last year, as he rushed for 276 yards and two touchdowns while catching 40 passes for 310 yards and one touchdown in 17 games played. His best season came in 2020, when Hines racked up 862 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns. Hines is considered to be the Colts' No. 2 RB who will see action as a pass-catcher, but Indy also went out and signed Ty'Son Williams and dual-threat weapon Phillip Lindsay in the last two weeks.
In looking at our fantasy football experts' PPR rankings, Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard and Heath Cummings all have Taylor as their No. 1 fantasy back for 2022. Eisenberg and Richard have Hines as the No. 46 RB, while Cummings is a bit higher on him, ranking him No. 33.