Colts 2018 rookies: Nyheim Hines

We continue our rookie series and look at one of the two running backs the Colts took in last April’s draft.

Nyheim Hines was drafted in the fourth round by the Colts in April. Hines was one of two running backs drafted from N.C. State. He was the more versatile of the two backs and is the better receiver of the two. That was put into question early in the season.

Hines struggled with fumbles in the preseason, especially in the return game. His problems got so bad that he was eventually no longer a part of receiving punt or kick returns. His issues got better in the regular season, as he only fumbled once.

Despite the early fumble problems, Hines established himself as a weapon in the Colts offense. He started the season as the third back behind Marlon Mack and Robert Turbin, but was used a lot in passing packages. He ended the season as the backup and was one of the big receiving weapons.

Hines had 63 catches for 425 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was moved around in the pre-snap to maximize his matchups in the passing game. Hines was shown to have pretty reliable hands throughout the season. His running game was respectable too.

Hines ran the ball for 3.7 yards per carry. He isn’t the biggest back in the world, but can still run the ball in between the tackles. He can do a lot of things on offense. As long as Hines keeps his fumbling problems at bay, he can make an impact for this Colts team.

Like all rookies, Hines will need time to adjust to the speed of the NFL game and get strong enough to run inside more. Expect Hines to continue to be a big part of the Colts offense, especially in the passing game,