One of the most confusing storylines that plagued the Indianapolis Colts throughout the 2021 season was the lack of usage for running back Nyheim Hines.
After signing a three-year extension, Hines was expected to continue his role as a versatile pass-catcher while spelling Jonathan Taylor at times between the tackles.
But the arrival of quarterback Carson Wentz last offseason meant Hines was working with a passer who historically refused to target the running back position. That led directly to a plummet in Hines’ production.
His 40 receptions and 310 receiving yards were the fewest of his four-year career. This was after posting 63 receptions in each of the 2018 and 2020 seasons with Andrew Luck and Philip Rivers, respectively.
Now with Matt Ryan at the helm, Hines should return to his typical usage.
“Nyheim we need to use more,” Chris Ballard said this week via Zak Keefer of The Athletic. “Frank knows that, and I think they will. They’re going to play him more in the slot.”
While adding depth and talent to the wide receiver room is a necessity this offseason, getting Hines more involved in the passing game should help the unit as a whole. His speed and elusiveness make him a nightmare for linebackers to cover.
| Season | Colts QB | RB Target Share | Falcons QB | RB Target Share |
| 2021 | Carson Wentz | 22.6% | Matt Ryan | 26.3% |
| 2020 | Philip Rivers | 25.2% | Matt Ryan | 17.5% |
| 2019 | Jacoby Brissett | 18.7% | Matt Ryan | 17.1% |
| 2018 | Andrew Luck | 20.2% | Matt Ryan | 14.8% |
The recent numbers suggest Ryan doesn’t target the running back position but some context is needed. The Falcons haven’t had even league-average personnel at running back since 2017. The target share surged in 2021 because of the emergence of Cordarrelle Patterson.
But what happened when Ryan had a solid backfield to lean on? The results were more favorable toward running back targets.
During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman formed a solid 1-2 punch in Atlanta. The running back target shares during those seasons were 22.4% and 22.1%, respectively.
Given the current personnel of Jonathan Taylor and Hines, we should expect target shares closer to that. Even with Freeman’s breakout season in 2015, Ryan hasn’t played with this caliber of running back—potentially ever in his career.
Getting Hines the ball should be something the Colts try to do more often and if he’s going to line up in the slot more, we should expect his numbers to regress toward the means of his 2018 and 2020 production.
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