Who Should I Start? Nyheim Hines or Alexander Mattison

Tuesday, February 18, 9:08 PM

The Cleveland Browns released running back Nyheim Hines (knee) on Tuesday. Hines has not played in an NFL game due to a torn ACL since 2022, when he split time with the Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills. The Browns were hoping that the 28-year-old would be ready at some point in 2024, but that never came to pass and he spent all year on Injured Reserve. He'll now have to prove he's past his knee injury in order to get picked up by another team looking for a RB with pass-catching skills out of the backfield as depth at the position. The former fourth-rounder (104th overall) by the Colts in 2018 out of North Carolina State has 306 rushing attempts for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 240 receptions for 1,778 receiving yards and eight TDs in five NFL seasons. Even if Hines latches on with a new team for 2025, he won't be on the fantasy radar.

Sunday, January 5, 10:03 PM

Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison rushed for 20 yards on six carries during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He also caught four of his five targets for an additional 11 yards through the air. It appeared that Mattison was headed for an increased workload on Sunday with Ameer Abdullah (foot) sidelined, but instead, the Raiders somewhat abandoned the rushing attack. Vegas' running backs combined for just eight carries, and quarterback Aidan O'Connell added four rushes of his own. Mattison may have salvaged his performance in PPR leagues, but for the most part, his showing on Sunday left a lot to be desired. The 26-year-old will hit free agency in a few months, leaving the Raiders with some combination of Sincere McCormick, Zamir White, Dylan Laube, and Chris Collier. Las Vegas has numerous holes on both sides of the ball, but don't be surprised if they look to improve their backfield with draft picks, free agency spending, or both.