Who Should I Start? Nyheim Hines or Diontae Johnson

Wednesday, May 8, 8:43 PM

Cleveland Browns running back Nyheim Hines (knee) said that he expects to be ready to go for training camp in late July despite having surgery to fix a torn left ACL last August. As long as Hines doesn't have any setbacks with his surgically repaired knee, he will be in the mix for snaps on third downs, especially with Nick Chubb coming off a devastating knee injury of his own last year. The 27-year-old Hines will have a low floor and ceiling, though, in PPR fantasy leagues with Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman also competing for backfield touches in Cleveland. The former fourth-round selection by the Indianapolis Colts in 2018 out of North Carolina State has a total of 240 receptions (309 targets) for 1,778 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in his five NFL campaigns. Hines hasn't appeared in an NFL game since 2022.

Tuesday, March 12, 7:35 PM

The Carolina Panthers acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson and pick No. 240 overall in this year's NFL draft from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson and pick No. 178 overall in this year's draft, according to sources. The move leaves the Steelers dangerously thin at the receiver position, with George Pickens and Calvin Austin III as the team's top two wideouts with Johnson gone. Johnson, 27, finished last year with a career-low 51 catches for 717 yards and five touchdowns. He'll move to a Panthers offense desperately seeking playmakers and should be one of quarterback Bryce Young's top targets, other than veteran Adam Thielen. Johnson's chances for a fantasy rebound in 2024 don't look great in Carolina, but perhaps he can develop some nice chemistry with Young and feed off volume.