Who Should I Start? Nyheim Hines or Javonte Williams

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.

Monday, May 26, 9:42 AM

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams was seen taking reps with the first team during the portion of last Tuesday's OTAs that was open to the media, according to Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com. Williams signed with Dallas during the offseason, and their crowded backfield now features Williams, Jaydon Blue, and Miles Sanders, among other depth pieces. While this update from Yarrish could provide some insight into the Cowboys' backfield dynamic, it's important to note that the regular season is still several months away and the depth chart is destined to change. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer echoed this sentiment, saying, "It's too early to tell. Last year, we went into it thinking it's going to be by committee and then at the end of the year, we changed that." He noted that Williams and Sanders got an early jump on the competition by signing during the offseason, but even Blue has made impressive progress in the few weeks since being drafted.