The 2022 NFL trade deadline was wild, as big moves were made all day long, and many teams used the deadline as an opportunity to improve their team or pick up some assets for players who aren't part of their teams' future. The trade involving Nyheim Hines being sent to the Buffalo Bills from the Indianapolis Colts involves two teams on the opposite end of the spectrum, as the Bills want to become better now and the Colts are looking to pick up as many assets as they can.

The Bills have been looking to add a pass-catching running back to their offense for quite some time, and found a perfect trade partner in the Colts, whose offense has completely fallen apart this season. Hines immediately makes the Bills offense better, and an already dangerous Buffalo team is going to be a lot tougher to beat with Hines on the field.

From a fantasy football perspective, Hines should immediately be on fantasy owners radars. Given how good the Bills offense has been this season, Hines has the potential to emerge as a legitimate fantasy football option throughout the rest of the season. With Hines joining his new team, let's take a look at his fantasy football outlook for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Nyheim Hines fantasy football outlook

Nyheim Hines fantasy football outlook has always depended heavily on his ability to be a factor in the passing game for the Colts. He was never their lead running back, but it didn't matter. Hines wasn't always going to have huge outings, but if you are playing in a 12 or 14 team PPR league, Hines is a solid option that could put up points on a consistent basis for your team.

As previously mentioned, the Colts offense is a complete mess this season, and it resulted in a diminished role for Hines. Hines' numbers so far on the season (18 CAR, 36 YDS, 1 TD, 25 REC, 188 YDS) aren't what the Colts were accustomed to seeing from him, but it was largely due to their horrid offensive line and the poor quarterback play the team received.

That all changed in the blink of an eye when Hines was dealt to the Bills. Hines will join a high-powered Bills offense led by star quarterback Josh Allen, which immediately boosts his fantasy stock. Unlike the Colts, the Bills can actually move the ball on offense this season, and Hines should factor into their offense immediately.

In deep PPR leagues, Hines remained a playable option thanks to his ability to function as a solid checkdown option. Hines is still averaging 7.6 points per game despite his limited usage with the Colts, and his inability to get any sort of production on the ground. The fact that Hines' fantasy outlook is even a discussion shows how he's been able to stay relevant in a pretty bad situation with Indy.

Now that all changes. Hines has shown in previous seasons that he can be a consistent FLEX option, even in ten team PPR leagues, based solely on his ability to haul in passes. Hines' production can be a quite volatile, but his ability to function as a reliable checkdown target has given him a decent amount of fantasy value, and that should be restored now that he's in Buffalo.

How the Bills utilize Hines will ultimately play a massive part in his fantasy outlook. Even though the Bills dealt Zack Moss to the Colts as part of this deal, Hines will still be competing for touches alongside Devin Singletary and James Cook, which could limit his upside to an extent. Hines should be the primary pass-catching back, but head coach Sean McDermott likes to employ his running backs in strange ways.

It goes without saying that Hines has no value unless you are playing in a PPR league. Even then, Hines is likely not going to be a player you should start right off the bat, as he will have to pick up the Bills offense and carve out a role for himself over the next game or two. But given the state of the Bills offense, it's hard to not get excited about what Hines could potentially do once he familiarizes himself with things in Buffalo.

For now, Hines is nothing more than a bench option, but he could become a FLEX candidate if he produces like he has shown he can earlier in his career with the Colts. If he shows consistency in the passing game, or better yet in the running game too, Hines will be an interesting fantasy player. There are better options to start in the near future, but that could change down the line, which is why adding Hines to your team isn't such a bad idea.