Dontrell Hilliard 2022 Outlook
Hilliard's spot on the depth chart was solidified this offseason when D'Onta Foreman signed in Carolina. In fact, that process started at the end of last season when Jeremy McNichols was cut, and Hilliard served as the third-down/change-of-pace back in the regular season finale and the playoff game. There was a lot of optimism about Darrynton Evans, a third-round pick in 2020, over the past two seasons but injuries kept his career from taking off and he moved on to Chicago via free agency. Meanwhile, Hilliard spent half of last season with Tennessee and now has the best opportunity of his five-year career. That said, from a fantasy perspective, Hilliard is more a complementary piece (in an offense that doesn't often use a complement) to Derrick Henry. So his value is limited and his chances of being viewed as Henry's backup diminished with the arrival of rookie Hassan Haskins, who has a chance to be the backup to Henry. That said, Haskins and Hilliard would likely split reps in a worst-case scenario, but Haskins can add power when Henry is out while Hilliard provides a better receiving or speed option. Again, given the design of this offense, Hilliard's role seems unlikely to be the more fantasy-friendly of the two.
