RB Peyton Hillis, Kansas City Chiefs

HT: 6-0, WT: 240, Born: 1-21-1986, College: Arkansas, Drafted: Round 7

2013 Projections

PPR Average draft position

Current as of May 21st. [Full PPR ADP list]

Overall: M Tolbert (248), Peyton Hillis (250), D McCluster (251), T Graham (252)
Position: K Davis (246-RB83), M Tolbert (248-RB84), Peyton Hillis (250 - RB85), I Redman (260-RB86), B Bolden (266-RB87)
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2013 Schedule

2012 Game Summaries

Week 1 - Hillis is running hard and running violent, but he’s not running very fast. He looked like a nice change of pace to pound the defense and wear them down for Charles, but he was not very elusive. Whereas Charles would dance and look for a hole, Hillis was full speed into the line regardless of who or what was in the way. In games the Chiefs get a lead that style will work much better than it did against the Falcons high powered attack.

Week 2 - Hillis got a start and caught the Bills defense off guard when he lined up uncovered at a receiver position and picked up an easy 15 yards on the first play of the game. With Jamaal Charles leaving early, Hillis carried the load for most of the game and finished with 11 rushes for 66 yards while also adding 2 receptions for 25 yards. Most of those yards came against a softer front in the second half though. Hillis had a great chance to score when he ran up the middle from the 1-yard line late in the first half, but the ball came loose as he stretched out for the goalline and the Bills recovered the fumble.

Week 3 - Hillis ran hard early but clearly took a back seat to Jamaal Charles even before his injury. In the third quarter he awkwardly turned to catch a flare pass and jogged straight to the bench, never to return. Today he’s in a walking boot with an ankle injury although the extent of the injury is unknown.

Week 8 - Playing in his first game in nearly a month, Hillis toted the rock four times for twenty-three yards. Delivering a couple bone-rattling hits on defenders, Hillis exhibited his trademark fearlessness against a porous Oakland run defense. While his number was not called often – he got five total touches – Hillis seemed to run with confidence when the Chiefs got him involved. His limited action was likely the result of the game situation as well as the Chiefs’ opaque situation at running back, as Jamaal Charles also received a puzzlingly low amount of touches. The former Cleveland Brown appeared fully recovered from the ankle injury that sidelined him early in the season, and he seems ready to contribute on offense for the Chiefs.

Week 9 - Hillis certainly runs hard; the problem in this game is that he didn’t run particularly well. When he gets a head of steam, he is able to steamroll defenders in his way, such as his second half run that went for 11 yards off the right tackle. But often, he is given the ball in short yardage situations so even a positive run is often going to result in 1 or maybe 2 yards. Hillis rarely goes down on first contact, but this Kansas City offensive line simply doesn’t open very many holes. And despite the Chiefs getting the ball into the end zone on the ground, it was Shaun Draughn and not Hillis who got the call. Late in the game, starter Jamaal Charles was injured after a big hit. Upon his exit, it was a mix of Hillis and Draughn who got the remainder of the backfield work for Kansas City. It’s just something to keep in mind if Charles is forced to miss any time.

Week 10 - Hillis first carry was stopped at the line of scrimmage as a defensive end pushed his way through the offensive line. Hillis' second carry went for four yards and a first down through a good hole. His third carry was stuffed again off right tackle. Hillis finally showed some burst as he cut back on a play going right before running over a Steelers' safety over the middle for a five yard gain. Hillis next carry came in the second half as he ran hard again over the middle for a seven yard gain. Hillis seemed happy to be back in the AFC North as he ran hard all night. He was stopped in the backfield on his next carry, before he broke outside right tackle for the first down on the next play. Hillis was consistently rotating in and out of the lineup and came back into the game in the fourth quarter to catch a screen pass, but a great play from Lawrence Timmons stopped him for a short gain. Hillis was then stood up on third and short, but he was largely the victim of predictable play-calling.

Week 11 - After a strong seven yard gain on his first carry, Hillis fumbled the ball on his second and saw little action after that.

Week 12 - One week after being benched for fumbling, Hillis again lost the ball early in the first quarter. The fact that it was overturned and ruled down by contact didn’t seem to matter and Hillis again spent a majority of the game on the bench. He was given the opportunity to throw a halfback pass, but did so so terribly that he probably won’t be given that opportunity again either.

Week 13 - Peyton Hillis complemented Jamaal Charles nicely in this game as the Chiefs decided to stick to the ground game against a Panthers’ defense that has been allowing yards in bunches in recent games. Hillis converted on a couple of short-yardage runs, showcasing his powerful, downhill style. No Panther wanted to tackle him. Hillis got the call on the goal line as well, converting a one-yard dive for a score.

Week 14 - Hillis had a disappointing day against his former team. Unlike Charles, Hillis had no success going East/West and very little going North/South. His one positive came in the second quarter with Charles nursing his sore ribs. Hillis was met in the hole by D’Qwell Jackson and bowled over the linebacker for a four yard gain. On his other four carries he averaged less than two yards per carry.

Week 16 - Hillis' first carry went off right tackle when he was untouched for the first 10 yards of a 13 yard run. Hills was stopped with his next carry up the middle, but a short handoff caught the Colts' off balance as he dived forward for a first down and seven yards with his next carry. Two plays later Hillis cut back off of right tackle as he found six yards on second and seven. Everytime Hillis touched the ball good things happened. After being stopped for a four yard gain, he took a stretch play around the edge and down the sideline for 15 yards. The Colts finally got to Hillis as they tackled him for a four yard loss, but that play was also negated for an offensive holding penalty. After Jamaal Charles ran for over 100 yards on two carries, Hillis came back in and ran over two defenders over left guard to add in 10 more. Hillis got six more yards when he ran outside of right tackle on first and 10. A clean nine yards over right guard followed soon after. A run over right guard was read by the Colts defense, as two defenders met Hillis behind the line of scrimmage. Hillis escaped to the outside however and stiff armed a defender for a six yard gain. Hillis broke free to the outside on a run over left guard when he accelerated around a defender for a 15 yard gain.

Week 17 - Hillis ended his first season as a Chief with five carries for four yards. Running primarily halfback dives up the middle, Hillis often ended up tackled behind the line of scrimmage by the Denver defense.