Fantasy Football Team Previews
#24 – Indianapolis Colts
A team can be derailed when it’s starting QB inexplicably misses the entire year due to a freak injury. That’s what happened with the Colts who relied on Jacoby Brissett for the majority of the year. This team has so many question marks at basically every position. Who shows up where? Who breaks out? Who bounces back? The questions with the Colts are endless.
QBs: Andrew Luck (QB13)
It really helps when your QB can actually physically throw a football more than 10 yards. After missing the entire year with a crazy shoulder situation, Andrew Luck is back and throwing footballs. Luck was one of the better fantasy QBs well on his way to stardom before being derailed with the injuries. His return will be welcomed with open arms as I’m very interested to see how he does in his return. I’m cautious to be selecting him in drafts, but he’d be a great guy to have on the bench just in case he gets back to his old form.
RBs: Marlon Mack (RB39), Jordan Wilkins (RB51), Nyhiem Hines (RB56), Robert Turbin (RB69)
This might be the ugliest RB committee in the league that features so many gremlins and no clear picture as to who will be doing what. Marlon Mack is the “big” returning name who you would think assumes the lead back role. He had a couple nice flashes in 2017 where you think there might be something to work with. He’s been out with injury though so we haven’t seen what he’ll do for the team. Nyhiem Hines was the buzziest of the backs this preseason until he learned he’d never survive in prison thanks to fumbling the football four times in two games. Add in his struggling pass protection and Hines is plummeting down draft boards. The dark horse and guy I really like is Jordan Wilkins who could somehow win the job. He’s taken first team reps and realistically has a shot as long as he doesn’t shoot himself in the foot a la Hines. This backfield is so messy, you just need to keep monitoring and see how this plays out in preseason. Don’t forget the vulture that is Robert Turbin. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him vulture out a handful of goal line touches for easy one yard runs.
WRs: TY Hilton (WR13)
With the loss of Donte Moncrief, only TY Hilton remains as a fantasy valuable receiver in Indianapolis. Hilton has usually been good for a long touchdown catch at home, and with Luck back in the fold, his production might only be trending upward. He’s currently going around the late second or early third round in drafts. Aside from Hilton, there’s nobody worth drafting unfortunately.
TEs: Jack Doyle (TE12), Eric Ebron (TE19)
Our hearts were ripped out this off-season with the Colts signing a new tight end. RSJ favorite Jack “The Beanstalk” Doyle had himself a very nice season in 2017 to the point where he was going to be a higher tier TE coming into 2018, especially with Luck back. Then the team decides to bring in Eric Ebron who hasn’t really done what his first round pick label hoped he’d have done by now. Ebron’s presence really dampens what Doyle could have done as the lone tight end. Luckily, the addition of Frank Reich as head coach helps Doyle thanks to Reich’s love of tight end usage. Doyle has been out on the field for a high percentage of snaps with Andrew Luck and the 1’s.
O-Line:
The Colts had a pretty bad offensive line last year ranking 25thoverall, but the addition of guard Quenton Nelson from Notre Dame is a HUGE get for them going forward. There are a handful of young lineman the Colts are hoping pan out, but with Nelson added to the fold Indianapolis has been bumped up to the 17thranked line at the moment.
