The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2021 season with only one major addition on the offensive side of the ball, and that is former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Carson Wentz. After a great start to his career as an Eagle, the production tailed off in 2020. Wentz played just 12 games in which he threw for only 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. His confidence was at an all-time low, and he now looks to rejuvenate his career under Frank Reich in Indianapolis.
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Quarterbacks – Carson Wentz
Wentz had foot surgery at the beginning of the month and his return has no firm timetable. The Colts are optimistic that he can be back for the beginning of the regular season if he does not suffer a setback. If he’s healthy, he’s an intriguing late-round flier, but nothing more than that. He is currently being selected as the QB24 over players like Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, and Kirk Cousins. With his past injury, he is not a safe pick, and only worthwhile in 14 plus team leagues. If he is still injured, it is hard to trust Jacob Eason or Sam Ehlinger, who have no NFL experience.
Running Backs – Jonathan Taylor, Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines
People bury the lead that Mack missed most of last season which is what led to the emergence of Taylor as one of the game’s up-and-coming stars. While some may disagree, it does not make sense to take Taylor over guys like Nick Chubb or Aaron Jones. Those three guys tend to be interchangeable in mock drafts, but Jones and Chubb should have an edge on Taylor and his situation this year. With that being said, people are also drafting Joe Mixon and Najee Harris over Taylor, both of whom are bigger question marks. Harris is a rookie with no experience, and Mixon has an awful offensive line blocking for him. Taylor is a comfortable selection around pick 13 and past that, but with two other strong candidates in the rotation, he may not be able to take that next step.
Coming off a torn Achilles, it is hard to trust Mack, especially after Taylor’s emergence. Mock drafts and ADP would suggest the majority is in agreement, as Mack is being drafted as the RB64 on average. If someone needs a bench running back in one of the last rounds, Mack is a fine handcuff in case anything happens to Taylor. However, people should be more worried about Mack’s health and what kind of role he will play. As previously stated though, Mack had a great 2019 campaign, so he will have a place in this committee which could slightly limit Taylor’s production.
Hines was a league-winner last year. He had a couple of huge games that anyone in PPR leagues could benefit from. He’s being drafted ahead of Mack, as well as others names such as Phillip Lindsay. He will still have a lot to offer for the Colts’ quarterbacks in the passing game, making him a worthwhile pick in the later rounds of PPR drafts.
Wide Receivers – T.Y. Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., Zach Pascal, Parris Campbell
In 15 games last year, Hilton recorded just 762 yards and five touchdowns. His production has severely tailed off since 2019, and with the addition of Pittman last season, Hilton is a fantasy afterthought. It does not make sense for him to be drafted over Cole Beasley, Russell Gage, or Darnell Mooney, but his current ADP sits above all of them. He is being over-drafted by people hoping for a resurgence, and to those people, good luck.
Pittman is someone worth an investment this year. He showed flashes of brilliance last year, recording 503 yards and a touchdown in just eight games started. While Hilton is trending down, Pittman is trending up as the resilient, young new weapon for Reich, and he should make a big jump in his sophomore campaign after the Colts did nothing to bolster their receiving corps.
Pascal is going to fall out of any sort of relevance with the return of Campbell. Campbell missed most of last season with an injury, which made Pascal a bigger part of the offense. Pascal had issues catching the football last year and was a frustrating fantasy receiver. Campbell is explosive and will play a similar role as he played at Ohio State. He’s versatile and worth the late-round pick in PPR leagues.
Tight Ends – Jack Doyle, Mo Alie-Cox
Both Doyle and Alie-Cox are going to be frustrating fantasy options because the reps they get will be inconsistent. Neither of them should be in starting tight end roles on anyone’s fantasy team unless you’re in a deeper league. Alie-Cox will likely be more involved in the red zone, so people should lean him over Doyle. However, if the Colts add Zach Ertz between now and Week 1, he would be the name to target in the later rounds.
Defense/Speical Teams
The Colts have a strong defense and face the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans twice a year. They are being drafted as the D/ST6, and rightfully so. Those four matchups alone are enough for them to be one of the top targets as a fantasy defense, and they have other juicy matchups against the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders as well.
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