Colts training camp: 3 Fantasy football storylines to watch in Indianapolis
Colts training camp could offer key insight for fantasy football managers.
The Indianapolis Colts have an entirely new look entering the 2020 NFL season. Not only did they trade for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to bolster the front-seven but, as many fantasy football managers will note, they also made big changes to the offense.
In free agency, the Colts signed veteran quarterback Philip Rivers who, though coming off a bad 2019 season in Los Angeles, has the pedigree to be an upgrade at the position, especially with protection from arguably the best offensive line in the league. Moreover, Indy also added two second-round picks at their skill positions, which should upgrade the offense as well.
At the same time, with no preseason and no minicamps due to the COVID-19 pandemic, training camp will give us our only look at how these new pieces fit and what fantasy football managers should take note of. As such, let’s look at three storylines that the fantasy community should keep a close eye on at Colts camp.
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Note: All ADP information is via Fantasy Football Calculator in half-PPR leagues.
Colts camp fantasy football storyline No. 3: Doyle’s rapport with Rivers
Chances are, most fantasy football managers have flirted with the notion of streaming or adding Jack Doyle at tight end. He’s been a solid player with some peaks that have been impressive. Unfortunately, due to injury in 2018 and then some inconsistent quarterback play with Jacoby Brissett, that didn’t happen last season.
Having said that, Philip Rivers has long relied on his tight ends, using Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry with the Chargers. Though he has wide receiver weapons in Indy, why would we think he won’t look to Doyle as a weapon.
Currently, Doyle is being drafted as the No. 152 overall pick and TE18 right now. It’ll be interesting to see how things look in Colts training camp between the new quarterback and his tight end to see if Doyle could be a legitimate sleeper at the position.
Colts camp fantasy football storyline No. 2: Taylor vs. Mack in the backfield
Since he’s emerged as the lead back in Indianapolis, Marlon Mack has been a fine player but never a bonafide stud. Over the past two seasons, he’s played in 26 games with 442 carries, 1,999 yards and 17 touchdowns along with 31 receptions (43 targets), 185 yards and another score. He’s been a top-20 running back in fantasy football in each of those seasons.
Yet, as the Colts offense has undergone a makeover this offseason, they used one of two second-round picks on running back Jonathan Taylor out of Wisconsin, a player who was one of the most prolific backs in recent memory. Now the question is how these two will divide the touches out of the backfield, especially with Nyheim Hines also still in the mix.
Mack and Taylor both currently have a top-30 ADP but are both outside of the top 23. That speaks to the uncertainty about how the touches will be split in this backfield and, hopefully, training camp will offer some more clarity on the matter.
Colts camp fantasy football storyline No. 1: Open season for WRs?
Throughout his career, T.Y. Hilton has often had top-10 wide receiver upside in fantasy. He’s only realized that upside once, however. Be it due to health or just the general ineffectiveness of the offense, it’s never been a consistent thing with the wide receiver.
With the arrival of Rivers, the hope is that the passing offense will become a more consistent threat than it was with Jacoby Brissett at the helm. Furthermore, the Colts also have reinforcements that should open up the field for Hilton while also having value themselves as Parris Campbell is healthy and rookie Michael Pittman Jr. figure into the equation.
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Though the run game will matter, Rivers likes to sling the pigskin a bit and he has options. It’ll be interesting to see what’s happening in training camp with this trio of wide receivers to see how each player is being utilized and what their role will be in the passing offense.