Summary
The Colts' most exciting fantasy option isn't on offense; it's LB Darius Leonard. He's consistently been a top scorer at his position for years now. That doesn't mean much unless you're in an IDP league, yet, it should tell you a lot about this team's style of play.
With one of the league's better offensive lines, fantasy fans have renewed interest in the Colts' offense. Philip Rivers excelled in the short passing game last year, but with Carson Wentz now under center, we should be expecting a transition to a power rushing, ball-control offense led by Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, and Marlon Mack. A healthy Parris Campbell could prove to be the difference maker given his speed & game-breaking ability. TY Hilton has lost a half-step and Michael Pittman Jr. needs to step forward to grow into his eventual WR1 role.
Wentz is the wild card in this fantasy equation. Indy needs him to take advantage of the play-action pass and minimize unforced errors in a game manager role. He is going from one of the best TE duos (Zach Ertz & Dallas Goedert) to a team looking for somebody to step up. His rising tide would lift all boats.
Coaching
Over his first three seasons as a head coach, Frank Reich went 28-20 with two playoff appearances. Indy’s offense survived after losing Andrew Luck to a career-ending injury in 2019, thanks to the Philip Rivers signing. To replace Rivers following his retirement, the Colts traded Carson Wentz in February after the former Eagles QB struggled in 2020. He played under Reich (offensive coordinator) in Philly while being a big part of their Super Bowl title in 2017.
Reich started his NFL coaching career with the Colts in 2008 while having 13 seasons of coaching experience, with four years coming as an offensive coordinator.
Marcus Brady gets a bump from quarterback’s coach to offensive coordinator. He’s been with the Colts since 2018 after spending eight seasons in the Canadian Football League, where Brady was part of three Grey Cups.
In 2020, the Colts climbed to 10th in offensive yards and ninth in points scored (451). They scored 90 more points than last season (361 – 16th).
Matt Eberflus helped Indianapolis’ defense improve to eighth in yards allowed and 10th in points allowed (362), which was their best showing since 2008. He took over the Colts’ defense in 2018. Eberflus worked over the previous seven seasons with the Cowboys as the linebackers coach, upping his coaching experience in the NFL to 12 seasons.
Free Agency
The Colts addressed their weakness at left tackle by signing Eric Fisher, who suffered a torn Achilles last January. He never developed into an impact player after Kansas City drafted him first overall in 2013. Over the previous seasons, he was about the league average in pass blocking despite allowing a few sacks and pressure at times. His run blocking has been up and down over the past four years.
More Indianapolis Colts Coverage from SI
QB Jacoby Brissett signed with the Dolphins, and DE Justin Houston remains a free agent after regressing in 2020. He has 37.5 sacks over his last 59 games.
Draft
DE Kwity Paye
Paye brings an explosive skillset led by fight, quickness, and speed. He works hard with a short resume of experience, leading to him being a watcher rather than an attacker on some plays. His ceiling is extremely high once Paye develops better vision and feel for play development.
DE Dayo Odeyingbo
Odeyingbo comes off a torn Achilles, leading to him sliding in the draft. He has a disrupter feel with more upside when adding more strength. Odeyingbo packs a winning punch with the foundation skill set to attack the quarterback. His next step is improving his base to handle the battles in the trenches against the run.
TE Kylen Granson
His best asset early in his career will be his speed over the long field. Granson needs work on his route running while also failing short as a block. Defenders in tight quarters will challenge his hands. He’ll test safeties at the third level of the defense with the wheels to score if Granson finds a seam.
S Shawn Davis
With improved technique and success against the run, his game will be fun to watch when attacking the line of scrimmage. Davis offers speed, quickness, and power, but his eyes lead to mistakes in timing and decision-making at times. He does have some risk in coverage and some work to do in his tackling.
QB Sam Ehlinger
He projects to be more of a game manager with the ability to make plays on the ground. Ehlinger has a good feel for the pocket while struggling to read defenses. His willingness to stand tall in the passing game can lead to some sacks and fumbles.
WR Mike Strachan
Strachan offers elite size (6’5” and 225 lbs.) to the wide receiver position. He comes to the Colts via a smaller school where his game had an edge. Strachan creates wins on jump balls and fades at the goal line, but his speed and route running won’t separate him from his peers.
G Will Fries
Fries lacks an impact first step and the power to dominate his blocks. He makes up for his shortfalls with a good foundation in his base skill set, along with the hands to maintain spacing to finish his blocks on time. He can get bullied, and speed will challenge him outside his zone.
