Tag: Ashton Dulin

6 Colts who could earn Pro Bowl nod

These 6 Colts players have earned consideration for a Pro Bowl nod.

With three games remaining, the Indianapolis Colts are in the thick of the wild-card race and are doing so on the backs of several Pro Bowl candidates.

We already know that running back Jonathan Taylor has been selected to the Pro Bowl in what was the easiest decision for the league. He led all players in votes and was among the first five players named to the Pro Bowl.

But who else might join him after strong 2021 seasons? Here is a look at six Colts who should be in consideration for a Pro Bowl nod when the rosters are announced Wednesday night:

PFF names Jonathan Taylor, Ashton Dulin to ‘Third-Quarter All-Pro Team’

PFF named Colts RB Jonathan Taylor and WR/ST Ashton Dulin to their ‘Third-Quarter All-Pro’ team.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver/special teamer Ashton Dulin were recognized by Pro Football Focus as the 2021 season hits its final turn.

Through three quarters of the regular season, PFF released the players they believe are deserving of All-Pro recognition. Two players—Taylor and Dulin—were named to the first team while linebacker Darius Leonard was named to the second team.

First up is Taylor, who is on pace to lead the NFL in just about every rushing category.

As soon as the Derrick Henry MVP hype train was dashed by injury, the Jonathan Taylor one took its place on the tracks. Henry was head and shoulders above any other back in terms of production, and now that’s Taylor, who leads the league in rushing yards by almost 400.

Taylor is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and 3.7 yards per carry after contact. He has been outstanding at maximizing runs when his offensive line blocks the play well and solid at generating his own yardage when it doesn’t. Taylor now has 17 runs of 15-plus yards, five more than any other player.

Taylor finds himself in the MVP conversation and while it will be difficult to win the award, simply being in the conversation shows how stellar of a campaign he’s having.

Dulin was recognized as a special teams player by PFF:

Dulin has seen some snaps and made some big plays on offense for the Colts — a result of his hard work on special teams. He has 221 snaps of action on special teams across four different phases, racking up a league-leading 16 tackles in that facet.

Dulin has been one of the more underrated impact players for the Colts in 2021, mostly because his impact comes on special teams. Still, he’s emerging as a crucial player for the Colts down the stretch.

Finally, Leonard was named as the second-team linebacker.

Seemingly perfecting the “Peanut Punch,” Darius Leonard has forced five fumbles this season, two more than any other off-ball linebacker.

The Colts are likely to be recognized plenty when the awards come out following the season, and PFF is sure to be a part of that group that gives the credit that these Colts players deserve.

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WATCH: Colts’ Ashton Dulin shows off elite toe drag on TD

WATCH: Colts’ Ashton Dulin shows off elite toe drag on TD vs. Texans.

On their final offensive drive of the first half, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Ashton Dulin showed off some elite body control on a touchdown reception against the Houston Texans.

With the offense struggling to find a rhythm for the majority of the first half, they finally got some chunk plays on this final drive. On a great-play call, Carson Wentz found Dulin in the back of the end zone.

This is the second week in a row that Dulin has scored a touchdown.

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WATCH: Ashton Dulin burns Bucs for 62-yard bomb TD

Ashton Dulin put the burners on the Bucs defense for a 62-yard TD.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver and special teamer Ashton Dulin put that speed on display on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

During the second quarter, after the Bucs got on the board with a Leonard Fournette touchdown, Dulin toasted the secondary on a post route for a 62-yard touchdown.

It was the exact throw that showed why the Colts traded for Wentz and also put Dulin’s special speed on display to give the Colts a 10-7 lead.

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Colts’ PFF grades: Best and worst from Week 9 win over Jets

Taking a look at the best and worst PFF grades from the Colts’ Week 9 win.

The Indianapolis Colts (4-5) rode their offense and rushing attack to a 45-30 win over the New York Jets (2-6) on Thursday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

In the first home prime-time game since the 2017 season, the Colts had several players step up on the national stage. From the rushing duo of Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines to some young pass rushers on the defensive side of the ball, there were some very encouraging developments.

As we take a look at the game grades from Pro Football Focus, we will be accounting for the top-three and bottom-three players who were on the field for at least 20% of the snaps on their respective sides of the ball.

Here’s a look at the best and worst grades from Pro Football Focus in the Week 9 win:

Colts’ final roster cut decisions: Wide Receiver

Taking a look at the WR room before the Colts make their final roster cuts.

While the quarterback battle has been the main focus of the preseason, Frank Reich and Co. have some tough decisions to make when it comes to filling the final spots at wide receiver on the Indianapolis Colts roster.

Typically, teams will keep six receivers on the 53-man roster, with one of them used mainly on special teams.

There are four receivers that are locks to make the roster week one. T.Y Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., Zach Pascal, and Parris Campbell have proven they deserve to be in a starting role and can be difference makers any given week. The final two spots will be a battle between a group of young, talented players.

The training camp standout has been Mike Strachan. At 6’5” and roughly 225 pounds, the seventh-round pick from Charleston has shown he can be a threat in this league. He finished the preseason with 10 catches for 130 yards. A player like Strachan could really benefit Carson Wentz and provide some variety in the receiving core.

If Strachan makes the team, that leaves one spot left and it truly is a toss-up of who suits up week one. Second-year wide receiver Dezmon Patmon has looked really impressive so far and while his talent is there, it’s tough to say if he could step up in a special teams role. If he does not make the team, Patmon would likely end up on the practice squad once again, but with a much greater chance of getting called up if any significant injuries occur.

The player who will likely fill that final slot is Ashton Dulin. He signed a one-year extension back in January and thrives on special teams. He has filled in at receiver throughout his three-year career with the Colts, but would not line up on offense unless there were multiple guys hurt. Every team needs a player to fill in where they are needed, and Dulin seems to be that type for the Colts.

Honorable mentions include players like Tyler Vaughns and Tarik Black who have both made some very impressive plays this preseason. They will likely see a practice squad designation and will have the chance to prove they can crack an NFL roster.

53-man Predictions:

T.Y. Hilton

Michael Pittman Jr.

Parris Campbell

Zach Pascal

Mike Strachan

Ashton Dulin

Practice squad:

Dezmon Patmon

Tyler Vaughns

Tarik Black

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Colts face tough roster decision with WR battle

Colts have a tough decision to make at the bottom of the WR depth chart.

The Indianapolis Colts have the majority of spots in the wide receiver room locked up entering the final game of the preseason on Friday, but there are still some tough decisions to make when it comes to the battle at the bottom of the depth chart.

It should be assumed that Michael Pittman Jr., T.Y. Hilton, Zach Pascal and Parris Campbell are locks to make the roster. That’s four spots already secured. It should also be assumed that the Colts will carry six wide receivers given the injuries that have hit the room over the years.

Making the decisions on those final two spots in the room will not be easy for head coach Frank Reich and general manager Chris Ballard.

“It’s going to be tough, and we feel very confident in our receiver group. We have a lot of guys that can make plays, that we feel good about,” Reich told reporters Wednesday. “A lot of things factor into it including special teams, but then also the role that they play – certain guys you use in different ways. So that will be a tough decision.”

While the top-four spots in the room are locked up. There is an argument to be made that the fifth spot is all but guaranteed as well. Thanks to the emergence of rookie Mike Strachan, it will be difficult for the Colts to find reasons to cut him when rosters are reduced to 53 players.

Strachan has flashed the type of size and athleticism the Colts have coveted at the X-receiver position. He still has a long way to go, but the flashes he has shown provide a glimpse of what his future could be. Even some of the game’s greats have taken notice.

Seeing as the Colts shouldn’t risk sending Strachan through waivers in order to sneak him onto the practice squad, that leaves just one spot in the room open for competition entering the preseason finale.

As it stands, that spot is likely between two players: second-year wideout Dezmon Patmon and special teams ace Ashton Dulin. They both bring different skill sets to the room, which makes this battle even more intriguing.

Patmon offers more as a receiver given his size, speed and athleticism. He’s shown out in that department as well during the preseason. In the team’s two games, he leads the offense in targets (11), receptions (9) and receiving yards (109). That said, he’s still among those on the roster bubble entering the finale.

Meanwhile, Dulin has been on and off the field with injuries throughout camp. He returned to play in the Week 2 game against the Minnesota Vikings but failed to make an impact. He was even partly responsible for the second interception that Sam Ehlinger threw.

It should be noted that undrafted rookies Tyler Vaughns and Tarik Black have also flashed during the preseason, but they are more likely headed for the practice squad.

It will be interesting to see how the Colts handle the wide receiver competition with one more preseason game remaining. Regardless, it won’t be an easy decision for Reich and Ballard.

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Studs and duds from Colts’ preseason win over Vikings

Studs and duds from the Colts’ preseason Week 2 win over the Vikings.

The Indianapolis Colts came away with a 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings but given that this is the preseason, the focus is more on individual performances rather than the outcome of the game.

Despite the offense struggling to find the end zone, there were still a few encouraging players from Saturday night’s win. On the flip side, there were also some players who didn’t quite live up to expectations.

Here are the studs and duds from the Colts’ preseason win over the Vikings:

Stock up, Stock down from Colts’ preseason opener

A look at whose stock rose and fell following the Colts’ first preseason game.

The Indianapolis Colts began their shortened preseason with an impressive victory at home over the Carolina Panthers.

This coming after a couple of heated joint practices that contained more than a couple of scuffles between the players of each team. With the victory, we come another week closer to the regular season, and closer still to NFL mandated roster cut deadlines.

This season’s roster cuts will be particularly difficult for the Colts, who have solid young depth throughout the roster. With those cuts looming, we’ll take a look at three players whose stock is on the rise and who may be making a strong case for a final roster spot.

Also, we will look at a couple of players whose stock seems to be on more of a downward trend and may be on the outside looking in with two preseason games to go.

Following the first preseason games, here’s a look at the stock report:

Colts’ 2021 training camp preview: WR Ashton Dulin

Dulin’s special teams work gives him a chance to make the roster.

The Indianapolis Colts wrapped up their spring workouts at the end of May and will return for training camp sometime at the end of July to prepare for the 2021 regular season.

Before that happens, we will be going through the majority of the roster to preview their background, projected role and bottom line with the team entering training camp.

Here are the wide receivers we have previewed thus far entering the summer:

Now, it’s time to take a look at a core special teamer.