Tag: Jordan Wilkins

7 Colts whose jobs are in jeopardy in 2021

Which jobs are in jeopardy this offseason?

The Indianapolis Colts have gotten through the 2021 NFL draft and are now focused on the process of trimming down the roster to 53 players over the next few months.

The majority of those decisions won’t be impacted until training camp begins. The Colts have their offseason workouts but the jobs are hardly secured then. Though most starting jobs are already locked up, there are some players on the current roster who may be on notice following the offseason moves.

Here are seven Colts whose jobs are in jeopardy this offseason:

2020 Colts’ position review: Running back

Reviewing the backfield for the 2020 Colts.

As the offseason begins for the Indianapolis Colts, we will begin a series of positional reviews, taking a look back at the 2020 campaign. We continue here with the running back position.

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Starter: Jonathan Taylor
Backup: Nyheim Hines
Depth: Jordan Wilkins

Position Overview

The Colts entered the offseason with Marlon Mack, Hines and Wilkins. They traded up in the second round of the 2020 draft to select Taylor with the No. 41 overall pick. Mack wound up tearing his Achilles in the first half of Week 1, leading the Colts to lean on the rookie in Taylor for the starting role.

Hines and Wilkins were mixed in, but Taylor eventually took over the backfield as its starter.

Rookie of the Year?

Though Taylor had a three-game rut coming out of the bye week, he exploded during the second half. From Weeks 11-17, Taylor was second in the NFL in rushing yards and wound up leading all rookies in yards while being tied for the rookie lead with 11 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 36 of 39 passes, showing he was active in the passing game as well.

When it was all said and done, Taylor proved the draft pick was worth it. He did so well that he’s a candidate for the Rookie of the Year award. It may be hard to beat out Justin Jefferson, who broke the rookie receiving yards record, but Taylor is at least in the running.

What to do with Mack

The aforementioned Mack will be a free agent when the new league year arrives in March and it seems the Colts are letting him hit the market. There’s always a chance he returns on a cheap, one-year deal if he doesn’t get many offers, but it is likely that he played his last snap with the Colts.

Offseason Outlook

Regardless of what happens with Mack, the Colts are set in the backfield. They have their starter in Taylor and their do-it-all weapon in Hines. Wilkins has provided solid depth and there doesn’t seem to be a reason for major changes to come to the backfield.

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3 Colts who could be surprise cuts this offseason

Suprise cuts we could see this offseason.

Every year sometime during the off-season, teams will make cuts to players that might surprise people. Teams will cut players to save cap room, or they believe that player doesn’t have value to hold a roster spot.

Thankfully for the Indianapolis Colts, they don’t have any bad contracts on their roster and aren’t strapped for cash this. But there still could be some surprise cuts as there as there seems to be one every offseason.

Here are three Colts who could be a surprise cut during the offseason.

Colts place RB Jordan Wilkins on COVID-19 list

Jordan Wilkins goes on the COVID-19 list.

The Indianapolis Colts placed running back Jordan Wilkins in the reserve/COVID-19 list and elevated running back Darius Anderson from the practice squad as a replacement, the team announced Sunday.

It isn’t clear if Wilkins tested positive for COVID-19 or is a close contact but he will be unavailable for the Week 17 finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Colts will be running with three backs on Sunday but with Wilkins out, the majority of work should be split between Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines—as it has been the last few weeks.

If the Colts make the playoffs, it isn’t clear if Wilkins will be able to return in time depending on the reason he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Stock up, Stock down from Colts’ 26-20 win over Texans

Stock report for Week 13.

The Indianapolis Colts (8-4) are now tied for first place in the AFC South following their 26-20 win over the Houston Texans (4-8) on Sunday at NRG Stadium.

After both offenses combined for 44 points in the first half of the game, just two points were scored for the remainder, which came on a safety thanks to Colts defensive end Justin Houston.

As it is every week with the stock report, it is fluid and can change week to week. Some players may be riding a trend in either direction for a few weeks while others have seen their stock fluctuate from one game to another.

Here’s a look at the stock report from the Colts’ win in Week 13:

7 waiver wire targets in fantasy football for Week 13

Waiver Wire targets for Week 13.

Some fantasy football managers may be starting the playoffs this week and if so, congratulations! Others may not be so lucky. As the fight for a league title continues, it’s imperative to make last chance moves to bolster your roster.

The player that could put your team over the top this week could be available on the waiver wire, and maybe scooping him up before your opponent has the chance is part of your strategy. Still, there is a lot of value out there.

Here are seven waiver wire targets for Week 13:

Colts vs. Ravens: 6 things to know entering Week 9

6 things to know for the matchup.

The Indianapolis Colts (5-2) are preparing to host the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday for a Week 9 matchup that should have plenty of implications down the road.

Whether it’s the recent success of the Colts or the entire game somewhat being on COVID-19 watch, this will be a vital game for both sides as the second half of the season gets underway.

Here are six things to know about the Week 9 matchup:

Colts release unofficial depth chart for Week 9

Depth chart for Week 9.

The Indianapolis Colts (5-2) have released their unofficial depth chart ahead of the Week 9 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Like every week when the unofficial depth chart is released, it doesn’t always represent the pecking order. Some players may be listed lower on the depth chart despite seeing more snaps or usage in the actual games. The roster could also change at some point if the Colts decide to make additions from the practice squad or in free agency.

But here’s a look at the depth chart to begin the week for the Colts:

9 waiver wire targets in fantasy football for Week 9

Waiver wire pickups for Week 9.

It’s November and one thing is on everybody’s minds: fantasy football. It’s that time of the season to either hit the panic button or make that addition that will take your team to a championship.

With more injuries piling up with big-name players, you might think that all is lost. When you take a closer look at the waiver wire, you can see there is still a lot of value out there.

Here are eight players you should consider adding to your fantasy roster for Week 9:

Colts’ Jordan Wilkins will ‘continue to get more opportunities’

Jordan Wilkins may have earned a bigger role.

The Indianapolis Colts went with the hot hand in the 41-21 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 8, giving Jordan Wilkins most of the work in the second half of the game.

Wilkins impressed the Colts by moving the pile consistently in the second half. It was night and day compared to the struggles of rookie Jonathan Taylor, who is dealing with an ankle injury.

Moving forward, it remains to be seen how much more work Wilkins will be getting, but offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni believes the third-year back will be more involved.

“Yeah, whenever a guy takes advantage of his opportunities the way that Jordan (Wilkins) has, I think it’s natural that we’re always going to ask that question. Jordan has done nothing but earn more opportunities, and he’ll continue to get more opportunities,” Sirianni said Monday. “So I think that’s fair. I for sure always ask that. We say that a lot, ‘Let’s get this guy involved.’ He can really do things when he’s in the football game.”

Wilkins finished the game leading the Colts’ rushing attack with 20 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. He out-carried Taylor 14-1 in the second half and punched in a goal-line carry for a score.

Even after drafting Taylor in the second round, the Colts have made it clear they want to get all of their backs involved. And after Wilkins took the bulk of the work in the second half of the game on Sunday, we could be looking at more of a timeshare.

Sirianni said Monday that the Colts still have confidence in Taylor moving forward as the starter.

“Well, it wasn’t anything that he was struggling with in my mind. It was that when Jordan (Wilkins) went in and had some opportunities to go and get some carries, he really excelled at it,” Sirianni said. “Jordan got hot and he continued to carry the ball and that’s just the way the game took us. Again, total confidence in Jonathan Taylor, it was just the way the game went the other night.”

It will be interesting to see how the Colts will move forward with the timeshare, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Wilkins see a slight uptick in usage.

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