Colts’ Parris Campbell listed as potential breakout player in 2020

Will Parris Campbell break out in Year 2?

The Indianapolis Colts used one of their four second-round picks in the 2019 draft on wide receiver Parris Campbell, hoping he would become an instant contributor on the offense.

However, a litany of injuries prevented that from happening. From a nagging hamstring injury to a core muscle injury, a fractured hand and a broken foot, Campbell’s rookie season was defined by injury.

But even so, there is still hope for the speedy Ohio State product. He was listed as a potential breakout player in 2020 by Bleacher Report.

Even as a gadget player and an after-the-catch guy, Campbell should have had an immediate impact for the Colts as a rookie.

Unfortunately, the injury bug bit Campbell hard, and he only appeared in seven games with three starts. He never seemed to develop chemistry with quarterback Jacoby Brissett, which made him an afterthought in Indianapolis’ run-oriented offense. Campbell finished his rookie season with 18 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown.

There’s a chance that Campbell will have to develop chemistry with a different quarterback moving forward, as the Colts are not committed to Brissett over the long term.

“The jury is still out,” general manager Chris Ballard said, per ESPN’s Mike Wells.

Regardless of who is chosen as the starter, Campbell should have a full offseason to create a rapport. With a little trust and a lot of experience gained, Campbell could become a Tyreek Hill-type game-breaker.

Campbell’s rookie season was parallel to the Colts offense as a whole. Injuries and a lack of production were the epitome of the campaign.

The Colts are likely to add more to the wide receiver room this offseason. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them add players from both free agency and the 2020 draft.

Even so, Campbell should be in line to compete for a starting role. His skill set is still perfectly matched up for what the Colts want to do on offense. With the game featuring speed more and more each season, Campbell has a chance to make a difference.

Campbell should be ready to go for the offseason workouts even after finishing the season with a broken foot. It’s a big season for the second-year wideout, who will hopefully give the Colts some return on their second-round investment.

Colts’ 2019 player review: WR Parris Campbell

Reviewing the 2019 season for WR Parris Campbell.

When the 2019 NFL Draft was all said and done, the Indianapolis Colts used the majority of their picks on the defensive side of the ball. However, there was some newfound excitement with the selection of wide receiver Parris Campbell.

2019 Stats

Games Played: 7
Snaps: 196 (18%)
Receptions: 18
Receiving Yards: 127
Touchdowns: 1
Yards Per Reception: 7.1

Season Review

An electric talent that brings just what the Colts offense needs in terms of after the catch ability, the first season for Campbell didn’t go quite as the team had hoped. While some of his ability flashed during training camp, Campbell couldn’t stay healthy enough to get his season going.

In addition to dealing with several injuries that limited him to just seven games, Campbell didn’t see a whole lot of playing time when he was healthy. Only twice did he see more than 50% of the team’s offensive snaps in a game.

Even with Campbell’s injuries and lack of impact, there is obvious upside for his skill set in Frank Reich’s offense.

Offseason Outlook

This is a big offseason for the Colts as an organization and one that will likely include them adding more to the wide receiver room. Even so, Campbell should be competing for a starting spot as a slot asset and given his speed and reliable hands, he should be able to find himself in the thick of the competition.

Conclusion

It was a disappointing campaign for Campbell, to say the least. However, most of that can be blamed on injury. With 2020 set to arrive soon, there should be some newfound hope that Campbell can make an impact in Year 2.

Reviewing the Colts in fantasy football in 2019

How did Colts players fare in 2019?

With a disappointing 2019 campaign behind them, the Indianapolis Colts are looking to regroup and plan ahead for 2020. There are a lot of questions ahead of this young roster, but the Colts have some playmakers that can flat out ball.

From a fantasy football perspective, many Colts may have disappointed this season but that does not mean you should sell your stock on everyone just yet. Some key players may not have lived up to their potential, but that does not mean they can’t bounce back in 2020.

Here is the full, in-depth fantasy breakdown of the Indianapolis Colts:

WR T.Y. Hilton – WR57 in 2019

An injury-riddled 2019 made many fantasy owners frustrated with Hilton. He ranked 57th among receivers this season posting only 125.1 fantasy points through 10 games played. Hilton was thought to be a second or third-round draft pick heading into this season but ultimately let a lot of team owners down.

With a full offseason to get healthy, Hilton should bounce back and be a value pick at the receiver position next year. With more stability at the quarterback position for the Colts, Hilton should find his role once again and be able to catch many more deep balls than he did in 2019.


RB Marlon Mack – RB22 in 2019

If you paid attention to the Colts at the end of the 2018 season, you knew where this offense was heading and what kind of identity they wanted to develop. This year the Colts became one of the best rushing teams in the league behind a strong offensive line and Mack.

Mack finished 22nd among running backs but still totaled 181.3 fantasy points while only playing 14 games. As the Colts’ first 1,000 yard rusher since 2007, Mack has a bright future ahead of him with the Colts.

The only knock on Mack, which present and past owners have come to realize, is that he struggles to stay healthy throughout an entire season ad play all 16 games. He is a great running back, but he seems to get injured when the team needs him the most. Mack is a borderline RB1 heading into 2020.


WR Zach Pascal – WR52 in 2019

Pascal filled in as the Colts No. 1 receiver for the second half of the season. He had a breakout campaign, but inconsistent performances left him bouncing off and on the waiver wire. Pascal managed to stay healthy for the rest of the year after missing the first two games.

He ranked 52nd among fantasy receivers and had 135.3 fantasy points on the year in 14 games. Pascal is a hard worker and really fought to have a role in this offense all season. With changes being made on offense, Pascal should have a bigger role heading into 2020.

Look for him to be a steal in the later rounds of fantasy drafts and a reliable flex/WR2 option next season.


TE Jack Doyle – TE15 in 2019

As the tight end of the foreseeable future in Indy, Doyle has become a fan and organizational favorite. He inked a three year, $21 million contract extension in early December, solidifying his role as the Colts first option at tight end.

Doyle finished the season ranking 15th among other tight ends with 111.8 fantasy points on the year. He is a middle of the pack tight end whose importance isn’t always shown in the stat line, but that may change next year with the departure of Eric Ebron.

Doyle is a low risk, late-round draft pick that is not quite ready to be a higher graded tight end like Kittle or Kelce. He has tremendous upside and is worth a spot on your roster.


WR Parris Campbell – WR125 in 2019

It is too early to tell what kind of player Parris Campbell will become. The speedster out of Ohio State had his injury-filled rookie season cut short when he was placed on IR in Week 15. He missed nine games total with foot and hand injuries.

His identity in this offense has yet to be found and Frank Reich needs to figure out where to use Campbell in his play designs. Campbell may go undrafted in 2020 fantasy drafts, but keep an eye on him as the season starts to approach as he can be very valuable if he starts to produce.


Defense/Special Teams – D/ST13

The defense for the Colts was one of the keys to success early in the season, but this unit struggled immensely down the stretch. Their inability to stop the deep ball and issues with tight ends was a problem that never really got fixed over the course of the season.

The defense ranked 13th and totaled 113 fantasy points in 2019. If this team can stop big plays and do a better job of getting after opposing quarterbacks, this unit has a promising future. Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus knows he has a lot of work to do in the offseason, but expect this Colts D to be better than ever in 2020.

Indianapolis Colts WR Parris Campbell supports LeBron’s I Promise School with cleats

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell supports LeBron’s I Promise School with cleats during NFL’s ‘My Cause My Cleats’ promotion.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell is just a kid from Akron, too. After graduating from LeBron James’ alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Campbell went on to become a star on the gridiron for The Ohio State University. Parris earned All-Big Ten honors for the Buckeyes before the Colts selected him in the second round this past summer with pick No. 59.

On Sunday, Campbell used the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” celebration as an opportunity to help support the work that LeBron and company have been putting in at the I Promise School in Akron over the last couple years. The Colts receiver had the “I Promise School” design and logo on the outside of one cleat and “Just A Kid From Akron” on the outside of the other during his team’s 38-35 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The rookie from OSU has caught 18 passes for Indianapolis this season for a total of 127 yards. He’s also added a receiving touchdown and 34 yards rushing. LeBron has since re-shared the images of Campbell in the custom cleats on Twitter and so has the I Promise School.

NFL players like Parris will have the opportunity to raise money for their causes by auctioning their cleats off at NFL Auction–100% of money raised will be donated to the player’s charities. Fans may bid on game-issued player cleats to help players raise funds for their chosen causes.

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Parris Campbell played through broken foot vs. Bucs

Parris Campbell broke his foot on Sunday.

The Indianapolis Colts placed rookie wide receiver Parris Campbell on the injured reserve list Monday after he suffered a broken foot against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It’s another injury on a long list of ailments for the second-round pick in his rookie year but give Campbell credit for trying to make the most out of his snaps. Despite breaking his foot in the first quarter of the game, Campbell played through it and wound up playing 49% of the offensive snaps.

Head coach Frank Reich confirmed the injury during Monday’s conference call with the media.

Campbell’s once-promising rookie season is one that will ultimately be filled with disappointment due to injuries. He dealt with several injuries starting in training camp. They include a nagging hamstring injury, an abdomen injury and the fractured hand in Week 9.

It is difficult to fully analyze Campbell’s rookie season because of all the injuries and the lack of consistency in the passing game. He never truly had a breakout game, and it seems that will have to wait until 2020.

The Colts have some major additions to make to the wide receiver corps this offseason, but Campbell will be looking to come back from this injury to hopefully carve out a role in Year 2.

Colts place K Adam Vinatieri, WR Parris Campbell on IR

Vinatieri and Campbell are done for the season.

The Indianapolis Colts placed kicker Adam Vinatieri and wide receiver Parris Campbell on the injured reserve list, the team announced Monday.

It was expected that Vinatieri would be placed on the season-ending injured reserve list after the report that surfaced Monday morning, but the news surrounding Campbell is a bit of a surprise.

With three games remaining, the 2019 season has effectively ended for both players.

The injury-marred season continues for the Colts but with three games remaining, it doesn’t really matter as Indy is currently the No. 10 seed in the playoff race. A loss Monday night in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints will officially end their playoff hopes.

The struggles of Vinatieri have been well documented. The 46-year-old has missed a career-high 14 kicks in 12 games this season. It isn’t clear if he will be back after this season.

Filling in for Vinatieri at kicker will be Chase McLaughlin, who made five of six kicks in the 38-35 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Campbell’s rookie season will be one defined by injuries. The second-round pick dealt with several ailments from a nagging hamstring injury to a fractured hand that kept him off the field for the majority of the second half of the season.

In seven games this season, Campbell caught 18 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown.

Colts’ Parris Campbell, Marlon Mack expected to play Week 14

Colts get a pair of big-play threats back from injury.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-6) have been dealing with significant injuries throughout the entire 2019 season, but it seems they will be seeing the return of two big-play threats to the offensive side of the ball in Week 14 when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7).

Even though three starters were ruled out on Friday head coach Frank Reich told the media that they are expecting to see the return of running back Marlon Mack and rookie wide receiver Parris Campbell, both of which have been recovering from a fractured hand.

“For tomorrow I will give you the fact that Parris (Campbell) and Marlon (Mack) barring any setbacks, they will play,” Reich said.

This is big for an offense that is already without wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. With the season likely on the line in this one, the Colts need all the help they can get on the offensive side of the ball.

Mack was enjoying a Pro-Bowl caliber season before injuring his hand on a run in the Week 9 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has taken 192 carries for 862 yards and four touchdowns.

The Colts aren’t expected to give Mack a pitch count against the second-rank Bucs run defense. The big-play threat will need to carry the offense despite the tough matchup, especially with so many weapons being injured.

Campbell should get a big opportunity to show he can thrive in a bigger role. With Hilton out, the Colts will rely on Campbell, Zach Pascal and Marcus Johnson to lead the way in the wide receiver room.

The Colts have their backs against the wall in this Week 14 matchup, but they will be seeing the return of two big-play threats to the offense.

Colts WRs have favorable matchup vs. Bucs secondary

Colts WRs could have fantasy value in Week 14.

The Indianapolis Colts passing attack hasn’t had many encouraging outings over the last month or so, but some of that could change Sunday when they travel to Raymond James Stadium to visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Facing a Buccaneers defense that is allowing the second-most receiving yards per game to opposing offenses (303.2), the Colts wide receivers could find success in real football and in fantasy football.

Outside of running back Marlon Mack, there haven’t been any consistent fantasy producers from the Colts in 2019. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton has dealt with injuries, tight end Eric Ebron was non-existent compared to his 2018 season and quarterback Jacoby Brissett hasn’t thrown for multiple touchdowns since Week 7.

As the fantasy football playoffs approach, mitigating risk should be avoided where it can. But not all teams in the postseason can play it safe. Sometimes upside is needed and there’s a duo of Colts wide receivers that could find some success against the Buccaneers poor passing defense.

As it stands now, Hilton likely isn’t going to play Sunday. There are concerns he might not even return this season with four games remaining. This leaves Zach Pascal as the WR1 in Week 14.

Pascal has enjoyed a quasi breakout in 2019. He’s stepped up into bigger roles as the season has progressed and even has a pair of 100-yard games under his belt. So the upside for him to have a big game is certainly there, but his floor is a goose egg like he did in Week 12 against the Texans.

Still, Pascal is beloved by the coaching staff and should see a healthy dose of targets against the Bucs. The game script is also likely to be in the favor of a passing game given Tampa Bay’s strength in stopping the run and their ability to score on the offensive side of the ball. He has also seen at least six targets in four of the last five games.

With Pascal sitting as a flex-worthy option with WR2 upside in fantasy, there is another name that could be intriguing to fantasy managers looking for upside. However, there is some major risk involved as well.

Rookie wide receiver Parris Campbell has a chance to return to game action this week and could be heavily involved in the passing game. Having missed the last four games with a fractured hand, Campbell practiced in full to begin the week.

The speedy second-round pick has gotten two starts this season (Weeks 4 and 9). In those two games, Campbell was heavily involved. He saw eight targets against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4 and had eight touches during the Week 9 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Colts love Campbell and have been extremely high on him since drafting him with the No. 49 overall pick. He is a perfect fit for the offense they want to run and would likely benefit from Brissett’s lack of desire to push the ball downfield.

Campbell certainly brings more risk than Pascal—who should be viewed as the WR1 in the offense in Week 14. The rookie has been spotty for most of the season and the passing offense has left much to be desired, but the matchup is there and the Colts are desperate for wide receiver production.

With four games remaining and their season likely over, developing Campbell should be a top priority.

Sometimes the fantasy football playoffs call for a bold move. In a pinch, Pascal and Campbell could pay off big time as the Colts travel to Tampa in Week 14.

Colts rule out WRs T.Y. Hilton, Parris Campbell vs. Jaguars

Colts again without T.Y. Hilton, Parris Campbell.

The Indianapolis Colts will once again be without wide receivers T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell, both of which were ruled out on Friday ahead of the Week 11 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Neither wide receiver practiced this week as they continue to recover from their injuries. Hilton has been dealing with a calf injury while the rookie in Campbell fractured his hand in Week 8.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been named the starter after practicing all week. He missed the Week 10 loss against the Miami Dolphins due to a sprained MCL. He makes his return on Sunday.

Another question mark the Colts have will be cornerback Pierre Desir, who didn’t practice at all with a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Devin Funchess, who is eligible to return from the injured reserve, also is unlikely to play.