Tag: T.Y. Hilton

Can T.Y. Hilton return to fantasy glory with Philip Rivers?

T.Y. Hilton could bounce back with Philip Rivers.

The Indianapolis Colts brought in quarterback Philip Rivers, which should bring about better results for fantasy football. This is especially true for wide receiver T.Y. Hilton.

Having dealt with injuries over the last two seasons, Hilton hasn’t been able to keep up with being a WR1 (top-12). His 2019 season was riddled with injuries, and the lack of a stable passing attack really downed the entire offense from a fantasy perspective.

But now Hilton is (hopefully) healthy and he has a quarterback willing to throw the ball downfield. Those two aspects alone won’t bring him into the WR1 tier, but it does give reason for optimism when targeting him for the 2020 season.

Target share

There is no denying Hilton will be the alpha in the wide receiver room. When healthy, the passing offense runs through him and that’s not going to change with Rivers under center. If anything, Hilton being the No. 1 should boost his opportunity with Rivers.

Throughout his career, Rivers has had some solid WR1s. Lately, it has been in the form of Keenan Allen. Despite strong weapons being present in the Chargers offense, Allen has held a strong presence in terms of target share.

In 2019, Keenan Allen had 25.9% target share of the offense, good for seventh-highest in the NFL. He also was responsible for 53.9% of Chargers wide receiver fantasy points, which was good for third-most in the NFL—per the Fantasy Footballers.

Hilton’s numbers are a bit skewed having played only 10 games this season. His total target share numbers come out to be a 14% target share in the offense while being responsible for 29% of the team’s wide receiver fantasy points.

However, in games that Hilton played, he held a 22.9% target share. Having that in a bad passing offense with an inconsistent passer in Brissett means there is a lot of room for growth to be one of the top target shareholders in the NFL.

Deep passing return?

To say the Cotls didn’t throw downfield in 2019 is an understatement. Hilton saw just 29 targets on throws that traveled more than 10 yards in the air. With Rivers, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Rivers finished the 2019 season with the third-most intended air-yards and the 12th-highest average depth of target. Compare that to Brissett, who was 21st and 23rd respectively in those categories.

Any help?

Outside of Hilton, there aren’t a lot of strong options in the passing game for the Colts. There is certainly promise and upside but Hilton is a sure thing. It wouldn’t be a shock at all to see Rivers and Hilton get on the same page quickly given the lack of high-end talent in the passing game.

There’s upside with Nyheim Hines, who could be a special fantasy asset in 2020. There’s also some upside with Parris Campbell if he can stay healthy. However, no one will bring the juice like Hilton if he’s able to stay healthy. And that lack of help around him will secure him furthermore as the alpha in the offense.

Conclusion

Hilton’s days as a locked and loaded WR1 are probably behind him. He’s still an electric talent capable of carrying a passing offense, but his injury history has caught up to him recently.

That said, the addition of Rivers will do wonders for Hilton’s fantasy outlook. He might not be a WR1 but given his skill set, target share and overall role in the offense, Ghost should return to a solid WR2 tier while having WR1 upside in certain weeks.

7 Colts among top 200 fantasy football players of 2020

Can these Colts have a fantasy football impact in 2020?

When the 2019 season was all said and done, fantasy football managers were ultimately disappointed in the majority of the Indianapolis Colts offense, save for one or two players.

There is plenty of hope that might change with a new quarterback in 2020 and while that is far from a guarantee, the Colts could wind up having some relevant players in fantasy football for the upcoming campaign.

In Michael Fabiano’s top 200 fantasy players for the 2020 season, the Colts had seven total make the list but only two in the top 100 and none in the top 45.

46. T.Y. Hilton, Colts (WR21)
47. Marlon Mack, Colts (RB22)
133. Jack Doyle, Colts (TE13)
170. Parris Campbell, Colts (WR67)
179. Eric Ebron, Colts* (TE20)
185. Nyheim Hines, Colts (RB67)
186. Zach Pascal, Colts (WR71)

Because of the low passing volume and the inconsistent play from quarterback Jacoby Brissett, the Colts offense struggled to make an impact for fantasy lineups. That meant Hilton, Doyle and Ebron were largely irrelevant for the vast majority of the season.

There was some hope for Hilton, who recorded five touchdown receptions through the first four games of the season. However, his low target volume and constant injury cycle kept him from the field for most of the second half.

A commitment to the run game helped Marlon Mack finish as a high-end RB2 in 2019. That should continue in 2020 even if his passing-game work will be limited because of Hines.

The Colts are likely to add to the wide receiver room this offseason. Whether that comes in the form of free agency and/or the draft remains to be seen, but there should be some new faces competing in the group following the events of the offseason.

The relevance of the Colts in fantasy football will largely depend on the quarterback play in 2020. Regardless, they shouldn’t be heavily relied upon when it comes to fantasy drafts for now.

Colts’ 2019 player review: WR T.Y. Hilton

Reviewing the 2019 season for T.Y. Hilton.

It was a tough season for the Indianapolis Colts wide receiver corps and especially for its top player in T.Y. Hilton, who battled through several injuries during the 2019 campaign.

2019 Stats

Games Played: 10
Snaps: 478 (44%)
Receptions: 45
Receiving Yards: 501
Touchdowns: 5
Yards Per Reception: 11.1

Season Review

Even with the change at quarterback from Andrew Luck to Jacoby Brissett, there was still hope that Hilton would be able to lead the offense with explosiveness. However, due to that change under center and the various injuries that Hilton dealt with, that didn’t come to fruition.

Hilton started off strong catching four touchdown passes in the first three games of the season. But his yardage stats would wind up taking a hit. That likely stems from the 11.1 yards per reception mark, the lowest of his career.

Ghost battled through a groin injury early in the season and then a calf tear at the midway point. He never truly got back to form and by the time he did, the Colts were already knocked out of the playoffs.

Offseason Outlook

Hilton is signed through the 2020 season. He will be leading the way in the wide receiver room for the Colts for at least one more season. Beyond that, it isn’t clear what the Colts plan to do.

Chris Ballard and the front office need to add to the room behind Hilton this offseason. Whether that’s investing during free agency or building up the room through the draft, the Colts have to add some help for Hilton.

Conclusion

It was a disappointing season for the Colts offense. Hilton is included with that mostly because he could never shake the injury bug. Hopefully, he can put together a healthy season in 2020 like he’s done for the majority of his career.

4 Colts who could be in line for a contract extension

These Colts could b in line for a contract extension.

Since Chris Ballard has come to Indianapolis he has preached “keeping your own.” Drafting players and re-signing them to a second contract. Ballard has backed up his words on that since taking over in 2017.

Ballard has given contract extensions to players during the offseason even when they were still under contract for the next season.

Last offseason, Ballard extended Kenny Moore and Luke Rhodes, and before the 2019 season, Ballard extended Jacoby Brissett’s rookie deal.

Extending current players on the roster aren’t the biggest concern going into 2019 but don’t be surprised if Ballard tries to get ahead of the market and extend his own.

With all that in mind, the Colts have some key players that could be in line for an extension this offseason. Here are some of those players:

Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

WR T.Y. Hilton

The 30-year-old wide receiver will be a free agent in 2021 and unless the Colts address the receiver position this offseason, Hilton will be the only real threat for the offense in the passing game.

2019 was a season to forget for Hilton—career-lows in receptions, yards, and yards per reception. And while Hilton did miss six games with various injuries throughout the year, there should be no hesitancy to extend Hilton.

Hilton is currently the ninth highest-paid receiver in the NFL but with him turning 31 when the contract expires, the Colts could look to sign him in the range of three to four years, and $50 million. Tyreek Hill signed an extension last offseason for three years and $54 million.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

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.

Colts’ Frank Reich: T.Y. Hilton must be centerpiece of the offense

Frank Reich knows T.Y. Hilton has to be involved more.

When he wasn’t dealing with an injury, there were times that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton disappeared for long chunks of a game. Sometimes that even spanned a group of games.

In what was an injury-marred 2019 campaign, Hilton also had to deal with the lack of passing volume and production following the retirement of Andrew Luck. The consistent success that Hilton found was no longer there.

Even as a team that believes in running the football as much as they do, Colts head coach Frank Reich admitted that the success of the unit comes with Hilton as the centerpiece.

“You just want to get him the ball more. I said it yesterday, if we’re going to fulfill our vision and win the games that we want to win he has to be at the center of it,” Reich told reporters Monday. “We are still going to be a run-the-ball team, but T.Y. (Hilton) has to be at the center of it. He is a great player and it is our responsibility to get him involved and get him the ball.”

Dealing with the injuries and a struggling passing game, 2019 wasn’t kind to Hilton. In the 10 games he did play, he failed to reach 100 yards in any of them. His season-high came all the way back in Week 1 when he had 87 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers. His yards per reception mark shrunk to a measly 11.1 average.

There was a bevy of factors that led to Hilton’s down year. From injuries to the change at quarterback and even the philosophy of running the ball more all factored into the worst season of his career.

The Colts will use the next month or so to truly evaluate and dig into why the offense failed the way it did.

One of the conclusions they will likely find is that Hilton wasn’t involved nearly enough. If they want to be an explosive offense, they must find more ways to get Hilton the ball.

Colts vs. Panthers: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 16

Key matchups to watch in Week 16.

With their playoff hopes officially dashed, the Indianapolis Colts will have to find another source of motivation as they play in their second to last game of the season. Coming to town on Sunday are the Carolina Panthers, who are looking for a strong end to their struggling season.

On Monday night, the Colts were greatly embarrassed by the New Orleans Saints in a 34-7 defeat and there was little to no positives from that game. But as they say, “today is a new day.”

Here are three key matchups to watch in Colts’ Week 16 bout:

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

RB Christian McCaffrey vs. Colts’ defensive front seven

In what is easily this game’s biggest matchup, the Colts are facing one of the most dynamic and versatile offensive players this league has seen in a long time. Third-year running back Christian McCaffrey is literally having an all-time season and at one point, he was even considered a front runner for this year’s MVP award.

Between his incredible efforts as a runner (1,307 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns) and receiver (94 catches and 814 receiving yards), McCaffrey forces defenses to always keep their eyes on him, which allows other Panthers offensive targets to play in favorable situations.

The Colts’ defense, especially linebacker Darius Leonard, has to play with an extra burst and anticipation while defending McCaffrey. This has to be done because one mistake could literally turn into a game-changing play for the Stanford product.

In fact, McCaffrey is actually 388 total yards (2,121) away from tying the record of most scrimmage yards gained in a season (2,509), set by former Tennessee Titan Chris Johnson in 2009.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Saints inactive report for Monday Night Football vs. Colts

The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts posted their inactive reports for their Monday Night Football game with T.Y. Hilton gearing up

[jwplayer A1HDGD64-ThvAeFxT]

The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts published their official inactive reports ahead of their Monday Night Football kickoff, with a few key players on both teams forced to sit this one out.

For New Orleans, they’ll be without several starters while they work to return from various injuries. Left guard Andrus Peat (arm), middle linebacker Kiko Alonso (thigh), and strong safety Vonn Bell (knee) were each preemptively ruled out on the Saints injury report.

On the other sideline, the only mainstay the Colts will be without is cornerback Kenny Moore; all-star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is making his return from a calf injury that has held him out the last two weeks, though he still isn’t quite back to his old self. Starting cornerback Pierere Desir is also returning from an injury that has limited his availability.

Here is the full list of players who will be watching this game in sweatpants. NFL rules stipulate that only 46 of the 53 players on the active roster may suit up on game days, so teams have to be very strategic in deciding who doesn’t dress out.

From the Saints

  • OL Andrus Peat
  • LB Kiko Alonso
  • S Vonn Bell
  • CB Patrick Robinson
  • OL Ethan Greenidge
  • OL Michael Ola
  • DE Noah Spence

From the Colts

  • CB Kenny Moore
  • TBD

[vertical-gallery id=24577]

Colts’ T.Y. Hilton (calf) expected to play vs. Saints

Ghost is preparing to make his return.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is listed as questionable for Monday night’s game against the New Orleans Saints but is expected to play despite a lingering calf injury.

Having missed five of the last six games, Hilton’s absence has been greatly missed. As the Colts face official elimination from playoff contention with a loss, the 30-year-old will reportedly suit up for the primetime matchup, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Hilton was trending in the right direction to make his return Monday night despite being questionable. Even with the Colts’ season on the line, head coach Frank Reich only wanted to get Hilton back on the field if he was truly healthy.

“We kind of been down this road before and he wasn’t there. I know it’s T.Y. (Hilton) but we just want to feel good about it,” Reich said to reporters Saturday. “We just want to do the right thing, make sure that he feels right and that we feel like he’s good.”

Hilton has been the MVP of the offense simply because his absence has led to a massive depletion in production for the entire unit. Since initially suffering the calf injury, the Colts have averaged 23 points per game.

On the season (seven games), Hilton has 35 receptions for 378 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 10.8 yards per catch.

The inactives will be released an hour and a half before kickoff on Monday night so that’s when it will be official, but it appears the Ghost is ready to make his return.

Colts’ T.Y. Hilton a game-time decision vs. Saints, but ‘trending in the right direction’

The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to play star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton against the New Orleans Saints, but it’s far from certain.

[jwplayer Nnkc85uA-ThvAeFxT]

The Indianapolis Colts offense could get a huge boost on Monday night for their game with the New Orleans Saints. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that veteran Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is expected to be a game-time decision to play against New Orleans, with team medical staff wanting to see how his injured calf responds during pregame warmups.

Hilton returned to Colts practice on a limited basis last week after missing Indianapolis’ last two games; the speedster is averaging a career-low 10.8 yards per reception in 2019, but he remains the focal point of their offense when healthy. His 5.0 receptions per game and 54.0 receiving yards per game set the pace for the rest of the team, and his 5 touchdown catches ties number-two receiver Zach Pascal for the lead (despite having played just 7 games this year). If his injured calf responds well on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf, he’ll be a big threat for the Saints defense to counter.

How would the Saints defend Hilton if he plays? The easy answer would be to assign number-one cornerback Marshon Lattimore to him, with Eli Apple covering Pascal from the other spot. But things could be shaken up with the loss of starting safety Vonn Bell, which pushes rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson into the lineup in Bell’s place. Gardner-Johnson has shared time with P.J. Williams in slot coverage duties throughout the season, and the Colts make a point of rotating various receiving options (including tight ends and running backs) into that alignment to create defensive mismatches.

And as Rapoport said, Hilton will not be playing at full health if he does suit up. There’s a chance the Saints don’t assign any specific coverage to him if he is able to go, given his condition, but that runs the danger of underestimating the impact he can have. There’s absolutely a scenario where he’s able to catch a Saints cornerback at unawares and get behind them for a big gain. New Orleans has to be ready for anything with Hilton and the Colts backed up against a wall, with their season on the line.

[vertical-gallery id=24630]