Colts at Chargers
Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, September 8th at 4:05 pm ET
Location: Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA
Betting Odds: LAC -6.5 via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Sleeper Spotlight: Parris Campbell
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
- Jacoby Brissett
- Brian Hoyer
The Colts just got done signing their new starting Quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, to a two-year, $30 million extension. They also brought in a new backup QB Brian Hoyer on a three-year $12 million deal. Both quarterbacks are former Patriots backups and have proven themselves capable of starting in the NFL. It will be interesting to see how the team balances passing and running this year under their new circumstances, but I don’t expect them to hold back with Brissett. He has a great line protecting him and should have plenty of time to find the team’s plethora of weapons.
Running back
- Marlon Mack
- Nyheim Hines
The top fantasy RB on this team should be Marlon Mack. I expect him to get the bulk of the carries and has proven himself capable of catches passes out of the backfield. The Chargers may key in on Mack early to force Brissett to beat them with his arm. Mack owners will be rooting for Brissett’s success and hoping that the team gets an early lead and runs clock in the second half. Keep an eye on Nyheim Hines if the Colts fall behind early as he is a proven pass catcher and got a lot of work last year when the Colts trailed.
Wide receiver/Tight End
- T.Y. Hilton
- Eric Ebron
- Jack Doyle
- Mo Alie-Cox
The top pass-catching option for the Colts is T.Y. Hilton. Many people would have drafted him before the Andrew Luck news and will be hoping that he can still produce fantasy-relevant numbers. While I expect his production to dip under his new QB, I don’t expect it to be that drastic. He should get plenty of looks and may even see a couple of deep targets with Derwin James sidelined.
Keep an eye on the team’s three tight ends, Eric Ebron, Jack Doyle, and Mo Alie-Cox. Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to which will be the team’s go-to tight end any given week. I am avoiding all three for this very reason but I would not be surprised if Brissett favors tight ends while he gets used to his new role and if one tight end can separate themselves, they may be worth rostering later in the year.
Los Angeles Chargers
Quarterback
- Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers returns for his 16th season. There are a lot of people that think that this is the best team that he has had as a starter. I’m not sure I would go that far, but they certainly have a lot of good pieces and could be tough to beat this year. I would avoid Rivers this week in fantasy but if you play in a deep league or a Superflex you may not have a choice. The Colts have built an impressive defense, but they do have some younger players that Rivers may be able to exploit.
Running backs
- Melvin Gordon
- Austin Ekeler
- Justin Jackson
This is one of the more interesting positions to watch this week. I believe that Melvin Gordon will be true to his word and I don’t expect him to walk through the door any time soon. Even if he reported today, I doubt that he would get enough volume this week to be relevant. The two running backs to watch in this one will be Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson. Ekeler is being drafted much higher than Jackson and so Jackson may be a better fantasy value this week, but I expect it to be a near-even split and this feels like a committee that could change weekly.
Wide receiver/Tight End
- Keenan Allen
- Mike Williams
- Hunter Henry
Part of the reason that so many people are so high on the Chargers this year is because of their pass catchers. Keenan Allen is a perennial powerhouse in fantasy (as long as he can stay on the field) and is being drafted late second, early third round. Anything less than a WR1 season would be a disappointment and he too will try to exploit the Colts’ younger players.
Mike Williams is another popular fantasy pick this year and many expect him to have a breakout season. I believe that his ADP of 58 is about right for him right now and he has proven that he can make big plays. Keep an eye on a tight end, Hunter Henry, as well. It feels like it has been a long time since we have seen him play but when he has he has been one of the Rivers’ favorite targets. Antonio Gates is no longer around which should present plenty of opportunities for Henry if he can stay healthy.
–Dave Lathrop (DaveLathropQBL)