Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 10th @ 1:00 PM ET
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Betting Odds: IND -1, 40.5 total via PFF.com
Expected Weather: 40 F; Cloudy
Network: CBS
Writer: Matthew Cava (@cavaM_ on Twitter/X)
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
Gardner Minshew (Start, QB2)
Have a day, Gardner Minshew. In the thrilling overtime win against the Tennessee Titans last week, Minshew completed 26 of 42 attempts for 312 yards, two touchdowns, and kept the football clean through the air with no interceptions. However, he did lose a fumble in the second quarter. The Indianapolis Colts are right in the thick of the playoff race in the AFC, and will look to build on their two-game win streak this week against the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati has given up the 12th most fantasy points to opposing QBs this season, and Minshew could be a viable streaming option if you’re in a bind.
Running Backs
Zack Moss (Start, RB2)
With Jonathan Taylor sidelined again with a thumb injury, the Colts handed the backfield reins over to Zack Moss. Unfortunately, Moss didn’t do much with the opportunity: 19 carries turned into 51 scoreless yards, and his two receptions on three targets yielded only six yards. All told, Moss averaged a disappointing 2.7 yards per play against an above-average Titans rushing defense. However, he did receive eight red zone carries last week, including two inside the 5-yard line. That elite red zone usage makes him a prime candidate for positive regression in the touchdown department. Moss is set to face a Bengals defense this week that just allowed Travis Etienne Jr. to rush for only 45 yards on 11 carries, one of the better performances by a Cincinnati unit that has had trouble stopping opposing running backs this season. Etienne did find the end zone and caught all four targets for 34 yards, so there’s hope for Moss. While it’s fair to temper the sky-high expectations some have for Moss this week, it would be inadvisable to sit him given the volume he’s likely to see, regardless of game script.
Wide Receivers/Tight End
Michael Pittman Jr. (Start, WR2), Josh Downs (Sit)
Another week, another huge target share for Michael Pittman Jr., who cashed in 16 of them for 11 receptions for 105 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime. It was his second game in a row with at least 10 catches and 100+ yards. Pittman offers a very safe floor with WR1 upside as long as Minshew keeps throwing the ball to Pittman at this rate.
Josh Downs, off of a 13 target Week 12, laid a stinker against the Titans. He had three receptions on five targets for just 14 yards, and has 107 yards total since Week 9. In such a pivotal fantasy week, it’s a bit risky to rely on Downs.
Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback
Jake Browning (Start, QB2)
Have a night, Jake Browning. The Bengals upset the Jaguars largely in part due to an unexpected, dominant outing from Browning, the Cincy QB for the rest of the season with Joe Burrow on IR. Browning completed 32 of 37 attempts for 354 yards and a touchdown, as well as two carries for 22 yards and another score. He finished as the QB4 on the week per FantasyData, and dare I say, Browning offers streaming appeal against the Colts based simply on this recent surge.
Running Back
Joe Mixon (Start, RB2)
Joe Mixon bounced back against the Jaguars from a disappointing week prior vs. the Steelers. On Monday night, Mixon turned 19 carries into 68 yards and two touchdowns, adding six receptions on seven targets for 49 yards. The Colts are very porous against the run, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season, which makes for a great matchup for Mixon.
Wide Receivers/Tight End
Ja’Marr Chase (Start, WR2), Tee Higgins (Start if you must, FLEX), Tyler Boyd (Sit), Tanner Hudson (Sit)
Who needs Burrow? Ja’Marr Chase showed he didn’t against Jacksonville. Chase was able to turn in his second-best game of the season against the Jaguars, catching 11 of 12 targets for 149 yards and a touchdown. It was his first 100+ yard games since Week 10 (124 against the Texans), and he’ll be a WR2 with WR1 upside against the Colts this week.
Tee Higgins returned to action having missed the last three games, but had a quiet night overall. He caught all three targets for 36 scoreless yards and will be on the FLEX radar this week if you are comfortable still starting him in what overall has been a letdown year to his standards. Meanwhile, Tyler Boyd caught five of Browning’s seven targets to him for 37 yards, but he can be left on your bench for this one. Tanner Hudson has come on in recent weeks as the preferred Cincy TE, but he isn’t producing enough to warrant a streaming assignment, nor has he found the end zone.