Miami Dolphins vs Indianapolis Colts
With Brian Hoyer filling in for the injured Jacoby Brissett, the Dolphins took advantage of Colts’ turnovers and jumped out to a 10-0 lead at the half. The Colts took the lead in the fourth quarter as they began to get their running game going, only to see Adam Vinatieri miss an extra point to leave the score at 12-10. Ryan Fitzpatrick was the better quarterback in this matchup, and lead the Dolphins to a go-ahead field goal the next drive. After another Hoyer interception produced a 16-12 Dolphins lead, the Colts had one final drive to try to pull out the win, stalling out just short of a first down in the red zone. The Dolphins jump to 2-7 on the season, while the Colts fall to 5-4.
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback
- Ryan Fitzpatrick: 21/33, 169 yards, 1 INT, 3 sacks | 4 carries, 23 yards, 1 TD
Ryan Fitzpatrick was the better quarterback in this matchup and operated the offense well for the most part. There is not much explosiveness in this Dolphins offense, so Fitzpatrick played the role of game manager. He moved well in the pocket and scrambled when needed, including for a 2nd quarter rushing touchdown. Fitzpatrick’s interception went to Darius Leonard and was nearly returned for a touchdown. However, officials blew the play dead and said Leonard’s forward progress was stopped. The offense was mostly conservative once they got the lead, leading to a lackluster fantasy day. Fitzpatrick briefly left the game with a concussion scare but returned shortly after. Fitzpatrick could be a desperation streamer in the right matchup, but the overall lack of playmakers on offense limits his upside.
Running Backs
- Kalen Ballage: 20 carries, 43 yards | 4 targets, 4 receptions, 2 yards
- Myles Gaskin: 1 target, 1 reception, 0 yards
- Patrick Laird: 2 carries, 4 yards | 2 targets, 2 receptions, 15 yards
This was Kalen Ballage’s backfield this week, and the Dolphins were even presented with the rare opportunity to play with a lead. The results for Ballage were completely uninspiring, however, and while he didn’t make any crucial mistakes, he rarely made a play during his 24 touches. His passing game work was mainly on simple swing passes with little opportunity for success, and there were very few lanes to run through on his rushing attempts. Ballage will happen upon some fantasy usefulness if he continues to get 24 touches per game, but it may not be often where the Dolphins get to play with the lead all game. Ballage is probably worth rostering in deep leagues for his volume alone, but he possesses little to no upside in one of the league’s worst situations for a tight end. Myles Gaskin was schemed a passing play in the red zone that may have gone for a touchdown, but a defender tipped the pass and threw off the timing. Gaskin was otherwise unheard from. Patrick Laird got the carries on the Dolphins last drive as they tried to milk the clock, but he’s primarily on the roster for his special teams play. None of these backups are worth rostering during Mark Walton’s four-game suspension.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- DeVante Parker: 10 targets, 5 receptions, 69 yards
- Mike Gesicki: 6 targets, 3 receptions, 28 yards, 1 fumble
- Allen Hurns: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 32 yards
- Jakeem Grant: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 15 yards
- Albert Wilson: 3 targets, 1 reception, 0 yards
DeVante Parker was the clear number one option in the passing game with Preston Williams now out for the year with a knee injury. Parker played the role of a possession receiver in this one but was the Dolphins’ best option through the air. Parker had a potential touchdown clang off his hands in the red zone on a bullet from Fitzpatrick; it was a tough play, but it certainly was a catchable ball. Parker may struggle against lockdown corners with nobody else in the receiving corps to take the focus away from him, but he should remain a high volume option most weeks, though he will lack much of a ceiling in this subpar offense.
Mike Gesicki derailed a promising first drive with a fumble, though he was not put in the doghouse and was the second most targeted option behind Parker. Gesicki had a pass up the seam that he couldn’t haul in that could have been a touchdown with a better throw. Gesicki probably won’t be consistent enough in this offense to be a fantasy starter, but he is one of the more talented options in the Miami passing game and should be involved most weeks. Allen Hurns seemed to be the third option in the passing game and could have had a big play on a slant where Fitzpatrick misfired and threw behind him for an incomplete pass. Jakeem Grant and Allen Hurns weren’t much of a factor and were mostly used close to the line of scrimmage.
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
- Brian Hoyer 18/39, 204 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, 1 sack | 2 carries, 0 yards
Brian Hoyer struggled in this game, though the first interception wasn’t his fault. Hoyer threw what looked like a touchdown to Eric Ebron, only for safety Steven Parker to rip the ball out of Ebron’s hands as they went to the ground. Otherwise, the Dolphins blitzed and pressured Hoyer often, and Hoyer was inaccurate on his throws all day. The pressure occasionally caused him to make the wrong read or to miss an open receiver as well. Hoyer overthrew Ebron badly for his second interception, which set up the Dolphins with a short field and lead to a 10-0 deficit for the Colts. After Miami kicked a field goal to go up 13-12 in the fourth quarter, Hoyer immediately threw his third interception of the game and left the Colts needing a touchdown on the game’s final failed drive. Lacking T.Y. Hilton made things even more difficult for Hoyer, but this is still a very disappointing performance against a bad Miami defense. Hopefully, Brissett will return from his knee injury to face Jacksonville next week because this offense takes a big step back with Hoyer under center.
Running Backs
- Marlon Mack: 19 carries, 74 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 8 yards
- Nyheim Hines: 3 carries, 14 yards | 7 targets, 4 receptions, 30 yards
- Jordan Wilkins: 3 carries, 20 yards
- Jonathan Williams: 2 carries, 1 yard
Marlon Mack struggled to get much going in the first half as the Dolphins were selling out to stop the Colts’ running game. The running game began to take off a bit in the second half, but there weren’t consistent enough running lanes to make up for the lack of a passing game. Mack seemed to trip himself up several times, and often came off the field after receiving multiple touches in a row, so this was not a particularly impressive performance from Mack. Still, this disappointing performance was more of a product of the offense’s struggles as a whole, and Mack should have better days when Brissett returns to the offense. Mack remains limited, however, by a complete lack of passing game work in PPR leagues.
Overall, the Colts incorporated some two-back sets with Mack and Nyheim Hines on the field at the same time. The Colts seemed to try to find ways to get Hines the ball in the red zone as well, but none of the quick passes resulted in a touchdown. Hines is good at his role, but his upside is capped by the fact that he isn’t a three-down back, and doesn’t quite have the explosiveness to break big plays. He provides a nice PPR floor in games where the Colts are trailing or will have to throw often, but otherwise can be left on waivers in most leagues. Jordan Wilkins, the between the tackles backup to Mack, left in the third quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. Jonathan Williams came in as Wilkins’ replacement and would be the early-down handcuff to Mack if Wilkins were to miss significant time.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Eric Ebron: 12 targets, 5 receptions, 56 yards
- Jack Doyle: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 44 yards, 1 TD
- Zach Pascal: 7 targets, 2 receptions, 26 yards
- Chester Rodgers: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 31 yards
- Marcus Johnson: 3 targets, 1 reception, 9 yards
Eric Ebron was the focus of the passing attack and had a very Ebron-like up and down performance. Ebron had a touchdown snatched from his hands for an interception in the first quarter and had at least one other drop later on. It was encouraging to see him lead the team in targets, and he was on the field a bit more than in some weeks where he was limited to red-zone work. Jack Doyle was used in the play-action game, getting wide open for a 1-yard touchdown in one instance. The tight ends are an important part of this offense, and while the two split up the work too much to make them truly dependable options, there are certainly worse tight ends out there on the waiver wire. Neither will be particularly appealing as long as Hoyer is under center, however.
Hopefully, most people moved on from Zach Pascal once Brissett was ruled out because he certainly disappointed from a fantasy perspective. I wouldn’t read too much into this performance with Hoyer starting at quarterback, and it was at least encouraging to see Pascal get 7 targets. Pascal could become an interesting bye week fill-in once Brissett returns from injury. Chester Rodgers was next in the pecking order and showed some flashes on punt returns. With the tight ends, Pascal, and the run game all ahead of Rodgers, it’s unlikely he returns any fantasy value this year. Overall, it was hard to gain much information from this receiving core with Hoyer struggling so much with his accuracy.
-Erik Smith