2020 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Week 3: Who Starts Sunday vs. New York Jets?
INDIANAPOLIS — Several Indianapolis Colts fantasy players didn’t disappoint in a Week 2 domination of the visiting Minnesota Vikings.
The Colts (1-1) could have an even better home matchup this week against the struggling New York Jets (0-2).
Who are the best Colts fantasy plays against “Gang Green?”
(Weekly positional rankings from FantasyPros.com, based on Half-PPR scoring. Ranks as of Thursday of game week.)
RBs Jonathan Taylor/Nyheim Hines
— Last game: Taylor - 26 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD, 2 catches (2 targets), 9 yards | Hines - 1 catch (1 target), 4 yards
— Last two-game average: Taylor - 17.5 carries, 61.5 yards, 0.5 TD, 4.0 catches (4.0 targets), 38.0 yards | Hines - 3.5 carries, 14.0 yards, 0.5 TD, 4.5 catches (4.5 targets), 24.5 yards, 0.5 TD
— FantasyPros Week 3 Position Rank: Taylor RB5, Hines RB33
— 2020 Jets vs. RBs: 24th (24.7 FPPG)
In his first career start, Taylor cashed in for fantasy owners in a good matchup with his first TD as well as becoming the first Colts rookie with 100 rushing yards since 2012.
The rookie had 28 touches, and he’s got another great matchup against a Jets defense that allowed 182 yards on the ground last week. The San Francisco 49ers had runs of 80 and 55 vs. the Jets, as well as a 67-yarder that was called back by penalty.
While Hines was a complete non-factor last week, he would be a perfect weapon for the Colts in this matchup. His agility and speed on the outside is very reminiscent of what the 49ers’ Raheem Mostert and Jerick McKinnon were able to do against the Jets.
“We need to get the ball to Nyheim,” Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni said. “He’s too good of a playmaker. So that is an emphasis and that is an emphasis each week. It just fell last week that he didn’t get the touches. We know we can win a lot of different ways. The main way we know we want to win is through the running game. Then everything comes off of that. Jonathan was carrying the ball. He was carrying the ball well. When Jordan (Wilkins) went in, he was carrying the ball well. That’s just the way it kind of lied last week, but definitely, it is always in our plans to get Nyheim the ball and be a big part of this offense. It just didn’t work that way last week.”
Tight end Mo Alie-Cox is coming off the best game of his NFL career.
Jenna Watson/USA TODAY Sports
TE Mo Alie-Cox
— Last game: 5 catches (6 targets), 111 yards
— Last two-game average: 3.5 catches (4.0 targets), 65.5 yards
— FantasyPros Week 3 Position Rank: TE20
— 2020 Jets vs. TEs: 21st (10.1 FPPG)
Anyone who watched the Colts last week knows the huge game Alie-Cox had with a career-best five catches for 111 yards after totaling 15 catches for 226 yards in his previous two years in the league. At the risk of overreacting to a potential flash-in-the-pan performance, there’s justification for liking Alie-Cox moving forward.
"It was obvious this week with Jack (Doyle) down, with that being a big blow, Philip (Rivers) let us know right away – he let me and Nick know right away how much confidence he has in Mo and not holding anything back,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said. “Philip likes throwing to those big targets. He is used to doing it to receivers, but you could see how quickly he got used to Mo – just throwing to that big target. What else can you say? Mo is a big man and a great competitor. Hats off to him."
Regardless of whether Doyle (ankle/knee) is able to play, Alie-Cox has a role. He played 37.1% of the offensive snaps in his first year in 2018, 32.9% in 2019, and now 53.1% through the Colts’ first two games of 2020.
The Jets allowed seven catches for 50 yards and two TDs to 49ers tight end Jordan Reed, so this is a quality matchup for Alie-Cox.
Colts Defense/Special Teams
— Last game: 175 yards allowed, 11 points allowed, 3 sacks, 3 takeaways, 1 safety
— Last two-game average: 208.0 yards allowed, 19.0 points allowed, 3.5 sacks, 1.5 takeaways, 0.5 safeties
— FantasyPros Week 3 Position Rank: DST3
— 2020 Jets vs. DSTs: 23rd (6.5 FPPG)
The Colts have done good things defensively in the first couple of weeks. They rank No. 1 in total defense (208.0 YPG) and pass defense (122.5 YPG), are tied for No. 3 in sacks (seven), rank No. 5 in run defense (85.5 YPG), tied for No. 7 in takeaways (three), and are No. 8 in fewest points allowed (19.0 PPG).
The Jets offense is among the bottom-five in the league in several categories, including third-down conversions (36.0%), passing (187.5 YPG), scoring (15.0 PPG), rushing (78.0 YPG), and total offense (265.5 YPG).
The Colts defense has done well at picking up the most meaningful extracurricular fantasy statistics after reaching at least three sacks in both games, and getting three takeaways as well as a safety last week. They also have a very dangerous punt return specialist in Hines, who had two returns for TDs late last season.
Boom or Bust
The “Boom” players are outside of the top 10 at their position in FantasyPros’ Week 2 rankings, yet have high upside this week. The ”Bust” players are inside the top 15 at their position, but could fall short of expectations.
Boom
— Gardnew Minshew II, Jacksonville Jaguars (QB12) vs. Miami Dolphins
— Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears (QB20) @ Atlanta Falcons
— David Montgomery, Chicago Bears (RB18) @ Atlanta Falcons
Bust
— Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles (QB13) vs. Cincinnati Bengals
— Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs (RB11) @ Baltimore Ravens
— Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team (WR9) @ Cleveland Browns
Who I’m Adding This Week
Here are some players worth acquiring from the waiver wire. They are owned in 40 percent or less of Yahoo! leagues.
— RB Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins (40%)
— WR Keelan Cole, Jacksonville Jaguars (35%)
— TE Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys (23%)
— QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (19%)
— WR Randall Cobb, Houston Texans (6%)
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(Jake Arthur has covered the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts for nearly a decade and is a contributor for the team's official website, Colts.com. He’s on Twitter and Facebook @JakeArthurNFL, and his email is jakearthur0890@yahoo.com.)
