Every year there are a few players from each team who don’t get a lot of attention or are overlooked by a rookie trying to take their spot on the roster.
There is a lot of hype around the Indianapolis Colts this year, and a lot of experts are talking about how they could get back to the playoffs this season.
Let’s take a look at some of the under-the-radar Colts who could be key contributors this season for Indianapolis even if they may not be getting all of the credit they deserve:
TE Trey Burton
Now that training camp has come and gone, Burton has received praise from local media, one even saying they can see Burton having 90 catches this season—a hyperbole, of course. While that might be a little far fetched, I wouldn’t be surprised if Burton had a really productive season for Indianapolis.
This is all dependent on Burton’s calf injury, still no word on that, but not a lot of people are talking about Burton having a big role in the pass offense.
With Burton’s connection with Frank Reich while in Philadelphia and Rivers’ desire to throw to tight ends (almost 1,700 targets in 14 seasons), Burton should have a very productive season in 2020 if he’s on the field.
S Tavon Wilson
Here is a name not a lot of Colts fans are familiar with. That’s because Wilson was signed less than a month ago. A 30-year old veteran, formerly of the Patriots and Lions, Wilson has made a big impact in training camp.
There are questions of the depth at safety behind starters Khari Willis and Malik Hooker, and that’s where Wilson will get a lot of meaningful snaps in 2020.
Last year, George Odum was the team’s third safety who would typically play 30 snaps a game. But after a strong training camp, Wilson could be that guy that plays those snaps and be a spot starter for the Colts during the season.
Wilson won’t have a Pro Bowl season or light the world on fire, but he could have that Mike Mitchell impact on the team—mentor the young guys and make a lot of winning football plays for the Colts in 2020.
RB Marlon Mack
It seems unnecessary to put a player on this list when they’re coming off a career season like Mack had in 2019, (1,091 rushing yards and eight touchdowns) but he is getting overlooked because of the rookie in Jonathan Taylor.
Indianapolis went out in the second round of the 2020 draft, even traded up, to get Taylor out of Wisconsin, one of the more prolific running backs in college football history, and for many, that wrote the ending for Mack in Indianapolis.
Frank Reich has been adamant about making Mack the starter, so expectation should be he gets more touches early in the season than Taylor.
It’s not ground-breaking analysis to say Mack is a good running back, but this season he will be motivated going into a contract year, knowing Indianapolis drafted Taylor, so don’t be shocked if Mack has another 1,000 yard rushing season, and goes for maybe double-digit touchdowns this season.
