There are certain teams that have offenses so strong that fantasy football managers wind up gravitating towards, hoping to find a sleeper that carves out a role in a high-volume unit.
The Indianapolis Colts are certainly one of those teams that will be heavily targeted in re-draft leagues given how efficient the offense is. This becomes truer when looking late in drafts and on the waiver wire searching for the next big asset to emerge.
Skipping past the big guns that most fantasy managers know about (e.g. Andrew Luck), here are four Colts that have sleeper potential in fantasy football for the 2019 season:
WR Devin Funchess
One of the few outside acquisitions the Colts brought in from free agency, Funchess has a chance to carve out a role in the offense working on the boundary as the WR2 opposite T.Y. Hilton.
Now, that role didn’t hold much value in typical fantasy leagues in 2018, but that could be more attributed to the dearth of talent in the room. Funchess is getting a clean slate in an offense that can maximize his talents without making him the top target for opposing defenses.
Funchess, of course, must first secure that starting role in the wide receiver room. If he does, though, there is a chance he becomes an intriguing fantasy asset with plenty of touchdown upside.
RB Nyheim Hines
There is no denying who is leading the backfield. As it stands during OTAs, that job belongs to Marlon Mack, who shouldn’t be considered a sleeper considering where he’s going in mock drafts. However, there is a name to keep an eye on in the backfield in the form of Hines.
Holding the valuable role as the pass catcher out of the backfield, Hines really only holds sleeper value in PPR formats, barring an injury to the aforementioned Mack. Hines caught 63 passes during his rookie campaign and while the addition of weapons this offseason might result in a decrease in target share, the Colts love his ability to be a mismatch when split out wide lining up across from linebackers.
Hines’ work in the passing game last year helped him finish as the RB21 in full-PPR scoring, though he was the RB36 from Week 10 on. Regardless, Hines has the chance to carve out a solid role in the offense as a pass catcher and should anything happen to Mack, that role would become even bigger.
WR Parris Campbell
The wide receiver room should be a fun one to watch both for Colts fans and fantasy football managers. One player getting plenty of hype throughout the spring since being selected in the second round of the draft is the rookie Campbell.
How quickly the Ohio State product can carve out a starting role remains to be seen, but many are already pegging him as the WR3 in the room. Given how the Colts need a slot receiver that can create offense after the catch, Campbell has the opportunity to be a solid stash.
He’s certainly a better target in dynasty leagues, but there is a chance Campbell finds a way to have some sleeper impact when considering how well he can work both as a vertical and horizontal weapon in the Colts offense.
WR Deon Cain
The Colts are waiting patiently for the return of Cain, who suffered a torn ACL during the preseason opener in 2018. The Clemson product appeared to be on the fast track to be the WR2 in the offense, but now he faces a much tougher group to compete with.
The Colts raved about Cain’s athleticism working on the outside, and he showed plenty of that as a vertical threat during training camp last year. He’s expected to be ready for training camp in a few months where he’s likely to be one of the top candidates to compete for a starting role on the outside, along with the aforementioned Funchess.
Cain is already running routes, sprinting and cutting as he works his way back from surgery to repair the torn ACL, and if he winds up grabbing that starting spot on the outside, it is likely to be accompanied by sleeper value.
