The Indianapolis Colts have quickly turned into one of the most exciting teams in the league with some names that beginning to carry some heavy expectations.
With expectations as high as they have been in recent seasons, the Colts have several players that are likely to be in consideration to earn a Pro Bowl selection during the 2019 campaign. It’s unlikely all of these players will become Pro Bowlers, but simply being considered is a different story.
Here are nine Colts most likely to earn Pro Bowl consideration in 2019:
QB Andrew Luck
The most obvious and most likely player on the Colts roster to earn Pro Bowl consideration is the face of the franchise. Luck is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career, and the expectation is that he will continue to improve under head coach Frank Reich.
The 29-year-old finished the 2018 season with a career-high in efficiency. The Colts added some new weapons around him in the form of wide receivers Devin Funchess and Parris Campbell while reinforcing the offensive line and backfield.
Luck is in the best situation of his career as the Colts have finally and correctly built the offensive roster around him. The sky is the limit for the Luck entering the 2019 season.
WR T.Y. Hilton
Despite dealing with injuries throughout the 2018 season, Hilton had one of his best campaigns recording 76 catches for 1,276 yards and six touchdowns. He endured through the pain to be a major weapon for the Colts offense.
Hilton returns with full health in 2019 as the unit looks to evolve even more in the second season under Reich’s command. The chemistry is at an all-time high with Luck as his quarterback and should continue to be one of the best deep threats in the league.
Hilton averaged 120.0 receiving yards per game from Week 11 on during the regular season. He did that with one ankle and should continue to garner Pro Bowl consideration entering his eighth season.
OL Quenton Nelson
The No. 6 overall pick from the 2018 draft was both a Pro Bowler and a First-Team All-Pro selection. It’s only fair to expect that he will continue to be regarded as one of the best offensive linemen in the league even if he’s just entering his second season.
Nelson was a consistent force on an improved offensive line during his rookie season. He was the only player to play every single snap on the offensive side of the ball while proving to be well worth his high draft stock.
Looking to improve his consistency in technique and performance during his second season, Pro Bowl consideration is likely to follow him into every season.
LB Darius Leonard
In a bizarre move, Leonard wasn’t even voted into the Pro Bowl despite earning a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2018. The NFL’s tackle king is still bothered by the Pro Bowl snub of his rookie season and is likely to use that a chip on his shoulder to prove he deserved it.
The second-round pick has quickly entrenched himself as the cornerstone of the defense. His speed, range and tackling ability has made him somewhat of a prototype in a new line of linebackers teams will be looking for.
As long as he stays healthy for his second season in the league, Leonard is likely to garner heavy Pro Bowl consideration from Week 1.
RB Marlon Mack
If Mack was healthy for the entire 2018 season, there is a chance he would have had consideration for the Pro Bowl. His second half of the season was incredible as he wound up averaging 4.7 yards per carry on the season while recording 10 total touchdowns.
Now, Mack is set to lead the backfield for a Colts offense that is expected to be one of the best in the league. He nearly clipped 1,000 rushing yards in 12 regular season games in 2018 and with a new focus on improving the rushing attack, Mack is set up for success in 2019.
In his third season, Mack has proven to be a big playmaker for the Colts out of the backfield. If he can learn to truly become a three-down back in a high-powered offense, there’s a chance he’s on a Pro Bowl roster.
TE Eric Ebron
There are some polarizing thoughts on how Ebron might perform for the Colts in 2019. Coming off of his career season that saw him record 66 receptions for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns, the expectations are as high as ever for the former first-round pick.
However, there is case that there are plenty more mouths to feed in the offense now to go along with the argument of regression given how efficient Ebron was in 2018. Still, the Colts love to utilize Ebron’s skill set as a mismatch both in-line and in the slot.
If he continues to be the weapon they see him as, a consecutive Pro Bowl could be on the way for the 26-year-old.
OL Ryan Kelly
Before he suffered an injury during the second half of the regular season, Kelly was in high consideration for a Pro Bowl in 2018. If his health stays true during his fourth professional season, that could be on the way again.
Kelly was the anchor to a Colts offensive line that wound up allowing the fewest sacks in the league. They were also a much stronger run-blocking unit when he was on the field.
Kelly faces an important season as the Colts need to begin looking toward the future. A Pro Bowl caliber year will show them he’s the future anchoring the offensive line.
DE Justin Houston
This one might be a bit of a stretch given that Houston hasn’t earned a Pro Bowl selection since the 2015 season. However, the scheme change for the veteran could help him put up some higher numbers than he has in recent years.
The Colts won’t be asking Houston to hold the same responsibilities he did with Kansas City. He won’t be dropping into coverage that often, and his main job will be to get upfield and impact the quarterback. This is likely to lead to an increase in production from a numbers standpoint if he’s able to stay healthy.
The Colts are likely to still use a rotation on the defensive line, but Houston could be one of the more productive players on the unit if he can stay on the field.
DT Denico Autry
Don’t forget that Autry led the Colts defense with 9.0 sacks during the 2018 campaign, and that was after he dealt with some injuries during the first half of the season.
If Autry is able to hold off Tyquan Lewis for the starting three-technique position, he could put forth another strong campaign that warrants Pro Bowl consideration. He’s a versatile piece along the line and has proven to be a perfect fit for the gap-shooting front.
Autry is expected to lead the interior defensive line once the season begins, and he has a chance to improve on his totals from 2018. That in itself should lead to consideration.
