The Colts have dealt with several injuries at wide receiver this season. Alec Pierce is currently on injured reserve. Ashton Dulin didn't practice all week with a hamstring injury and was ruled out on Friday. Darius Slayton was inactive due to a knee injury, his third straight absence since being signed. The Colts activated wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine from the practice squad to help with their wide receiver depth. Indianapolis has generally settled into a rotation with Laquon Treadwell at X, Josh Downs at Z in 12 personnel and in the slot in 11 and Allen at Z in 11. In Week 3, it appeared Allen might be heading for a more fantasy-relevant role. He was the most frequent receiver in 11 personnel, and he started to butt into Downs’ playing time in 12 personnel. However, this week, Allen didn’t play at all in 13 personnel and only managed three of 22 snaps in 12 personnel. Allen caught five passes for 45 yards, while Downs hauled in three for 47. This week, it was tight end Tyler Warren who led the Indianapolis passing game with seven receptions for 83 yards. It will be difficult to trust Allen unless he starts seeing more playing time in 12 or 13 personnel.
The Colts opened the season with Alec Pierce as their X receiver and Josh Downs playing Z in 12 personnel before moving into the slot in 11 personnel. Keenan Allen has primarily played Z in 11 personnel. Pierce is currently on injured reserve, allowing Laquon Treadwell to take over at X. Allen also got an expanded role last week, which initially looked promising for his fantasy value, but he suffered a groin injury mid-week and was inactive for this game. Indianapolis had several options to replace Allen. The Colts recently signed Darius Slayton, while Ashton Dulin returned after missing two games with an ankle injury. Younger receivers Deion Burks and Anthony Gould were also active, along with practice squad call-up Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Slayton, however, was a healthy inactive for the second straight week. Dulin stepped into Allen’s role as the Colts’ primary Z receiver in 11 personnel. Burks backed up both Downs and Dulin, while Westbrook-Ikhine was primarily used as the lone wide receiver in short-yardage packages featuring either three tight ends or two tight ends and a sixth offensive lineman. Dulin’s usage is particularly noteworthy because Allen could face a suspension at some point this season following his drunk-driving arrest earlier in the year. That could give Dulin some fantasy value in deeper leagues. Still, it’s difficult to get excited about any Indianapolis receiver outside of Downs until Slayton gets into the lineup and we see how the Colts intend to use him.
Unlock full player intel
Go beyond the surface with trusted beat-writer insight on every player.
