4-EYED IDP TEAM PREVIEW: INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2021)

Photo of Nate Marcum Nate Marcum Follow on X Send an email August 22, 2021
5 minutes read
Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Darius Leonard (53) celebrates a defensive stop against the Tennessee Titans in the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

In this second part of our Colts’ 4-EYED TEAM PREVIEW, we’re going to be covering the Colts’ IDPs that you should consider rostering for the 2021 fantasy football season.

While there are still some pieces to put together on the offensive side of the ball, the defense is ready to carry this team for as much as needed to get them deep into the playoffs this year.

After the heartbreaking loss to the Bills in the Wild Card Round, the Colts took the offseason and the draft to fill some needs, and patch some holes on the defensive side of the ball.

Xavier Rhodes and TJ Carrie were re-signed to keep the secondary dangerous. They also brought in Dayo Odeyingbo and drafted Kwity Paye was drafted to replace the FA loss of Denico Autry and Justin Houston.

While these moves might not have been the most jaw-dropping signings of the offseason, they will do enough to keep the momentum going that the Colts currently possess.

While real-life football can mirror fantasy football, the Colts possess some very high-end talent entering 2021.

So which MUST HAVE players should we be willing to go all-in on to help you win your fantasy championship?

Find out now in our 2021 Colts’ IDP Team Preview

Defensive Linemen

*Positional designations & ADP data brought to you by Sleeper.

DeForest Buckner (Current ADP: DL10)

At the Defensive Tackle position, there are few, if any, choices better than De’Forest Buckner. Since most leagues combine DL as a grouping of DT and DE, the safe money has always been on a DE to fill the DL role of your IDP team. I am here to tell you tho, go ahead and draft DeForest Buckner! Will he be double-teamed? Yes, and he will find a way. Is it common for DT to not accumulate the sack totals and tackle totals needed to be relevant? Yes, but he will find a way.

Over his career (2016-2020), he has averaged 64 tackles (40 solos), 7.8 sacks, 9.1 TFL, and 20 QB hits per season. If we take a step further and look at his past 3 years as he is entering his prime, he averages 13 TFL, 9.8 sacks, and a FF. Last year he finished as the DL6 (14.6 fppg) in 15 games, he was DL26 in 2019, and DL9 in 2018.

I can’t do a DeForest Buckner praise piece without giving credit to Grover Stewart at Nose Tackle. He absolutely engulfs all who take him on and really just heightens that Buckner floor that we have all come to love.

Linebacker

*Positional designations & ADP data brought to you by Sleeper.

Darius Leonard (Current ADP: LB2)

What more is there to say about Darius Leonard that hasn’t been said? He just got paid! He is the 1.01 or 1.02 in nearly all IDP drafts! The man is a stud.

I do believe that there will be some people who are already 1 year removed from their biases. Last year, he battled groin and back injuries that cost him 2 games on paper, but 3 games in reality. Despite the nagging injuries, Leonard still finished as the LB9 on the season. During his career, he has finishes of LB9, LB9, LB1

Entering 2021, the only reason that I can give for not making him my 1.01 is the potential for a couple of missed games. Since 2018, he has missed 6 games and left early in a few others. This is far from a major concern because, despite the potential for injury, he has averaged nearly 26 fppg!

As mentioned above, the Colts paid this man, despite an offseason ankle surgery, which tells me all things are a go and to prepare to have his name ready as the draft begins!

Bobby Okereke (Current ADP: LB72)

Bobby Okereke used 2020 as another stepping stone towards a productive career in the NFL. In 2019, PFF named him the top Rookie LB while compiling 65 total tackles, with 1 sack and 2 FF, while only starting 8 games. The coaching staff took notice and increased his snaps from 472 to 685, and in turn, he increased his tackles up to 72, all the while watching his tackle % improve 2% from 8%-10%.

Anthony Walker is off to Cleveland, and it would seem that Okereke is in line for more snaps while making the move Mike. Currently being drafted as an LB6, there is a potential for great profit. He finished last year as the LB64, despite only playing in 685 snaps. If the snaps increase by 30% and he maintains the .24 fantasy points per snap, he would fall in the LB40 range.

Defensive Back

*Positional designations & ADP data brought to you by Sleeper.

Khari Willis (Current ADP: DB19)

Khari Willis is looking more and more like both a real-life football steal in the 4th round for the Colts, as well as an IDP steal as the DB19. Coming off of a 2020 season in which he the final games due to concussion, he is looking to build on the success he had.

Last year, Willis played 42% of his snaps in the box and was 10th among S in rushing stops. Of the 319 snaps he played in run defense, he had a tackle on 8.7%. These are top 10 DB numbers. Jordan Poyer, by comparison, was at 6.9% last year.

While it is impossible to assume he will continue with these metrics, the fact that he has Julian Blackmon able to stay deep and some neutral game scripts if the offense sputters this season gives me optimism for a real value.

Kenny Moore (Current ADP: DB35)

As an undrafted rookie out of college, Kenny Moore has played with a huge chip on his shoulder since 2017. Signed by the Patriots and ultimately released, he found a home in Indy. Over the past 4 years, he has had alternating seasons with IDP success. In 2018, he finished as the DB18, and then again in 2020, he finished as the DB10. These strong finishes are a product of elite tackle volume for a CB (Top 5 in 2020) as well as Top 20 finishes in Passes Defensed.

If this is the “other” season, I heed caution, but health is a fickle beast and impossible to predict. Enter 2021 with the anticipation that he will give us a full season and finish among the Top 30 DB’s and provide some good return at his current ADP (35).

That’s all for our Colts IDP coverage for today. Stay tuned tomorrow for our double coverage of our first AFC North team, the Cleveland Browns!

Photo of Nate Marcum Nate Marcum Follow on X Send an email August 22, 2021
5 minutes read
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