Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Browns QB Joe Flacco has been getting first-team reps in practice and "could start" this weekend's game vs. the Rams, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is in concussion protocol -- and hasn't been good in his three starts. QB P.J. Walker has been just as bad. Flacco just joined the Browns 10 days ago but is likely the team's best passer. He completed 58% of his passes at 5.5 yards per attempt with five TDs and three INTs in five appearances for the Jets last year. That included outings of 309 and 307 passing yards in the first two weeks of the season. Flacco is not a viable Week 13 fantasy play, but we'd consider him a slight upgrade for Cleveland's skill-position players.

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor needs thumb surgery, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. Owner Jim Irsay says the "hope" is that he can return in two to three weeks. That means you should expect Taylor to miss at least this week's game against the Titans and the Week 14 visit to Cincinnati. It also means there's no guarantee Taylor will return. RB Zack Moss should be on a roster in every league by this weekend and could be a season-changer. If he's available in your league, there's no bid amount too high -- especially if you need a RB. Trey Sermon sits behind Moss on the depth chart, but the backfield has belonged to Moss when Taylor missed time earlier this year. Taylor should obviously be kept as well, in case he does miss just the two games.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Colts RB Jonathan Taylor suffered a thumb injury in Sunday's win over the Buccaneers that "puts his status in doubt going forward." Taylor reportedly played the entire second half after suffering the injury. But he's now headed for further evaluation "with all options considered." We'll obviously be watching this one closely. In the meantime, Zack Moss deserves to be claimed anywhere he might be available. You can find more potential insurance pickups among our Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups and via your Free Agent Finder.

When we last saw Colts RB Jonathan Taylor in Week 10, he played 88% of the offensive snaps and out-carried RB Zack Moss 23 to one. Coming out of the bye week, the Colts went back to a committee backfield in the win over the Bucs. Taylor registered a 58% snap rate to Moss' 41%. Taylor out-carried Moss 15 to eight, but Moss saw the only three RB targets. We'll see if this was a one-game blip or if the Colts will stick with this arrangement the rest of the way. Taylor is a weekly fantasy starter regardless. But he's more of a high-end RB2 on this week's usage vs. a potential league-winner on that Week 10 usage. Moss could jump back into the RB3 discussion if he continues getting ~40% of the snaps.

Colts WR Michael Pittman racked up 10 catches for 107 yards in the Week 12 win over the Bucs. His 13 targets tied for the team lead and were 31.7% of QB Gardner Minshew's 41 total attempts. Pittman has now averaged 10.8 targets, 7.5 catches, 81.2 yards, and 0.33 TDs in his last six games with Minshew. He has a chance to continue delivering WR1 level production the next three games with plus matchups against the Titans, Bengals, and Steelers.

Colts WR Josh Downs tied for the team lead with 13 targets in Sunday's win over the Bucs. He caught just five of them for 43 yards. QB Gardner Minshew wasn't very good in this one and had multiple misfires and miscommunications with Downs. One of them resulted in a Carlton Davis INT. It was a frustrating outing from Downs -- but encouraging for his going-forward outlook. The rookie has now averaged 8.4 targets per game over his last five healthy outings with Minshew. Downs gets three straight plus matchups the next three weeks against the Titans, Bengals, and Steelers.

Colts WR Josh Downs is not listed on the Week 12 injury report. He battled a knee injury the past couple of games but is evidently ready to go coming off the bye week. Downs gets a great matchup on Sunday vs. Tampa Bay's 27th-ranked WR defense.

Colts TE Jelani Woods has been on IR with a hamstring injury since August. Recently, he suffered a new hamstring injury to the other leg. “Jelani, actually, had a setback with his other hamstring during the rehab,” HC Shane Steichen said Monday. The first-year HC wouldn’t commit to Woods returning in 2023. Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson shared TE duties before Indy’s Week 11 bye, but neither guy is an intriguing fantasy add.

Multiple reports on Sunday evening indicate that the Browns are signing free agent QB Joe Flacco to their practice squad. The former Super Bowl XLVII MVP visited with Cleveland on Friday, and it's expected that he'll be elevated to the active roster shortly. This move adds much-needed positional depth in the aftermath of the announcement of starter Deshaun Watson's season-ending shoulder surgery. Fantasy managers in deeper 2QB/superflex leagues can consider throwing light FAAB or a speculative waiver claim on Flacco, though it would be wise to temper expectations. It's still entirely possible that the Browns will stick with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center, and they do still have backup P.J. Walker on the roster as well. Stay tuned for further updates.

Colts Edge Kwity Paye left Sunday's win over the Patriots with a hamstring injury. He's fortunate to get a Week 11 bye. We'll see about his status heading into Week 12.

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor remained a clear lead-back in Sunday’s win over New England. JT handled 23 of 24 team carries and saw Indy’s only RB target. His lone score came from one yard out on a pitch. Following a Week 11 bye, Taylor will encounter a neutral schedule. The 24-year-old is a firm hold in redraft leagues.

Colts LB Zaire Franklin (knee) is active for today's game against the Patriots. Play him as usual in your IDP lineups.

Colts WR Alec Pierce (ankle) is active for today’s game vs. the Patriots. He was a full-go in Friday’s practice and should be ready for his usual role today. Pierce could pick up a little extra volume with WR Josh Downs banged up but is really only an option in one-game DFS contests.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is active for today's game vs. the Patriots. Downs aggravated his knee injury early in last week's game and then didn't practice at all this week. ESPN's Adam Schefter said Saturday night that "the team could be cautious in how much it uses him" today. We'd try not to use Downs in Week 10 fantasy lineups.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is expected to play vs. the Patriots on Sunday morning. "But the team could be cautious in how much it uses him," Schefter adds. Downs lasted just 12 snaps last weekend before re-injuring his knee and then didn’t practice at all this week. He'd be an extremely risky Week 10 fantasy start.

Colts LB Zaire Franklin (knee) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Patriots. He appears to be trending toward returning after missing last week's game, though. Franklin sat out Wednesday but returned to a limited Thursday workout and then practiced in full Friday. We'll check his status Sunday. The Colts have ruled CB JuJu Brents (quad) out for the second straight game.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday morning’s game vs. the Patriots. He re-injured his knee last Sunday and then didn’t practice at all this week, so we’d be surprised if Downs ends up playing. He should be on fantasy benches for now. WR Alec Pierce (ankle) is also listed as questionable but should play after getting in a full practice on Friday.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) did not practice on Wednesday. He seems unlikely to play vs. the Patriots this weekend after aggravating that knee injury last Sunday. Isaiah McKenzie will step in as Indianapolis' slot receiver if Downs is out. McKenzie would be a desperation fantasy play.

Let's get the bad news out of the way first. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor surprisingly managed just 2.6 yards per carry against a Panthers defense that entered this week allowing 5.1 yards per carry to RBs. Carolina simply won the battle in the trenches, giving Taylor very little running room. Now the good news. Taylor salvaged a fine fantasy outing with five catches for 22 yards and a score. And he dominated backfield work, playing 75% of the offensive snaps and out-touching RB Zack Moss 23 to 7. We'll see where the backfield goes from here, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Taylor play this type of role weekly going forward. Remember that the Colts handed him a three-year, $42 million deal a month ago. Taylor gets a neutral Week 10 matchup vs. the Patriots before a Week 11 bye.

Colts WR Josh Downs is questionable to return to Sunday's game vs. the Panthers due to a knee injury. This is presumably the same knee that had Downs listed as questionable heading into this one. We'll update his status when we know more.

Update: Downs has been ruled out.