Colts rookie TE Jelani Woods scored 2 TDs as a mirage in Sunday's surprising win over the Chiefs. We say mirage because Woods ranked 3rd among Indianapolis TEs in playing time (16 total snaps) and pass routes (11). The TDs marked his only 2 catches amid 3 targets, which tied for 5th on the team. He'll need to pass both Kyle Granson and Mo Alie-Cox in receiving work before Woods can be applied to fantasy football lineups. Alie-Cox matched Woods' 3 targets against K.C., while Granson drew 2.
Colts WR Michael Pittman drew 13 targets in Sunday's tie with Houston, 6 more than his nearest teammate. Matt Ryan's 50 pass attempts helped enhance that number, but the 26% target share marked a nice start for Indy's clear lead wideout. He proved efficient, too, racking up a 9-121-1 receiving line. RB Jonathan Taylor and TE Kyle Granson tied for 2nd on the team with 7 targets apiece. RB Nyheim Hines and WR Ashton Dulin followed at 6 apiece. No one else drew more than 4. That made Week 1 disappointing for WRs Parris Campbell and Alec Pierce, who drew targets on just 7.7% and 6.3% of routes, respectively, according to Pro Football Focus. (For context: Pittman finished at 27.1%, Dulin at 46.2%.) Campbell and/or Pierce will need things to change before making sense for fantasy football lineups.
Colts TEs Kylen Granson and Jelani Woods have been "up-and-down so far, and need to stack more consistent days together," The Athletic's Zak Keefer writes. "Granson had too many drops in the spring and hasn’t flashed much in Westfield," Keefer adds. "Woods, a rookie, is probably coming along a little slower than the team would like. He’s looked lost at times." It's not a major surprise that Granson and Woods, 24 and 23 years old, respectively, are off to slow starts. We'll continue to monitor their progress, but Mo Alie-Cox looks like a safe bet to open the season as Indianapolis' lead TE.
Colts QB Matt Ryan impressed coaches, teammates and the media with his play and leadership this offseason. “Matt was unbelievable,” HC Frank Reich said. “Really, A-Z, he did everything right. Just great leadership, great play. I mean, the whole way he took command … I knew he was good, but his accuracy is insane." OC Marcus Brady said Ryan is "damn near a coach on the field." And rookie WR Alec Pierce said, "He could basically run this offense and this team by himself." We'd expect the 14-year veteran to impress in the intangibles department. But, by all accounts, Ryan's arm strength and accuracy were excellent over the past few months. He's still not an exciting fantasy asset in a run-first offense and without rushing upside. But Ryan's arrival could be a boost for the Colts' skill-position players.
Colts 3rd-round TE Jelani Woods carries “potential to earn immediate snaps,” per beat writer Stephen Holder. The 6’7, 253-pounder arrives after Indy used a 2021 Round 4 pick on Kylen Granson, who garnered only 15 targets as a rookie. Veteran Jack Doyle retired over the winter, and the supersized Mo Alie-Cox re-signed on a 3-year deal. “The offense,” HC Frank Reich said, “wants to be tight end-centric in some ways. A lot of playmaking goes on in the middle of the field.” Woods, 23, is a long-shot for redraft relevance. But the Colts supply a fine landing spot for his dynasty value.
The Colts selected TE Jelani Woods in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft. A 1-year producer at Virginia (44-598-8), Woods goes a towering 6’7, 259 pounds. Athletically, he tested off the charts with a Relative Athletic Score of 10.0 (out of 10.0). Converting to TE just a few years ago, Woods is a raw product, but he landed in a spot where he can work into Indy’s rotation slowly. The Colts used a mid-round pick on Kylen Granson last year, while they signed Mo-Alie-Cox to a 3-year, $18 million deal in March.
Stephen Holder of The Athletic writes that TE has been a “focus” of the Colts’ “pre-draft preparation.” Jack Doyle retired in March. Mo Alie-Cox returned on a 3-year deal last month, but he hasn’t played more than 55% of the snaps in a season (2021). Second-year man Kylen Granson brings a receiving profile but stands just 6’2 and caught only 11 passes as a rookie. Holder noted that Indy relied heavily on 2 TE sets last year, while OC Marcus Brady returns for another season. The Colts are currently slated for 7 picks in the 2022 draft, with the first selection on tap at 42nd overall.
The Colts have agreed to a 3-year, $18 million deal to keep TE Mo Alie-Cox around, according to multiple reports. Alie-Cox led Indianapolis in targets last season but ranked just 5th on the team with 45. His 24 catches trailed Jack Doyle, who has since retired. The new contract suggests upside for Alie-Cox in his age-29 season, but he'll still share the position with 2021 draft pick Kylen Granson. We'll see whether Indy adds any other significant TE.
The forecast for tonight's Colts-49ers game calls for a 100% chance of rain with winds of 20-30 mph. That's ugly -- and certainly enough to impact the passing and kicking games. We'd try to avoid both of these passing games outside of 49ers WR Deebo Samuel and Colts WR Michael Pittman. You should also stay away from both Ks.
Colts TE Jack Doyle (back) is listed as questionable for this weekend's game vs. the Dolphins. He returned to a limited practice on Friday after missing the previous 2 days. Doyle at less than 100% should be nowhere near fantasy lineups. Mo Alie-Cox would step in as Indianapolis' lead TE on Sunday if Doyle can't play.
Colts TE Jack Doyle (back) missed his 2nd straight practice on Thursday. He appears to be in real danger of missing this weekend's game vs. Miami. Doyle's absence would leave Mo Alie-Cox as Indianapolis' top TE.
Colts TE Jack Doyle didn't practice on Wednesday and is on the injury report with a back. The veteran has gotten some practices off early this season, but this is the 1st time he's been listed with an injury. We'll keep an eye on his status over the next few days. If Doyle can't play vs. the Dolphins this weekend, TE Mo Alie-Cox would be a low-level spot-start option.
Colts TE Kylen Granson got work with the 1st-team offense in Wednesday's training-camp practice. In fact, he caught a team-high 3 passes from QB Carson Wentz. "Granson may be more involved than I initially thought," Sports Illustrated's Jake Arthur writes. "He was very much in the mix throughout practice and is the clearest choice for the Colts' athletic 'Y' tight end." It's rare for a TE to make a fantasy impact as a rookie. But Granson might be an exception. The Colts absolutely love him, HC Frank Reich's offense tends to target the TE at an above-average rate, and TEs Mo Alie-Cox and Jack Doyle aren't exactly stiff competition. Keep an eye on Granson over the next month.
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