Deon Cain Tears ACL: Fantasy Context
Much hyped rookie wide receiver Deon Cain of the Indianapolis Colts has been diagnosed with a torn ACL and will miss the entire 2018 season.
The Colts and fantasy owners alike had high hopes for Cain as he looked primed to assume the number two receiver role over the likes of Ryan Grant and Chester Rogers.
The Colts will now have to move ahead with a talent barren depth chart behind star wideout TY Hilton. Perhaps the Colts will give Dez Bryant or Brandon LaFell a call or take a look at some of the wide receivers who are cut over the next few weeks.
This may fly under the radar for some but this injury is a major hit for an offense desperate for playmakers.
Expect the Colts to run heavy doses of 12 personnel groupings this season in an effort to keep Hilton, Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron all on the field together much as possible. This injury also increases the likelihood that Nyheim Hines will see heavy snaps in the slot as well as out of the backfield as the Colts attempt to utilize his plus receiving chops.
Fantasy Context:
TY Hilton – TY Hilton does not see much change in value here; he would in theory have had an easier time with a legitimate threat across the field from him but Hilton will get his when all is said and done and remains a WR2 with weekly WR1 upside.
Jack Doyle/Eric Ebron – As mentioned above the Colts will likely even utilize even more tight end sets than they originally planned following the injury to Deon Cain. The Colts really don’t have any true talents behind Hilton and will look to get both Doyle and Ebron on the field. Both players remain TE2’s with TE1 upside.
Nyheim Hines – Hines looks to be in line for more targets as a receiving option with news of Cain’s injury leaving the Colts without much depth or talent at wideout. Hines is an intriguing deep league and best ball late round flier with the upside to find his way to flex2 value.
Chester Rogers/Ryan Grant – Rogers and Grant are more fourth or fifth receiver types and neither are worth drafting until we can determine if the Colts do indeed plan to enter the season with one of them as their number two and three receivers.
