by Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Watching preseason games to determine fantasy sleepers is sometimes like watching college basketball conference tournaments. The tease is widely there but the results once actuality of season play begin can falter quickly. Out in Indianpolis post-Peyton Manning era has begun with a rawkus start.  Comparisons for the future are what the media want to facinate on with Andrew Luck.

For fantasy football participants the relevancy of a transformation offense is enough to begin drooling. Sleeperville is here in Indianapolis.

The last two seasons for the Colts have been marked by rising pressure. In 2010 the offense just did not click the same. Running back Joseph Addai who had been a main force for Manning and company began faltering to injuries. The year before he succumbed to below four yards a carry.

As an organization the Colts have bypassed with ease at finding a top caliber running back during Peyton Manning’s tenure. From Marshall Faulk, Edgerrin James, Dominic Rhodes, and Joseph Addai. Perhaps the last two backs benefitted more to having Manning as their quarterback than anything else. Regardless, fantasy football players could expect predictable positive results from Colts players.

Addai held on the last two seasons as a Colt basically because they had not found a solid replacement. First round pick, Donald Brown from UCONN struggled going from college to the NFL ranks. His time share with Joey Addai was one of the worst tandems in the NFL, and only rose Manning’s need to carry the team with his arm.

Last offseason the Colts decided to try another upgrade at running back by drafting Delone Carter out of Syracuse. Carter had a solid career at Syracuse and came out with one of the better physical capabilities in the draft. He moves the pile and has a knack for being a steady consistent back.

With a new coach and quarterback, many have not known which route the Colts will take at running back. Carter remained high on many lists going into mini-camps as a fantasy football sleeper. When given the opportunity in games last season, Carter never stood out. Fumbling three times did not help his cause on only a little over 100 total carries.

The Colts will be comfortable splitting the workload amongst Brown and Carter and may even intermix carries with Vick Ballard. Brown’s open field breakaway speed poses a higher demand. It’s his consistency with regular carries that hurts Brown.

Last year Brown finally cracked over four yards a carry on his young three year career. He seems to be developing properly and looking for proper angles that he can use to his advantage. Brown should be considered a definite number three running back for your upcoming drafts, and could crack your starting lineup at points this season.

As for Carter, if Luck can get the offense moving, he can be a goal line touchdown weapon. Barring injury from Brown it’ll be hard to see Carter getting an increased amount of carries from the near one hundred he had a year ago.