Getty EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 05: T.Y. Hilton #13 of the Indianapolis Colts carries the ball against the New York Jets in the first quarter during their game at MetLife Stadium on December 5, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts fought off the injury bug this week and were able to enter Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons with the bulk of their primary playmakers available. But after a strong start in Week 3, the team lost their top wide receiver in T.Y. Hilton to injury but managed to overcome his absence and pick up an impressive victory.
After Hilton left the game with an apparent quad injury, it was then confirmed by the NFL that the talented pass-catcher would miss the remainder of Week 3.
Colts WR T.Y. Hilton (quad) ruled out of #ATLvsIND.
It’s a brutal blow for the Colts, who held a third-quarter lead over the Falcons at the time of Hilton’s injury. As far as the severity of the injury goes, that’ll be a major talking point over the coming days, and there’s an obvious cause for concern.
Even with Hilton out of the lineup, Indianapolis moved to 2-1 on the season with the 27-24 victory behind Jacoby Brissett’s 310 passing yards and two touchdowns.
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T.Y. Hilton Injury: Fantasy Football Outlook
Prior to leaving Sunday’s game, Hilton had put together a strong showing by hauling in 8-of-10 passes for 65 yards and one touchdown. No other wide receiver on the team caught more than three passes all game, with the second-closest being Parris Campbell, who had three catches for 24 yards.
The biggest impact from a fantasy football perspective may actually go to the two tight ends in Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle. Brissett linked up with the duo a combined seven times for 93 yards.
In terms of wide receivers likely to step in and fill the void following Hilton’s injury, it’s tough not to like what Campbell has done thus far. Beyond that, names like Zach Pascal, Chester Rogers and Deon Cain are among the players to watch moving forward in Week 3. Pascal walked away as the biggest winner from a statistical standpoint, and while he caught just two passes, it went for 53 yards and he found the end zone as well.
T.Y. Hilton’s Impressive Start to 2019
Not including Week 3, Hilton had been a strong fantasy option, specifically due to his consistency finding the end zone. Through two games, the 29-year-old wideout hauled in 12-of-15 passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns. This included an eight-catch performance in which he tallied 87 yards and two touchdowns during the Colts’ Week 1 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
If Hilton is forced to miss extended time, it’d be another brutal blow to a Colts team who found out just prior to the regular season that they’d be without former starting QB Andrew Luck moving forward. After Luck revealed his surprising decision to retire before the new season, it left many wondering if Brissett could be an adequate long-term answer at the position.
Although there have been ups and downs to this point, it’s been apparent that Brissett and Hilton have a strong connection which should only improve as the 2019 season rolls on.
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