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Fantasy Football: Thursday Night Preview

Fantasy Football: Thursday Night Preview
It looks like the Colts will once again be without star QB Andrew Luck

It looks like the Colts will once again be without star QB Andrew Luck

Can you believe we are already one month into the NFL season? It has been a wild and crazy year so far, but then again that is what we have come to expect from the NFL these days. Anything can happen on any given Sunday. If you predicted Devonta Freeman, Andy Dalton and Tyrod Taylor to be three of the top 10 scoring leaders in fantasy, then you are 1) a genius 2) very rich from daily fantasy and 3) dominating your season-long leagues. For the rest of you, there is still plenty of time to bounce back in season-long formats. In terms of DFS, every week is a new opportunity to build that winning lineup.

Week 5 kicks off Thursday night when the Indianapolis Colts travel to Houston to take on their division rival the Texans. Both teams have struggled so far this season and are in desperate need of a win.

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Major Storyline

There are two actually. The first is that the Colts are expected to be without Andrew Luck as he is still dealing with a lingering shoulder injury. Two, the return of veteran wide receiver Andre Johnson to Houston. Johnson signed with the Colts in the offseason after spending 12 years in Houston. He has not been a major contributor to the Colts offense this year, and it looks like his best playing days may be behind him.

Recap of Both Teams

The Colts survived and held on for a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, without Luck in the lineup. The Colts have not looked like themselves yet this year, but one thing that remains constant, they dominate their division. After starting out 0-2, they have now won two straight division games to even their record at 2-2.

For the Texans, it is the same old story it has always been for them. Talented team across the board, except for the most important position on the field, the quarterback. The combination of now starting QB Ryan Mallett and the former starting QB Brian Hoyer simply will not get it done in the NFL. It is no surprise therefore that this team is off to a 1-3 start and got crushed against the Atlanta Falcons last week.

This is a big game for both teams Thursday night. The Colts need a win to re-establish themselves as the team to beat in the AFC South, while the Texans with a win Thursday night, can actually find themselves in first place, despite their early season struggles.

Below are a few key players to look out for in fantasy Thursday night.

Quarterback

N/A
For your sake, hopefully you’re not relying on a QB from this game. With Luck expected to be sidelined once again, that leaves you with Mallett/Hoyer or the veteran Matt Hasselbeck. Of the options, Hasselbeck will get the nod coming off a solid game last week, but this is a situation to avoid.

Running Backs

Arian Foster – Houston Texans
Foster returned from a groin injury last week and saw very limited action on the field. He rushed for just 10 yards on eight carries. He has yet to suffer any kind of setback in practice this week, which is a good thing for the veteran running back. Foster should have a much bigger role in the offense Thursday night and faces a Colts run defense that is ranked 25th in the league, surrendering 119.5  rushing YDS/G.

Wide Receiver

If there are going to be any big-time fantasy numbers put up in this game, it most likely will come from the wide receivers.

T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief – Indianapolis Colts
Both Colts wideouts have put up respectable fantasy numbers so far this season and have played off each other well. T.Y. has established himself as a low-end WR1, with 22 receptions for 294 yards, while Moncrief has emerged as the WR2 on this team, with 23 receptions, 275 yards and three touchdowns. After the Colts signed Johnson in the offseason, many thought he would take over as a leading target option, but through the first month of the season, that has not proven to be the case. It is these two who are the leading receivers in Indy. However, considering Luck’s expected absence, you’ll want to limit your expectations with both of these players.

DeAndre Hopkins – Houston Texans
Hopkins is the fourth highest scoring wide receiver in standard scoring fantasy leagues. He has 31 receptions for 409 yards and three touchdowns. It is a testament to how good he really is because he does not have a quarterback anywhere near as talented as Andrew Luck, and he also lacks a quality WR2 to draw coverage away from him. He’ll be without the team’s No. 2 and 3 WRs, Nate Washington and Cecil Shorts, as they’ve both been ruled out due to injury. Of all the players on the field Thursday night, Hopkins could put up the biggest numbers of everyone.

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A.J. Stone is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from A.J., check out his archive and follow him @ajstone18.

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