Rapid Reaction: Philip Rivers Headed to Indianapolis (2020 Fantasy Football)

Philip Rivers is officially headed to Indy; what does this mean for his 2020 value, along with the prospects for T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell? Our analysts dish here:

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Q1. What is the fantasy football impact of the Indianapolis Colts signing Philip Rivers?

This is the landing spot I predicted for Rivers, as he’s an immobile quarterback who should ideally be playing behind a solid offensive line. Well, the Colts have the best offensive line in the league and have a window to win right now. Not only did they go out and snag DeForest Buckner for their defense, but they now have themselves a borderline Hall of Fame quarterback, though he may be nearing the end of his career. They have T.Y. Hilton, Parris Campbell, and Zach Pascal as their starting trio, though we could see them add a receiver in the draft/free agency. It’s hard seeing him go to a new offense and simply light up the board, but Frank Reich’s system is extremely QB-friendly. Rivers should be considered a high-end QB2 with a decent floor but minimal ceiling.
-Mike Tagliere (@MikeTagliereNFL)

This carries significant weight for the Indianapolis Colts, because it indicates that Jacoby Brissett is no longer the starter. While Brissett was thrown into a tumultuous situation last season with Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement, he didn’t play well enough to be given the reins for another year. Rivers comes into a great situation with a stout offensive line and decent weapons around him. Expect them to add a weapon or two in the draft, as well, which will only help Rivers out in 2020. As of right now, Rivers is a QB2, but will still have value in Dynasty Superflex leagues.
-Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL)

Rivers had a terrible season with the Chargers in 2019, with 23 touchdowns to just 20 interceptions, but he really wasn’t THAT bad in the first half of the season (12:7 TD:INT ratio). So you can either believe that Rivers simply reached the endpoint of his career midway through the season or that he was simply incapable of coping with a sub-par offensive line and middling offensive system for a full 16 games. I lean toward the latter, and think that moving to the Colts may revitalize Rivers’s career. In addition to a major upgrade to his offensive line, he’ll be in a much better offensive system under Frank Reich. He’s not in the QB1 discussion, but as a QB2, he’s more than adequate.
-Dan Harris (@danharris80)

Get the #FantasyFootball lowdown from @MikeTagliereNFL himself as he breaks down Philip Rivers’ move to Indy: pic.twitter.com/4qjBExc1b2

– FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) March 17, 2020

Q2. Who else is impacted by Rivers’ signing from a fantasy perspective?

It’s the last year of T.Y. Hilton‘s contract, but he’s rejoicing that he now gets to play with a quarterback like Rivers, who loves the deep ball. Rivers is continually towards the top of the league in passes that travel over 20 yards in the air, which is the area of the field Hilton excels. He may not be a reliable, consistent WR1 in fantasy football, but he’s certainly back on the WR2 radar with Rivers in town. Parris Campbell is a player who should find his way onto fantasy radars as well.
-Mike Tagliere (@MikeTagliereNFL)

T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell are certainly affected, but they’re most likely going to stay in the same range in my rankings. However, Jack Doyle becomes extremely intriguing due to Rivers’ affinity for tight ends. As of right now, Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox are the only tight ends on the roster and Frank Reich’s offense thrives on them. I’m expecting big things from both Doyle and Alie-Cox in 2020.
-Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL)

If there’s one thing Rivers doesn’t shy away from, it’s the deep ball, so T.Y. Hilton should benefit from Rivers coming on board. Jacoby Brissett was passable, but even while on the decline, Rivers will represent an upgrade for the Colts’ pass-catchers. Hilton should move into the solid WR2 category. Parris Campbell also becomes more relevant, though perhaps not for fantasy circles just yet.
-Dan Harris (@danharris80)