Last week, the Indianapolis Colts decided to bring back wide receiver T.Y. Hilton on a one-year deal worth up to $10M. The 31-year-old veteran receiver is taking less money to stay in Indianapolis (Ravens offered a multi-year deal). He should serve as one of the top receiving options for his new quarterback, Carson Wentz. Hilton will rejoin a wide receiver room that also includes: Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell, and Zach Pascal. Below, I will be digging deeper into each receiver’s fantasy outlook for the 2021 season.
T.Y. Hilton
Hilton will be entering his 10th season in the league. His best days are behind him, but he’s proven that he is still worthy of a fantasy roster spot. In 15 games last season, he caught 56 of 93 targets for 762 yards and five touchdowns. His production allowed him to finish 41st in fantasy points among wide receivers last season. Yes, it was a down season, but he still served as a WR3/4.
With the addition of Wentz, expect Hilton to see more passes thrown his way this season. Philip Rivers played well last season for the Colts, but he lacked that big arm strength that you want in your starting quarterback. Hilton has showcased that he’s a deep-threat target in the past. With the arrival of Wentz, Hilton should have more opportunities down the field for big plays. Expect the speedy receiver to improve his numbers from last season, but he’s surely a WR3, or maybe even a low-rated WR2 (at most) in 2021. Keep in mind, each team will play an additional game this season (17 total).
Hilton’s 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 74 receptions, 1,059 yards, 5 touchdowns
Fantasy Points: 135.9 standard points, 209.9 PPR points
Michael Pittman Jr.
Last year, Pittman showed flashes as a highly-talented rookie out of USC. He was very inconsistent, and he battled through injuries at times. He started in eight of the 13 games he played in, and he only surpassed the 100-yard mark once, in Week 9. He finished the season catching 40 of 61 targets for 503 yards and one touchdown. Pittman finished the season 86th among all wide receivers in fantasy points. If healthy, he should easily top his 2020 statistics.
This is what we call a “bridge year” for Pittman. He was drafted to ultimately replace Hilton as the team’s top receiving option, but we all knew it wouldn’t be right away. This could be the season, but it doesn’t have to be. Hilton signed a one-year deal because the Colts aren’t sure if Pittman. is ready to be the team’s top receiver yet. Re-signing Hilton only allows Pittman to learn more from the veteran before he is “supposed” to be the top option. Expect the second-year-pro to produce better numbers from last season, but don’t expect him to top Hilton’s numbers. He’s still a valuable WR3 heading into the season. At some point, HE WILL BREAK OUT!
Pittman’s 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 69 receptions, 918 yards, 6 touchdowns
Fantasy Points: 127.7 standard points, 196.7 PPR points
Parris Campbell
The Colts have been holding out hope for Campbell going into the 2021 season after playing in just nine games in his two seasons in the league. Injuries have gotten the best of the third-year-pro, but if healthy, he has blazing speed and big-play abilities. He’s the “wild card” for this offense. His best game as a pro came in Week 1 of the 2020 season where he caught six of nine targets for 71 yards while also carrying the ball once for nine yards.
He will battle Zach Pascal for the WR3 position on the Colts, and he will more than likely serve as a free agent in the fantasy world this season. Nonetheless, he has the ability to become a consistent receiving option for Wentz and the Colts going forward.
Campbell’s 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 31 receptions, 381 yards, 3 touchdowns
Fantasy Points: 56.1 standard points, 87.1 PPR points
Zach Pascal
As mentioned before, Pascal will battle Campbell to be the team’s WR3. He was a surprise last season, and for parts of 2020, he was a reliable fantasy receiver in most leagues. He finished the season with 44 receptions (career-high), 629 yards (career-high), and five touchdowns (tied for a career-high). He also finished 54th among wide receivers in total fantasy points last season. He surpassed the 50-yard mark six times last year, and he finished the year with 14 starts.
Expect Pascal’s numbers to drop this season, but don’t expect him to be irrelevant in Indianapolis’ offense. If healthy, he should see more opportunities than Campbell based on his recent success in 2019 and 2020. Expect Pascal to stay in free agency for most fantasy leagues throughout the season.
Pascal’s 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 39 receptions, 503 yards, 2 touchdowns
Fantasy Points: 62.3 standard points, 101.3 PPR points
With these four receivers, Indianapolis should have a top-15 receiving group heading into the 2021 season. Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox add even more opportunities for Wentz to find his groove and forget about 2020. Add in a solid running back trio of Jonathan Taylor, Marlon Mack, and Nyheim Hines running behind one of the best offensive lines in the league and WATCH OUT! The Colts are scary this year!
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