2021 Fantasy Football Impact: Carson Wentz Out Indefinitely with Foot Injury

Colts QB Carson Wentz Out Indefinitely with Foot Injury Fantasy Football Impact

Indianapolis Colts QB Carson Wentz suffered a foot injury at Thursday’s practice, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. As a result, he did not practice during Friday’s session in which second-year QB Jacob Eason took the first-team reps. Today, I will tell you the fantasy football impact of the Wentz injury if he was to miss regular-season games.

Colts' QB Carson Wentz is out indefinitely as he undergoes further testing on a foot injury that he suffered at the end of Thursday's practice, per @MikeWellsNFL and me.

Colts' second-year QB Jacob Eason took the starter reps at today's practice, with Sam Ellinger as his backup.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 30, 2021

While the Colts are downplaying the Wentz injury, there is room for concern. Per reports, Wentz underwent testing and scans on his foot which the esteemed Dr. Robert Anderson will review and diagnose. Once Anderson gives his assessment on Wentz’s foot, the Colts will have a more definitive outlook for the quarterback’s return. As of this writing, surgery remains on the table for the oft-injured signal-caller.

Watch my live reaction to the Carson Wentz injury on The FF Faceoff’s YouTube Channel here.

This isn’t the first time that the Colts are downplaying their star quarterback’s injury. Per My Sports Update and Pro Football Focus’ Ari Meirov, the Colts did the same with Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck (twice). In all three circumstances (2011, 2017, 2017), neither Manning nor Luck played in those injury campaigns.

#Colts downplayed Peyton’s neck injury in 2011. He missed the season.#Colts downplayed Luck’s shoulder injury in ‘17. He missed the season.#Colts downplayed Luck’s ankle injury in ‘19. He retired.

Carson Wentz’s injury started off minor. The updates have only gotten worse.

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 30, 2021

Meirov hit the nail on the head with Wentz too. Since learning of the injury, the forthcoming reports have worsened.

Inexperience Behind Carson Wentz

Behind Wentz, the Colts don’t have much. Jacob Eason and sixth-round rookie out of Texas, Sam Ehlinger, have no NFL experience. For a Colts team that was in the Super Bowl conversation before the Wentz injury, the inexperience behind the starter is not a good sign.

Colts Schedule to Open 2021 is Not an Easy One

The Colts have a gauntlet of a schedule to open 2021. They will face the Seahawks and Rams at home in Weeks 1 and 2, then go on the road to matchup against the Titans, Dolphins, and Ravens from Weeks 3-5. Those teams were good for a combined 54-26 record last season. Four of those teams made the playoffs. Meanwhile, the team that failed to qualify for the postseason, the Dolphins, won 10 games and missed.

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Will the Colts Add a Veteran Quarterback?

If you ask me, the Colts must add an experienced quarterback if Wentz is going to miss regular-season games. If we look toward free agency, it is a lost cause. Blake Bortles is probably the best on the open market and he was just released by the Packers after Aaron Rodgers agreed to return to the team. Underwhelming names that include Josh Johnson, Matt Barkley, Alex Smith (retired), Robert Griffin III, and Ryan Finley, amongst others, are the headliners of the afterthoughts.

Nick Foles Season in Indianapolis?

Logically, the answer is Nick Foles, who is buried on the Chicago Bears’ depth chart. Now that the Bears signed Andy Dalton and drafted Justin Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft, Foles is merely an expensive backup. If the Bears trade Foles to the Colts, they could save $4 million. Meanwhile, the Colts have $14.3 million of salary-cap space, according to Over the Cap. They can afford Foles. What’s more, Foles won’t cost much in terms of assets. Chicago will be happy to rid themselves of him.

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Betting Impact of Carson Wentz’s Foot Injury

While I only checked PointsBet, I assume most, if not all, sportsbooks, have taken down most wagering opportunities pertaining to the Colts.

What’s been taken down at PointsBet:

•  AFC South division winner prop
• Colts to Make/ Miss the playoffs prop
• Week 1 of the regular season bets for the Colts
• Colts regular-season win total prop

However, PointsBet didn’t take everything down.

What’s still open at PointsBet?

• Carson Wentz’s passing touchdown total prop
• Colts to win Super Bowl 56 futures prop
• Colts to win AFC Championship prop

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Fantasy Football Impact of Carson Wentz’s Foot Injury

Wentz was being drafted as the QB17. In most fantasy football leagues in which you start one quarterback, Wentz was not being drafted as a regular starter. He was being drafted as a backup, if at all in leagues shallower than 12 teams. Wentz is in the weekly starter conversation in leagues with 14+ teams.

Superflex is a different story, however. In SuperFlex fantasy football leagues and in leagues in which you must start two quarterbacks, Wentz is a weekly starting fantasy asset. If you already drafted, hopefully, you selected a third quarterback to protect yourself.

If not, you will be paying up in a trade, hoping Wentz is fine (he probably isn’t), or going to pick up whatever is left on waivers. This pertains to 12-team Superflex leagues. You will have better options in eight and 10 team leagues, which is why I don’t play in them. I enjoy a challenge.

Colts Skill Position Fantasy Football Assets

Colts wide receivers and tight ends will be downgraded without Wentz. Even if the Colts trade for Foles or a capable veteran, I would try to get T.Y. Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell, Mo Alie-Cox, and Jack Doyle at a greater discount than we can already get them.

Pittman is the only Colts pass-catcher with an ADP inside the top 100 in PPR leagues according to FantasyData. Meanwhile, Pittman is the WR49 in FantasyData’s PPR Fantasy Football Rankings.

Colts Running Backs

While I would discount Indianapolis pass-catchers, I would highly upgrade both Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines. I already have Taylor as a top 10 back, but I have Hines as my RB38. Taylor will be the dominant back in the Colts’ backfield, but Hines does have a defined role as a pass-catcher. He could be even busier if Wentz misses games. Whether it is Foles, Eason, Ehlinger, or another underwhelming option under center for the Colts, I would expect ample check-downs for both Taylor and Hines.

The Colts were 10th in team-run plays per game in 2020 (28.7). I expect that number to increase sans Wentz.

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