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It’s always frustrating to see a talented player not being utilized correctly. We’ve seen it this season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers mostly using Darrelle Revis in zone-coverage rather than having him shadow their opponents’ best wideouts. We’ve also watched the Miami Dolphins stubbornly keep Lamar Miller stuck in a timeshare with Daniel Thomas despite the fact that he’s clearly the superior talent. For one reason or another, coaches sometimes get ideas stuck in their heads and refuse to see the light that’s so clear to everyone else. Yeah, I’m talking to you, Greg Schiano.
Of course, sometimes circumstance takes certain decisions out of a coach’s hands. Players get injured all the time in this sport and occasionally it forces coaches to expand others’ workloads. Such is the case with Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton.
Related: Week 9 Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Rankings Based On Matchups
Despite generating major buzz and sorely outplaying teammate Darrius Heyward-Bey in the offseason, Hilton hasn’t been involved nearly enough in the Colts’ game plan this year. Through seven games this season he’s played on only 63 percent of the team’s snaps on offense, a major oversight on the part of the coaches. His talent is undeniable but so far, it’s essentially gone to waste as the powers at be have inexplicably decided that it makes more sense to give Heyward-Bey more playing time. The situation has been a massive headache for Hilton’s Fantasy owners thus far but on the bright side, things are about to get much better.
Reggie Wayne unfortunately tore his ACL near the end of the Colts’ incredible Week 7 win over the Denver Broncos and he’s done for the season. The Colts now have no choice but to give Hilton a full-time role on offense and I have no doubt that he’s going to make the most of it. Wayne was targeted on a little more than a quarter of Andrew Luck‘s throws, meaning there’s going to be a lot of newfound wealth to spread around. With Hilton being by far the most explosive weapon at Luck’s disposal, he’s almost a lock to get the vast majority of the quarterback’s attention going forward.
The injury to Wayne immediately elevates Hilton to WR2-status with major upside. It’s entirely possible that he could wind up being a top-10 wideout the rest of the way. If you’re in need of help at the position, he should be your primary trade target right now. It’s the perfect time to buy low on him before his value takes the elevator to the penthouse.
Fire up the trade talks, trigger a deal and let Hilton help carry you to gold.
Dan Freeman is a Fantasy football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanFreeman88.
