Austin Collie: What Fantasy Football Owners Must Know About Injury Replacements

Austin Collie can catch the ball, just not a break. Concussions have consistently hindered his career, and he is listed as doubtful for today's matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.

His probable absence has forced a few fantasy football owners to scramble to fill their third receiver or flex spots. The list of players who will take over aren't terribly impressive, but that doesn't mean there aren't any players with value behind No. 1 receiver Reggie Wayne.

It's important to note that the Indianapolis Colts will rely on Donald Brown and the run against the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings aren't likely to jump out to a large lead like the Chicago Bears did and force the Colts to go to the pass early.

Let's check out who will be picking up Collie's slack.

T.Y. Hilton

Hilton has reportedly been inserted as the No. 2 wide receiver, so he is the best choice to get the targets that would have been aimed at Collie. 

The rookie is explosive and showed flashes of his potential in the preseason with nine receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. He is a threat to score any time he gets his hands on the ball, which should be often enough to justify giving him the start today.

With Hilton, you also have the possibility of racking up some return yards. It's unclear if the Colts will use him in that role since he is coming back from an injury, but it only adds to the intrigue. Hilton is a solid third receiver in any league and can fill in as a No. 2 in a pinch. 

Donnie Avery

The five-year veteran is an OK candidate for solid results. Avery is a nice complementary player who will provide a steadiness that the above-discussed Hilton might not be capable of yet. 

In Week 1, Avery caught three balls for 37 yards and a touchdown. However, the most important statistic was his number of targets (8). Andrew Luck trusts him and knows the reliable wideout won't let him down.

Avery isn't sexy, he's steady. He will definitely see his targets go down this week with the return of Hilton, since he was bumped down the depth chart. The Colts will rely on their running game and tight ends more than their third receiver.

In a deep league with three wide receiver slots to fill, Avery isn't a terrible choice. He just isn't that great either.

Kris Adams and LaVon Brazill

Neither of these players is worth a roster spot with Hilton back in the fold. If he goes down again, then Adams has some value in the deepest of leagues; but Brazill will not.

Adams caught two balls last week for 26 yards, both of which accounted for first downs. However, he won't see the field with the current stock of healthy receivers. The Colts will use their tight ends in any spread formations instead of running him out there.

Lastly, Brazill is a stay-away regardless of whether Hilton lands on the injury report again. He was only targeted once last week and isn't likely to overtake those ahead of him any time soon.