Examining the Indianapolis Colts' Injury Situation Entering Week 4

Entering Week 4, the Indianapolis Colts have injuries to some key players.

T.Y. Hilton, Vontae Davis and Jerrell Freeman are among players who will be fighting to be on the field come Sunday's clash against AFC South rivals the Tennessee Titans.

Chalking up just one win in their first three appearances this year, the Colts need to play well to continue reestablishing themselves as the team to beat in the division. Nothing hurts like losing to a struggling division opponent, so victory is a must.

Indy will have to overcome the injuries that follow to grab the "W."

Khaled Holmes, Center

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Holmes is still suffering from a preseason injury.

Colts center Khaled Holmes, who was expected to start the season for the team, remains sidelined entering Week 4.

The good news for Holmes is that he is nearing a return to action. Per ESPN.com Colts reporter Mike Wells, "Holmes took the majority of the first-team snaps at center in practice a week ago, but he obviously wasn’t at the point where Pagano felt comfortable putting him back in the starting lineup."

That brings up the bad news: It appears the former fourth-round selection has lost his job due to his injury.

Replacing him is A.Q. Shipley, who played for the team in 2012 before being traded to the Baltimore Ravens prior to the 2013 season. When the Ravens cut him on August 31, the Colts moved on him.

By then, they had determined Holmes would not be ready for the season-opener.

T.Y. Hilton, Wide Receiver

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Hilton incurred an ankle injury during the first half of the Colts' blowout win in Week 3.

Perhaps the Colts most anxiety-inducing injury, Hilton's ankle doesn't appear to pose long-term problems for the talented wide receiver.

Hilton sustained the injury during the second quarter of the Colts' shellacking of the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3. He recorded five catches for 80 yards before the injury forced him out. He did not return to the game.

Though he is expected to play in Week 4, any absence would supply rookie pass-catcher Donte Moncrief with increased opportunity.

Following Hilton's early Week 3 exit, Moncrief hauled in four catches for 55 yards and had a seven-yard carry, too.

Jerrell Freeman, Inside Linebacker

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Jerrell Freeman hasn't played since Week 1.

Another week, another uncertain playing status for starting inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman.

Freeman hasn't suited up for the Colts since Week 1's matchup against the Denver Broncos. That game did not go well for Freeman, who was lit up by tight end Julius Thomas before sustaining the hamstring injury that now plagues him.

It isn't all doom and gloom, though. Freeman was thought to be close to playing in Week 3, so his status should be even closer to good news this week.

If he ends up on the inactive list again in Week 4, expect Josh McNary to start alongside D'Qwell Jackson. McNary, who started in Weeks 2 and 3, has racked up only nine tackles this season.

The sooner Indy gets Freeman healthy, the better. The defense is suffering without him.

Vontae David, Cornerback

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Davis has been a huge part of the Colts defense this season.

Vontae Davis has been an integral part of the Colts defense this season. He's got one pick to his name, along with five passes defended.

That's not bad for three games of work, especially considering he's been dealing with an ankle injury.

According to Colts.com, Davis was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to the ankle, which caused him some trouble last week, as well.

Fans can expect Davis to tough it out again in Week 4, as it didn't seem to slow him down against the Jaguars, when he recorded his only interception of the year.

Greg Toler, Cornerback

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Toler returned a pick for a touchdown against the Jags.

Not unlike Davis, Greg Toler is having an outstanding early season, despite dealing with a nagging injury. Having recorded two interceptions and six pass defenses, that's not a hard argument to make.

As a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, according to Colts.com, it's fairly safe to predict that both Toler and Davis will be good to go on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

However, if either of them takes a turn for the the worse and can't go, Darius Butler would be the de facto starter to step in.

Unless he too cannot play, Butler was a non-participant in Wednesday's practice due to a neck injury.

The Colts are hurting at corner right now, so playing through pain is quickly becoming a theme in the defensive backfield.