Indianapolis Colts: Fantasy Football Breakout Stars for 2011

The Colts' high-octane passing game always produces a couple of fantasy studs. Last year the surprise breakout fantasy guy was the unknown Jacob Tamme, who came in at tight end when Dallas Clark went down to injury. The year before (2009), Tamme had registered three receptions for 35 yards.

Fantasy diehards who picked him up early got huge dividends for their teams at the back-end of the season. Clark was placed on injured reserve after Week 7. Tamme went on to rack up 67 receptions for 631 yards with four touchdowns. A virtual Clark-clone, Tamme has great hands, good speed for his size and runs crisp routes.

In 2009, the breakout fantasy stud was Pierre Garcon, who logged over 700 yards on just 47 receptions. Just one year earlier, Garcon had four receptions for 23 yards.

Who is poised for a breakout year in 2011? This slideshow will present the three leading surprise fantasy stud candidates from the Colts.

Austin Collie Could Rack Up the Yards If He Can Avoid Concussions

Collie, the third-year receiver out of BYU, is on the cusp of stardom. Last year two concussions spoiled what would have been a head-turning season for the sure-handed receiver.

Even though he missed more than seven games in 2010, Collie still compiled 58 receptions for 649 yards and a whopping eight touchdowns. He is fast, has excellent hands, runs precise routes and he finds holes in zones like a panda finds bamboo.

More important than these skills however, is the fact that Peyton Manning trusts him and targets him frequently. Reggie Wayne often draws the extra attention, leaving Collie and Garcon more space. Garcon is a blisteringly fast and physical receiver, but his propensity to drop the rock make him a less reliable target than Collie for Manning.

The biggest concern with Collie is his ability to avoid concussions. If he does that, he is primed for a breakout year in 2011. He's definitely worth picking up in the middle of your fantasy draft. He will produce nicely for you if he stays on the field. He is targeted frequently in the red zone, so you'll pick up points on TDs as well.

Delone Carter Will Be a Touchdown Hound in 2011

A rookie fourth-rounder out of Syracuse, Delone Carter looks to be primed to have a mammoth year in 2011. Joseph Addai will most likely split carries with Donald Brown to start the season. It will become apparent quickly to the Colts' coaching staff, however, that Carter is a better option than Brown.  

Brown has never been an effective blocker, and his vision on the field is not up to par. He doesn't see holes as they open if the play diverges from what was called. Although he can make guys miss in the open field and runs with good physicality, I anticipate that Carter will start to eat away at Brown's carries as the season progresses.

Carter is a beast of a back who can power through potential tacklers for extra yardage. He'll be the weapon the Colts have lacked to pick up first downs in short-yardage situations. In addition, he seems to have a good nose for the end zone (based on his college career) and he'll be a vulture for touchdowns from Addai and Brown.

Anthony Gonzalez Will Regain His 2008 Form

After a promising start coming out of Ohio State in 2007, Gonzalez saw his career take a nosedive due to back-to-back injuries early in the season in both 2009 and 2010. In his rookie year he hauled in 37 receptions for 576 yards. The next year he caught 57 passes for 664 yards. He seemed ready to break out in 2009 when a knee injury dragged him out of the lineup. As recently as last week, there was talk that Gonzalez could be on his way out of Indy. He injured his hamstring in preseason, and some (including Gonzalez himself) speculated that he might not make it onto the 53-man roster. He made the cut, however, and this says to me that the Colts think that he will be a contributor in 2011. If he does stay healthy and recover from his hamstring issue, he could take the NFL by storm. He is a threat across the middle and down the field. He has good speed and physicality, and can turn short passes into big gains. Look for a big season out of a guy who wants to prove himself this year.