Week 6 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Mo Alie-Cox giveth, and Mo Alie-Cox taketh away. After a nice Week 4, he struggled last week in a miserable game against the Broncos, catching his lone target for just seven yards. Alie-Cox is splitting snaps with Kylen Granson and, to a lesser extent, rookie Jelani Woods at the tight end position. Until he becomes a more consistent part of the offense, it’s hard to trust him moving forward. He should remain on waivers.
Week 5 at Denver Broncos
Mo Alie-Cox had a big game last week against the Titans, catching all six balls thrown his way for 85 yards and a pair of touchdowns. While it’s good to see his snap count up to 70% last week, most of the production came after the game was already pretty much decided. His role is still in question with Kylen Granson playing nearly half the snaps and rookie Jelani Woods in the mix as well. Plus, the Broncos rank 13th in aFPA to opposing tight ends, so he doesn’t have a super simple matchup either. Fantasy managers should wait and see if last week is a trend before spending a bunch of FAAB money on Alie-Cox. Sit him.
Week 1 at Houston Texans
Mo Alie-Cox was healthy last year, but still found himself in a timeshare on a struggling passing offense and wound up with just 24 receptions for 316 yards and four touchdowns. With Jack Doyle retired, Alie-Cox has a chance to seize a larger role and the upgrade to Matt Ryan at quarterback should be a positive thing for all of the Colts’ pass-catchers. Still, Alie-Cox hasn’t been able to take full advantage of his opportunities in his four years in the league, and there are a pair of youngsters in Kylen Granson and rookie Jelani Woods waiting in the wings if he falters.
The Texans ranked 27th in aFPA to opposing tight ends last season, so the upside is there for Alie-Cox to open the season with a big explosion. Still, in a conservative offense with other mouths to feed – including at his own position – it’s going to be tough to start him right off the bat. We have him ranked as a low-end TE2 option, and he should remain on waivers in most formats.
2022 Fantasy Upside
If Mo Alie-Cox is ever going to break out, this would be the year. He has a new quarterback in Matt Ryan and perennial depth chart-clogger Jack Doyle has retired. Alie-Cox should get every opportunity to win the primary tight end job for the Colts in his fifth NFL season. He had four touchdowns last season to go with 24 catches and 316 yards, finishing as the TE27 in half-PPR leagues. He’s a big target at 6-foot-5, 267 pounds and was a basketball player in college, known for his shot-blocking. That should make him a strong red zone target.
2022 Fantasy Downside
Doyle may be gone, but the Colts used Kylen Granson at times last season and also drafted Jelani Woods in the third round of April’s draft. The Colts want to use multiple tight ends and while Alie-Cox should lead the group in snaps, we’ll likely see plenty of all three. The Colts may throw more with Ryan at the helm, but the team is still built around running the ball. There may be limited opportunities for the Colts’ pass-catchers, a group that includes 2021 breakout receiver and fellow red zone threat Michael Pittman Jr.
2022 Bottom Line
Alie-Cox is worth considering based on his cost – he’s essentially free – but expecting the breakout we’ve all been hoping for is probably a bit unrealistic. The offense won’t generate a tremendous amount of opportunities for ancillary pass-catchers, and he could easily find himself fourth in the target pecking order behind Pittman, Nyheim Hines, and rookie Alec Pierce. He’s a late-round lottery ticket with some potential streaming value and should likely remain on waivers in most league formats.
Week 10 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Mo Alie-Cox caught his lone target for 28 yards last week against the Jets. The Jaguars are 25th in aFPA to opposing tight ends this season, so there’s some upside for Alie-Cox. However, he’s still splitting snaps and looks with Jack Doyle – and now rookie Kylen Granson as well – making him far too risky to trust in lineups. Leave him on waivers in most leagues.
Week 9 vs. New York Jets
Mo Alie-Cox caught zero of his four targets last week against the Titans. The Colts’ tight ends have been woefully inconsistent for years now, and that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon. He has an okay matchup against the Jets, who rank 19th in aFPA to opposing tight ends, but there should be better options available. Leave him on waivers.
Week 8 vs. Tennessee Titans
Mo Alie-Cox caught three balls for 25 yards and a touchdown last week against the 49ers. He’s not getting a ton of volume, but he has four touchdowns over his past four games. He faces a Titans defense that ranks fifth in aFPA to opposing tight ends, making it a tough matchup for an already-iffy starter. Look elsewhere if possible.
Week 7 at San Francisco 49ers
Mo Alie-Cox had a touchdown last week, but it came on just one 28-yard reception on three targets. This week, Alie-Cox has a tough matchup against a 49ers defense that ranks eighth in aFPA to opposing tight ends. If the Colts are down T.Y. Hilton, that could open up more targets now that Parris Campbell is out for the season, but it’s too risky to bank on him when he’s been so inconsistent, especially in a tough matchup. Sit him.
Week 6 vs. Houston Texans
Mo Alie-Cox has been wildly inconsistent throughout his career and the Colts’ tight ends have been difficult to project during his tenure. However, he’s coming off two straight games with at least four targets and three receptions, and he followed up a two-touchdown performance in Week 4 with three catches and 50 yards last week against the Ravens. The main concern is that Jack Doyle is still out snapping him, but it’s encouraging.
Alie-Cox has some streaming upside against a vulnerable Texans defense that ranks 30th in aFPA to opposing tight ends. We have him ranked outside starting territory, but if you’re desperate, his production trend has a decent chance of continuing in a nice matchup. He’s a risky bet, but one that might be worth the gamble if you’re struggling.
Fantasy Upside
Mo Alie-Cox has shown flashes of potential, including six receptions and 111 yards against the Vikings in Week 2 last season, but he’s always been battling snaps on the depth chart. If he can step above the crowd this year, he could break out in a way many thought he would last year. New quarterback Carson Wentz has made use of multiple tight ends in the past, giving him sneaky upside entering his fourth season.
Fantasy Downside
Alie-Cox will be battling with Jack Doyle and rookie Kylen Granson for snaps, and the team will probably run the ball and continue to feed targets to Nyheim Hines and the wide receivers. It’s possible he continues to be lost in the shuffle. Doyle out-snapped him last year, and even Trey Burton wasn’t far behind.
2021 Bottom Line
Alie-Cox is basically free right now in all league formats, so he’s worth considering if you have large rosters and can stash a tight end. However, in most leagues, you won’t be able to afford to roster enough tight ends to make him worth serious consideration. Alie-Cox may wind up a regular fixture in the tight end streaming report though, so keep an eye on him.
