Week 10 vs. Miami Dolphins
Jordan Wilkins had one rush and one reception for a total of 12 yards last week against the Steelers. He’s a handcuff to Marlon Mack and has very little value outside of that capacity. He has a little upside this week against the Dolphins if the Colts get up early and decide to rest Mack, but that’s a pretty hard thing to expect and fantasy owners should leave him on waivers in most leagues.
Week 9 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Jordan Wilkins only had a pair of carries last week and he continues to be a handcuff-only option in fantasy leagues. With Marlon Mack hovering around 20 touches in most games, it’s hard to envision Wilkins getting the workload required to give him any fantasy value. If something happens to Mack, he should be a primary addition, but until then, he’s better off on waivers or on the back end of a roster as a handcuff.
Week 8 vs. Denver Broncos
Jordan Wilkins had only two carries for nine yards last week. He’s averaging just 4.8 total touches over five games this season, making him a clear handcuff-only option behind starter Marlon Mack. He has no fantasy value outside of that capacity.
Week 7 vs. Houston Texans
Jordan Wilkins went into his last game with Marlon Mack supposedly hobbled and still saw only seven carries and 15% of the team’s offensive snaps. Mack should be active again this week, leaving Wilkins fighting with Nyheim Hines for change-of-pace work, giving him very little fantasy value. Owners should leave him on waivers unless he’s strictly a handcuff to Mack.
Week 5 at Kansas City Chiefs
Jordan Wilkins had four carries for 17 yards and added an 11-yard reception last week against the Raiders. Wilkins has some potential to produce if he ever gets starter carries, but he’s firmly entrenched as the backup to Marlon Mack on the depth chart. Unless that changes, he’s solely a handcuff in fantasy leagues and shouldn't be rostered in any other capacity.
Week 4 vs. Oakland Raiders
Jordan Wilkins had three carries for -2 yards last week against the Falcons as the backup to Marlon Mack. He should continue in that role, and while he’s been productive in spurts over his young career, he’s no threat to Mack as the primary ball-carrier, making him no more than a handcuff in all league formats. While the Colts could get up early on the Raiders this week and give Mack a rest, that’s way too much of a gamble to give any serious consideration to Wilkins in your lineup.
Week 5 at New England Patriots (Thursday)
Andrew Luck and the Colts offense travel to Foxboro with their top pass-catcher, T.Y. Hilton, doubtful with a hamstring injury. That should funnel more targets to Nyheim Hines, but with Robert Turbin back from suspension, Hines is the only back in this offense we'd trust in Week 5. The Colts have the fourth-lowest implied team total of 20.5 points this week, and Hines is the only back in this offense with double-digit touches in either of the past two weeks. Wilkins will be left with scraps, if he doesn't lose work to Marlon Mack or Robert Turbin. He's not a starting consideration.
Week 4 vs. Houston Texans
Jordan Wilkins has seen his snap counts decline each of the first three weeks from 56 percent in Week 1 to 39 percent in Week 2 to 29 percent in Week3. In the past two weeks, no Colts RB has seen more than 12 touches in a game. Despite the Texans ranking only 25th in aFPA to RBs this season, this RBBC is hard to trust in starting lineups. Wilkins will likely need a rushing touchdown to return value. He'll be even harder to trust if Marlon Mack is active. Mack practiced on a limited basis with a hamstring injury Wednesday and Thursday.
Week 3 at Philadelphia Eagles
In Marlon Mack's return from a hamstring injury, here's how the Colts' backfield snaps played out last week: Jordan Wilkins-39 percent, Nyheim Hines-39 percent, Marlon Mack-30 percent. Here's how the touches played out: Wilkins-12, Mack-11, Hines-5. This is a full-blown RB by committee, similar to the one Frank Reich used in Philadelphia last year. Until there is evidence to the contrary, you can't start any of these running backs with confidence. That goes double against an Eagles defensive line that is sixth in PPR RB points allowed, coming off a season where they were even better.
Week 2 at Washington Redskins
Marlon Mack may return from a hamstring injury in Week 2, throwing more ambiguity into this backfield situation, after Jordan Wilkins received 17 touches and Nyheim Hines saw 12 touches in Week 1. This feels like a full-blown running back by committee situation against a Washington defense that held David Johnson to just 4.0 yards per carry in Week 1. Washington was only 28th in aFPA to RBs last year, but not knowing how much work Wilkins will get makes it very hard to start him in Week 2.
