Injury report update
Jonathan Williams is expected to be treated like the starting running back in this game. It remains to be seen if he will get more touches than Jordan Wilkins by the end of the game, but with no other information to go on, this is what we have to use to make lineup decisions. Williams is the start over Wilkins.
Will Fuller is expected to play on Thursday. He has been limited in practice the past two weeks, and has not played since Week 7. There will be some rust, but he is a decent flex option for TNF. Kenny Stills takes a hit in value if Fuller is active.
T.Y. Hilton believes he is good to go for Thursday Night Football. He requires clearance from the trainers and coaching staff, so that will be something to wait for as inactives approach at 6:50 p.m. Even if he is active, Zach Pascal is still a solid flex option against a shaky Texans pass defense.
Credit to the Indianapolis Colts. Getting to 6-4 clearly was not the result of Luck. Despite dire forecasts in late August, here are the Colts, facing the Texans for first place in the AFC South. Let’s look at some players to target in DraftKings’ $1,111,111 six-man Showdown slate -- with an entry fee of $10 and a first-place prize of $250,000 -- and who to use in the critical Captain slot:
CAPTAIN OBVIOUS
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans ($16,500)
Certainly you can make a pretty strong case for quarterback Deshaun Watson in this spot, and he would only cost you an extra $900, but Hopkins has been so consistently solid since Week 6, reaching double-digits in targets in each game and throttling the Colts for a 9-106-1 line back in Week 7, it’s hard not to give him the nod here. Will Fuller is a game-time decision, but if he can’t go, it just makes Hopkins an even better play.
CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS
Jonathan Williams, RB, Indianapolis Colts ($8,400)
That Williams is actually cheaper than Jordan Wilkins, despite Williams rushing for 116 yards in relief of the injured Marlon Mack and Wilkins not playing because of injury, is a bit of a head-scratcher. Sure, the two backs should both be involved here, but Williams big day Sunday should earn him a greater share of the touches. Williams’ salary doesn’t come close to matching his expected usage. He will be popular, but it’s hard to argue with that savings, especially if he can re-create the production.
FLEX MEN
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Indianapolis ($10,400)
It was only five weeks ago that Brissett went off on the Texans secondary, throwing for 326 yards and four touchdowns. Because of the loss of Mack in the backfield, Brissett may be asked to throw it in the neighborhood of 40 times, as he did in the first matchup. T.Y. Hilton has a shot to play after practicing Wednesday, and that would just make Brissett all the more dangerous.
Kenny Stills, WR, Houston ($6,400)
If Fuller is ruled inactive, Stills would once again man the No. 2 receiver spot in the offense. He had seven targets in that role last week, and it should be noted that Stills had a huge game against the Colts in Week 7, catching four passes for 105 yards.