But maybe that isn't a bad thing, and maybe the Colts should use him sooner rather than later. I realize that there is absolutely no chance that Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell actually utilize the strategy that I am suggesting in this article, but wouldn't it be better for the Colts to lose to the Broncos and sew up home-field advantage in the following weeks?

It may not really matter, but Denver is a game behind the San Diego Chargers in the AFC West right now, and I would feel much more comfortable with an Indy-Denver match-up in the Playoffs.

The Chargers have three difficult games in a row: at Dallas, home against (continued)

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But its not going to happen. Sorry folks.

The New Orleans Saints might pursue perfection, but the Colts won't. Once they clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, they'll mail it in. The team's philosophy won't change despite the general fan sentiment that momentum won them the Superbowl in 2006-07 whereas resting players has caused the team several early playoff exits.

"You don't get rusty missing a half of a ballgame or three quarters of a ballgame," said team president Bill Polian on his weekly radio interview. "That doesn't happen. That is fantasy. There is nothing to it. I don't believe in momentum."(continued)

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The team's "next man up" philosophy will again be tested, but this time it may be closer to a "first man up" situation. Hagler's replacement, second-year veteran Phillip Wheeler, was actually the starter at strong-side linebacker throughout training camp. Hagler quietly took over the starting job just before the start of the regular season.

Since Wheeler was ahead of Hagler on the depth chart for most of the offseason, Wheeler has plenty of experience playing with the first team defense. He put his experience to good use when Hagler left the 49ers game in the third quarter, quickly racking up six tackles and a sack.(continued)

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The Colts currently rank 28th in the league in average kickoff return yardage, averaging 20.4 yards a return. The team ranks 25th in punt return average at 5.1 yards a return.

Cribbs currently leads the league in both kickoff return yards and punt return yards. Blocking on kickoffs obviously plays a significant roll in a team's return success, but having a more explosive kick returner could make things even easier for Peyton Manning and the offense.

If the Colts were to make a deal for Cribbs, the team could make more efficient use of every roster position by releasing or trading Hank Baskett (continued)

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Ed Johnson did something stupid. Again.

Last time the Colts waived him, it was because he was driving around I-465 smokin' blunts and livin' it up. Ruining his career. There's no reason to speculate on what the Colts' reasoning was this time, but it is likely that Johnson's NFL career is over, and the ramifications to the team could be significant.

The team's defensive tackle rotation is still in better shape than it was last year when Johnson was excused from the team, but they will need someone to really step up for the Colts to continue playing at a high level on defense. (continued)

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You probably wouldn't want to start the rookie quarterback in your fantasy leagues this week anyway. Although Pittsburgh's defense this year isn't as stout against the pass as their reputation would lead you to believe, they are sure to throw some interesting blitz packages at the Lions regardless of who is starting at QB.

Considering Stafford's lack of experience and Detroit's sketchy offensive line, it's very unlikely that a better option isn't available for your fantasy roster. But will Stafford's injury affect the other skill position players on Detroit?

For Calvin Johnson owners, it may (continued)

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Just ask John Lorge and Kyle Winslow. Send us an email with your toughest fantasy coin-flips to fantasyfootball@bleacherreport.com or tweet John @JohnLorge.

This weeks' fantasy coin-flip was sent via twitter from Jets Featured Columnist David Wyatt, who has to start either Ray Rice or Julius Jones. Rice faces a resurgent Bengals defense, while Julius Jones goes up against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

(continued)

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And so, in the game against Miami a few weeks ago, the Colts got ran over like a quadriplegic bullfighter. They won the game despite never altering their defensive strategy against the wildcat to any extent other than using a safety as an eighth man in the box, and gave up 239 rushing yards in the process.

Is this a major weakness of the Colts? Can other teams utilize the wildcat against them with similar effectiveness? To some extent, yes. Just ask team president Bill Polian:

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It means you have another good choice, and that's Tashard Choice. When Choice got a chance last season he put up great fantasy numbers, and with Marion Barber out last week against Carolina he put up 82 rushing yards and a touchdown. Not bad numbers at all, considering he split carries with Jones for three quarters.

But equally as important as his stats are his touches from the last game. He had 18 carries to Jones' eight and was the target of seven passes to Jones' one. Even before Jones left with an injury in the third quarter, Dallas was not afraid to use Choice extensively.

So even if Barber plays this week against Denver, look for Choice to get plenty (continued)

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So far, Sanchez has totaled four passing TDs, one rushing TD, and over 600 yards passing with two picks. These are better numbers than last season's two breakout rookie QBs put up. Joe Flacco had 450 yards, one TD and two picks through his first three performances in 2008, and Matt Ryan put up 511 yards, two TDs and Two picks in his first three games.

>Both quarterbacks ended up having decent fantasy seasons, finishing the year just a few points behind Eli Manning and a few points ahead of Ben Roethlisberger in standard leagues. With bye weeks coming up and injuries to several quarterbacks, many fantasy owners may be searching for a little help at QB.

So is Sanchez somebody you should feel comfortable (continued)

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The Good

The Colts have had a great offense even with a tormented running game for several seasons, and many would have assumed that their game-plan against the Cardinals' eighth-ranked rushing defense would be pass-heavy as well. But the Colts had a very balanced offense against the Cardinals that included 31 rushing attempts.

Even though the Cardinals knew the Colts would be running (continued)

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The Pacers extended the contract of head coach Jim O'Brien through the 2010-11 season, giving him an additional year to try and take the franchise to the playoffs. In his first two years the Pacers missed the playoffs and finished with a 36-46 record each season.

The franchise is rebuilding with young players, but since the team did not show any improvement from O'Briens' first season to his second, perhaps team president Larry Bird should have waited until after this season extend his contract. If the Pacers fail to make the playoffs in the third rebuilding year under O'Brien, are they really moving in the right direction?

Larry Legend thinks he's the man for the job. "When I interviewed Jim for this job, he was committed to everything we want to do," said Bird (continued)

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Buy Low

Kevin Smith - People may be tempted to unload Kevin Smith since he hasn't done much yet this year and he's on a terrible team, but he still has great value. Smith is one of the few backs that get the majority of runs and plays a big part in the passing game.

Matt Hasselbeck - He looked like he was mortally wounded in week two, so you may be able to get Hasselbeck for virtually nothing. Once he's healthy, he could be a good asset to your team if you have a shaky QB (continued)

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Against all odds, Manning willed the team to victory. Maybe they can win games that way, but they don't have to. Here are five things they can do to put teams away the right way.

1. Run the Ball

If you read any article or see any highlight or listen to any radio show that claims the Dolphins "held" the Colts to just 61 yards, abandon that news source forever. Statistically, the Colts were the better rushing team on Monday night; running the ball just wasn't a part of their game plan. (continued)

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Solo: "No time to discuss this in a committee!"

Leia: "I am NOT a COMMITTEE!"

Unfortunately, almost every backfield in the NFL is a committee now, and this can mean disaster or opportunity for your fantasy team. There aren't as many running backs that offer consistent production, but the waiver wire might be a treasure chest if you know what to look for.

After just one week of action, you can't judge a player's potential by points alone. You also have to take into account how many opportunities individual players are getting on a weekly basis. (continued)

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The team defense looked vastly improved from last season, even though the Colts were without their best defensive tackle, Ed Johnson, and arguably their best overall defensive player, Bob Sanders.

The team gave up 228 yards of total offense to the Jaguars, and held bowling-ball running back Maurice Jones-Drew under 100 yards rushing for what seems like the first time in franchise history. (continued)

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The 2010 free agent class could be a goldmine for any teams with extra cash. Players such as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Paul Pierce, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Joe Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Redd could all become free agents after the 2009-2010 season. Oh, and did I mention LeBron James? Yes. Him too.

Not all of these stars will reach the market, but the Pacers would definitely like to be in a position to make some offers to those who do. (continued)

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But since you can't bounce your thoughts off your friends, because they're in your league and can't be trusted, here are some of mine.

Players that may be on your bench that you could start:

Leon Washington - Washington is only being started in 28 percent of Yahoo leagues right now because many owners don't consider him anything more than a handcuff for Thomas Jones. Jones is old, and Washington is ridiculously electric. I personally think Washington will end up with more fantasy points than Jones by the end of the season. If you get points for receptions or for return yardage, Washington is a viable flex option this (continued)

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This could be good news regarding the injury status of starting safety Bob Sanders, who was recently taken off the physically unable to perform list. Either the Colts are confident that Sanders will be healthy enough to play, or they really coveted Cody Glenn.

They didn't covet him enough to draft him with either of their two fourth round picks, one of which was used on defensive tackle Terrance Taylor, whom did not make the final 53 man roster. Washington drafted Glenn in the fifth round of the 2009 draft, and since the Colts did not have a fifth round pick at all this year they probably weren't expecting him to fall to them in the sixth round. (continued)

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ESPN’s John Hollinger calculates a statistic called Player Efficiency Rating, or PER, which is basically a composite of several other statistics. PER attempts to quantify a players overall contributions to his team in a single number, and the average PER for the NBA is set at 15.00. Last season, John Hollinger calculated that LeBron James had the highest PER at 31.76, and Donte Green of the Sacramento Kings had the lowest PER at 5.18.

Player Efficiency Rating can also be misleading because it does not take into account any defensive performances that don't result in steals or blocks. A player like Ron Artest is more valuable than his rating because PER doesn't compensate for his abilty to be a constant nuisance to scorers and strike fear into opponents, refs, and fans (continued)

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The Colts Don't Need Curtis Painter

Jim Sorgi missed most of the preseason with a pulled hamstring, and Curtis Painter performed decently in his absence. But in the half that he played against Cincinnati, Sorgi proved that he is an adequate backup for Peyton Manning.

Sorgi completed 11 of 19 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, and finished with a 94.0 passer rating (continued)

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State of the Starters

The Colts are notoriously poor preseason performers, but should the team be worried about the loss to lowly Detroit last week? Probably not.

The first team offense has looked explosive, and should be back to elite form in 2009 despite all the offseason changes. The team would greatly benefit from a more balanced offense this season, and the running game appears to be improving. (continued)

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(continued)

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The Colts are generally a single-back offense, and only use a fullback in goal-line situations. But they do use a two-back shotgun formation frequently on obvious passing downs and hurry-up situations.

Last season, tight end Dallas Clark moved into the backfield anytime the Colts used this formation, and whatever runningback was in the game at the time (Joseph Addai or Domanick Rhodes) lined up on the opposite side of quarterback Peyton Manning. This allowed the Colts to have all of their best (continued)

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I asked a group of Bleacher Report NFL Featured Columnists a variety questions about the upcoming fantasy season. Their answers could help you make some critical decisions during your draft, or give you an idea of what your competition will be thinking.

Have your own opinion? Feel free to answer any of the questions on your own by commenting on the article.(continued)

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By the second quarter it was all reserves, but here are some notes from the first quarter of action:

- Manning's timing looked perfect with Anthony Gonzalez, who caught a perfect fade in the corner of the end-zone for the Colt's first touchdown, and Joseph Addai, who caught a difficult pass in tight coverage on a wheel route out of the backfield to keep that first drive from stalling.

-Manning's timing with Reggie Wayne was never in question, although their 76-yard touchdown hook-up was a result of a (continued)

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The competition that has garnered the most offseason attention is the battle for the third wide receiver spot that opened up with the release of Marvin Harrison. Before camp, it was widely assumed that the position would be won by either second-year player Pierre Garcon or fourth-round draft pick Austin Collie. Now it appears that the third wide-receiver has been won by both players.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Peter King, Peyton Manning said that Collie is practicing exclusively in the slot and Garcon is strictly playing on the outside.

"He [Austin Collie] can run," Manning said. "He can really run. He is working the slot only. We haven't had anyone since Brandon Stokely (continued)

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Free Agents:

The Pacers had limited cap space with which to sign free agents this offseason, but by far the biggest acquisition was former Denver Nuggets' guard/forward Dahntay Jones.

Jones averaged only 5.4 points per game in 79 contests last season, but made his name as a defensive stalwart. The addition makes perfect sense for the Pacers since team defense is precisely the area that Larry Bird set out to improve before the start of the season.(continued)

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Their preseason struggles haven't translated to the regular season. For fans wondering if the team's loss to the Vikings signals the pending demise of the franchise, just remember that Detroit went undefeated in the preseason a year ago before becoming the first team to ever post an 0-16 regular season record.

However, some useful information can be gleaned from the Colts' preseason games. Here's a look at some of the details from the 3-13 loss to Minnesota.

Donald Brown was easily the biggest bright spot for the Colts in the preseason opener. Brown displayed his talent the moment he entered the contest, breaking (continued)

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Deep Depth Chart:

The team released the first depth chart yesterday with the most surprising move being Tony Ugoh’s replacement as the starting left tackle. Charlie Johnson took over the starting spot, but Ugoh already stepped back into the starting rotation today when right tackle Ryan Diem left practice with an injury.

As predicted, Ed Johnson and Antonio Johnson are listed as the starting defensive tackles. One interesting change is that Raheem Brock is listed as the second string right defensive end behind Dwight Freeney, as opposed to previous (continued)

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Led by rookie first round draft pick Tyler Hansbrough and second-year center Roy Hibbert, the Pacers dominated down low in the Orlando league. Hansbrough averaged over 18 points a game and 5.6 rebounds and seemingly got to the foul line at will. Hibbert averaged just over 20 points per game and was considered by ESPN's John Denton to be the most improved player from last year's summer league.

Could the tandem work their way into the starting lineup next season?(continued)

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Defensive Line Competition

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that Keyunta Dawson has been moved to defensive end. Dawson played defensive end in college at Texas Tech so the position is natural to him. Since he weighs about the same as the linebackers on most teams (254 lbs), defensive line coach John Teerlinck is probably the only person on the planet that would consider playing Dawson at tackle anyway. (continued)

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This is great news for Colts fans; if Brown is to contribute this season it is vital for him to maximize his practice time with the complex offense orchestrated by the ever-vibrantly gesturing and gyrating audible-monster, Peyton Manning. Brown will have to get comfortable with both the playbook and the blocking schemes before he can help turn around the Colts' ineffective running game.

Brown is easy to root for. He came from a small college football program and was hardly recognized for leading Division I in rushing. The man used his first moment in a national television spotlight, an interview during ESPN's draft coverage, to discuss a charity that he had already established, even before he signed his first NFL contract. (continued)

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Caldwell’s first move as head coach (apparently occurring just moments after Dungy announced his retirement) was to replace often criticized special teams coach Russ Purnell with South Carolina’s Ray Rychleski. Also gone is special teams standout Darrell Reid (noted for destroying Chris Henry in a game against the Titans) and ten year veteran punter Hunter Smith.

Will the Colts’ special teams improve under the new leadership, or will the loss of several of the unit’s stalwarts induce a setback? (continued)

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But does the team's success this season really depend on the first-round draft choice?

The injury didn't seem to bother him in the Orlando Summer League, where he averaged 18.2 points per game and 5.6 rebounds and lead the Pacers to a 5-0 record. Hansbrough brought "Psycho-T" trademark toughness to the Pacer's interior and provided a scoring threat in the post that the team lacked last season.

His outstanding performance in the summer league re-energized fans that were disappointed with his selection in the draft, many of whom (continued)

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Dungy has said that he expects new head coach Jim Caldwell to put his stamp on the defense, and Caldwell’s first step was to replace long time defensive coordinator Ron Meeks with former Broncos defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. Although Coyer is familiar with Dungy’s Tampa-Two, having implemented the same system with some variations in Denver, the buzz about his impact in Indianapolis is all about the blitz.

Media prognosticators all across the sports world expect Coyer to utilize blitzes more frequently than the Colts have in the past, simply because he had a propensity to use creative blitzes in Denver. But the Colts’ team is built very differently than the Broncos’ team that Coyer supervised. Would blitzing more be advantageous (continued)

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Despite the attention to the new leadership, the team's overhaul of its linebacking corps could have the most impact on their success this season.

The Colts' well documented struggles in run defense last season were blamed primarily on the loss of their top two defensive tackles at the beginning of the 2008 campaign, but the linebackers were also inconsistent, particularly after middle linebacker Gary Brackett went down with an injury.

The team has made significant changes to the unit in the offseason (continued)

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In the Tony Dungy era the Indianapolis Colts' modus operandi was to always put the best players on the field, and over the years this has resulted in a number of rookies and undrafted free-agents winning starting positions, seemingly out of the blue, in training camp. With Bob Sanders battling injuries for much of the 2008 season, another undrafted free-agent was given the chance to shine, and he took advantage.

Melvin Bullitt started nine games last season, becoming an integral part of a defensive backfield that gave up the fewest passing touchdowns ever in a 16 game NFL season. He displayed a propensity for being around the ball, and led the team with four interceptions. Bill Polian summed up Bullitt’s abilities last season after his week two performance against the Minnesota Vikings. (continued)

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The article itself is somewhat oxymoronic in that Kravitz first rationalizes how increasing the percentage of white players in the NBA is not immoral and would be good for its fan base, but then he comes to the more politically correct conclusion that race isn't as relevant as talent.

However, Kravitz does deserve credit for publicly broaching a touchy topic that fans have been whispering about since the Pacers drafted Tyler Hansbrough in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. With the pick the Pacers approach a 50 percent white American roster, depending on free agents. This is an obvious anomaly in a league where about 90 percent of the players are African American or foreign-born. (continued)

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An independent mock draft is a good way to gauge the relative values of fantasy players and a good tool to assist you in ranking players and deciding tiers. But the results will always be skewed if you are making every pick. In order to do more authentic research, I've assembled a team of top Bleacher Report writers to conduct a fantasy football mock draft.

The contributors to this mock draft are experienced fantasy veterans and regularly report on an assortment of NFL teams. This yielded a variety of diverse perspectives and interesting debates. The writers, in draft order, are:

Michael Schottey, Eric Stashin, John Lorge, Ryan Lester, Sayre Bedinger, Nathan Waddell, Kyle Winslow, Jonathan Williams, Jack Anderson, Kimberley Nash, (continued)

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The Indiana Pacers are in a state of flux and struggling to regain a competitive edge and a passionate fan base. Although the Pacers are rebuilding, they are a very young team with significant developing talent. If Indiana can solidify its roster through the upcoming draft, the Pacers could easily be a playoff contender next season.

Historically, the Pacers' drafts have been characterized by repeated exclusions. Extensive trading left the team without a first-round pick from either of the two greatest draft classes: 1984 and 2003. However, the Pacers have also made some great picks and some tough calls since joining the league in the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.

The following are the five draft day decisions that had the biggest impact (continued)

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John Oehser (courtesy of The Indy Football Report): "I’ll preface the answer by saying being at OTAs or around Indy might not give you significantly more insight into your questions. With no contact and no pads, the practices don’t really show anyone pulling away from anyone else at any positions. The Colts are rotating guys at defensive tackle, and while it’s hard to tell in mini-camp who’s starting, Antonio Johnson and Ed Johnson got some work with the first unit this weekend. Keyunta Dawson and Eric Foster—last year’s starters—are getting a lot of work, too, but everybody’s getting a lot of work. I’d be surprised if Ed Johnson doesn’t start, and as for the second tackle, one or both of the two drafted rookies –Fili Moala and Terrance Taylor — almost certainly will play a key role (continued)

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The selection signals a significant paradigm shift for the Colts. The former USC stand-out defensive tackle is listed at 6'4", 303 lbs, a much larger prospect than Indianapolis generally targets for its penetrating, cover-two defensive scheme. After struggling in run defense last season, the Colts' draft clearly indicates their intention to utilize a larger defensive front.

With a new defensive coordinator and several new defensive players vying for spots on the roster, there are many questions about the Colts' defense this off-season. Fili Moala was kind enough to answer a few of these questions for Bleacher Report (continued)

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So when the Colts moved to Indianapolis in 1984, there was fanfare and jubilee, but wasn’t the excitement of football fanatics; it was more of an interest in the growth of the city. It was the same pride that a homeowner has in a pristine lawn. The Indianapolis Colts were our city’s garden gnome; our decoration to graduate our city into higher ranks.

No kids know their sidewalks like Indiana kids. I grew up knowing every crack, every depression, and every puddle. I dribbled a basketball down those concrete slabs every afternoon, sunshine or storm. Nobody acted out moves like they were Bill Brooks in our occasional pickup football games, but everybody wanted to be Michael Jordan in every game of 21. (continued)

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The team lost long-time staple Marvin Harrison, who has lined up on the right side of the formation for Peyton Manning's entire pro career. The team also let running back Dominic Rhodes leave in free agency and drafted a replacement in the first round. How will these changes affect the teams' usage of their favorite formations and go-to plays?

Perhaps the most accurate presage of the 2009 Colts' offense came in week 16 last season, in a match-up with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Marvin Harrison sat out this game due to injury, and Indianapolis frequently used a two wide receiver look with tight end Dallas Clark flexed out in the slot.

If the Colts' aren't able to develop Pierre Garcon or fourth-round draft pick Austin (continued)

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The Rockets knew they didn't have a chance and they didn't care. They didn't have any un-injured superstars to beguile the refs. The NBA's major sponsors had already started airing Kobe vs LeBron commercials. Houston just tried really hard, like that old, scrappy guy at the YMCA that always flies around harassing all the "ballers" that are so concerned with looking hard that they have to act like they aren't trying.

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The overhaul of the Colts' coaching staff has resulted in plenty of poor projections and pitiful power rankings from the national media, and NFL Total Access' Ron Woodson has prophesized that Indianapolis will miss the playoffs. However, Bill Polian has publicly stated that the organization was completely prepared for this year's transition, including the recent retirement of Howard Mudd and Tom Moore. Polian has also publicly stated that pundits' opinions are "meaningless."

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This is also a public forum for fans to interact and ask questions about the major pro sports in the Indianapolis area. Email any questions or comments to kyle@selfdistract.com and check back to see them posted here. Feel free to interact with me and comment on my articles at www.bleacherreport.com and www.mycolts.net as well.

Thanks for reading!