The Colts lost their second game of the season and first since Week 4. The Steelers won 27-20 despite impressive fantasy performances from the Colts’ top three wide receivers.
It wasn’t all fantasy delight, though. Jonathan Taylor struggled to 45 rushing yards on 14 carries and 12 receiving yards on two catches. Tyler Warren finished with five catches for 26 yards. It marked the second consecutive game that Warren didn’t score a touchdown after scoring in three straight.
Is this something to worry about, or can Warren bounce back next week vs. the Falcons?
This shouldn’t be a major concern for fantasy owners. Warren has impressed throughout his rookie season and is one of the league’s best tight ends already. Not scoring does take away some of his value, but he’s still an elite pass catcher in a high-powered offense.
Warren had five catches on seven targets against Pittsburgh. His lowest receptions in a game is three, which happened once in Week 3. His lowest targets in a game is four, which happened once in Week 5. The volume is there, but he’ll need to gain more yards and/or score a touchdown to have elite fantasy value.
There are two main concerns, however. One is that the Falcons allow the fewest passing yards and pass attempts overall in the NFL. They also allow the fewest receptions, targets, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns to tight ends. This could be a tricky matchup for Warren, and it might mean the Colts rely on the other standout offensive options.
That’s the other concern. The Colts’ offense is carried by Taylor, but also features three receivers in Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Josh Downs. All three wideouts had a good game against the Steelers, with Pittman and Pierce recording 115 receiving yards each. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Indianapolis, which makes Warren’s fantasy value hard to gauge at times.
In the long-term, Warren should be a pivotal part of your fantasy roster. If possible, find a replacement for Week 10 since it’s an ugly matchup for the rookie.