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Andrew Luck is widely regarded as the top fantasy quarterback for 2015 - but what if he gets hurt? Who should you add, who should you drop and who should you try and trade for in a Matt Hasselbeck-led Indianapolis offense? That is the hypothetical (and we hope it remains that way) question we pose here: What would happen if Andrew Luck were to get hurt and go down with a major injury, sidelining himself for the rest of the season?
BUY
Andre Johnson, WR – Andre Johnson knows all about playing with below average quarterbacks, so this veteran target knows how to get open and be productive in these situations. With no Andrew Luck available, the Colts would still throw with Matt Hasselbeck, but the passing game would shorten up their routes. Johnson would be a great asset to Hasselbeck should Luck miss significant time.
Dwayne Allen, TE – Andrew Luck loves to throw the ball, as we all know, but especially to his tight ends. For Luck, this is often like a boxer jabbing his opponent all fight long to set up the big punch for the win - which would be Luck's deep strikes to T.Y. Hilton. Well, with no Luck, Matt Hasselbeck would be jabbing his way down the field most of the time, meaning that both Allen and Coby Fleener will see a lot more chances to catch the ball.
Coby Fleener, TE – Very similar story ot Dwayne Allen, except Fleener's upside is higher as more touchdowns are already expected for Allen.
HOLD
Frank Gore, RB – A lot of Gore's appeal this year is due to Andrew Luck's ability to throw the ball and use the passing game to set up the run lanes for Gore. If Luck is lost for quite a while, Gore may see more carries but likely more defenders in the box, leading to less yards per carry. Gore may find the end zone a little more often, but a reduced overall fantasy value for the former 49er is likely.
SELL
T.Y. Hilton, WR – The top wide receiver for Indianapolis would be the one most negatively impacted of Andrew Luck is injured and Matt Hasselbeck has to start for an extended period of time. Hilton is a deep threat and can score from anywhere on the field - but only if Luck can load up and target Hilton for a deep pass now and then. Veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck's arm is not nearly as strong, so he would be looking for shorter targets overall, leading to fewer chances fro Hilton.
ADD
Matt Hasselbeck, QB – Hasselbeck would immediately step in if Andrew Luck goes down, and the good news for Colts fans is that Hasselbeck is a solid backup. The veteran quarterback may be with his fourth NFL team (Green Bay, Seattle, Tennessee), but he has started plenty of games around the league and can certainly run the Indianapolis offense if needed. Hasselbeck's talent level is a few notches below Andrew Luck, as you might expect not just because Hasselbeck is 37 years old but also because Luck is one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Indianapolis will still be able to run most of the same plays in the offense, but deep balls may be less of an option with the backup starting under center.
Donte Moncrief, WR – With more offensive contributions needed for Indianapolis, a set of sure hands will be needed at the WR3 spot. That role would go to Donte Moncrief (not rookie Phillip Dorsett) as Moncrief runs shorter and intermediate routes much better than the speedster Dorsett, who is much more of a deep threat.
Dan Herron, RB and Zurlon Tipton, RB – If Frank Gore sees more activity in the offense without Andrew Luck under center, then the ground game is going to wear Gore's older frame down over time. That means the backup running back will get more work, so Dan Herron (and possibly even Zurlon Tipton) should be added as possible contributors to the new offensive scheme.
DROP
None. Indianapolis may not be the juggernaut offense with no Andrew Luck, but there is so much talent surrounding Hasselbeck that the veteran quarterback should be able to keep this team's offense humming enough to be very productive even without their start quarterback.
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to pasquino@footballguys.com.