RB Marlon Mack | Indianapolis Colts | 2nd Year
2017 Stats: 93 carries for 358 yards, 3 TD, 21 rec, 225 yards, 1 TD

After three 1,000-yard rushing seasons at South Florida, Mack was drafted in the fourth round (143rd overall) by the Indianapolis Colts in 2017. Frank Gore remained the team’s lead back last season, but Mack scored a touchdown in two of his first three NFL games and flashed potential when given the opportunity.

Gore is now gone via free agency to the Miami Dolphins, and the Colts used fourth-round and fifth-round picks on running backs in this year’s draft (Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins, respectively). Veterans Robert Turbin and Christine Michael are also in the mix right now.

Mack had nine or more touches in eight of his 14 games as a rookie. His total yardage totals in those games went like this:
Week 1 at Rams: 45 total yards, with a rushing touchdown,
Week 5 vs. 49ers: 93 total yards, with a rushing touchdown
Week 7 vs. Jaguars: 66 total yards
Week 8 at Bengals: 63 total yards, with a receiving touchdown
Week 9 at Texans: 29 total yards
Week 10 vs. Steelers: 26 total yards
Week 14 at Bills: 44 total yards
Week 17 vs. Texans: 38 total yards

Including games in Week 13 (at Jaguars-54 total yards on seven touches) and Week 16 (at Ravens-54 total yards on six touches), Mack posted more than 5.0 fantasy points (ESPN PPR scoring) in five of his last six games and in eight of 12 contests from Week 5-Week17. In PPR leagues of 12 teams or more, he was worthy of a spot in lineups as a flex fairly often over that stretch.

Mack got a fair amount of opportunities in the red zone, with 18 of his 93 carries coming in that area of the field and two of his four carries inside the 5-yard line ending in a touchdown. A spot atop the depth chart, along with more overall touch volume, should bring requisite opportunities to score for Mack.

Hines and Wilkins will compete for playing time, and Colts head coach Frank Reich has hinted at being comfortable with a backfield committee. That’s bad news for fantasy owners, with so much of the team’s offensive success resting on the health of Andrew Luck and the possibility of limited opportunities being spread out.

Mack is on the radar as a high-upside RB3 in 12-team leagues, with early averaged draft positions (RB36 in standard leagues, RB37 in PPR leagues, via Fantasy Football Calculator) which reflect that. How much breakout potential he has depends on if he’s able to take the reins and handle the majority of the touches in the Colts’ backfield.

Marlon Mack 2018 Projection: 220 carries, 895 yards, 5 TD, 30 rec., 285 yards, 1 TD

Breakout Potential: 50%

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