Just two weeks ago, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett received little interest in the fantasy football realm. He was the backup to Andrew Luck; that wasn't expected to change. Then, Luck retired, boosting Brissett from backup status to starter.
Should you be interested in him for your fantasy football team?
Yes, but at the end of your respective fantasy draft.
Though Brissett is now the starter, skepticism remains on his effectiveness to thrive in Frank Reich's offense (because he has received very little playing time with Reich). Very rarely is drafting a suddenly starting quarterback in the middle-rounds a safe bet — sure options Jared Goff, Kirk Cousins, and Dak Prescott are often available there and should be picked before Brissett based on people know what they are getting in them.
However, Brissett may thrive in the Colts' offense.
In 2017, he didn't quite do so. But, he wasn't bad. Playing in an offense that he had to learn in a week — one constructed by Chuck Pagano and Rob Chudzinski without a competent offensive line or receiving threats outside of T.Y. Hilton — the then-second-year quarterback threw for 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions on a 58.8% completion rate.
Now, Brissett doesn't have to learn an offense hastily, nor will he play on a team that lacks offensive talent — the Colts are loaded.
Brissett's offensive line is considered to be one of the best in the NFL, led by rookie All-Pro Quenton Nelson. His receiving corps is fast and talented, with Hilton leading the pack followed by “go up and get it” ace Devin Funchess, speedy rookie Parris Campbell, red-zone threat Eric Ebron, and the always reliable Jack Doyle.
The Colts' running game isn't one to scoff at either. Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, Jonathan Williams, and Jordan Wilkins make up for one of the NFL's premier young backfields In 2018; the Colts ran for a total of 1,718 yards in a pass-heavy offense.
Before Luck's retirement, the Colts' roster looked the part of a Super Bowl contender. Brissett, like anyone else, will benefit from that roster-build.
Of course, there is far more than a roster to speculate how he'll do — who Brissett is as a passer and what the team's scheme matter. Luckily, Brissett's skill set as a quarterback happens to fit perfectly with what Reich's offense brings to the table.
Reich runs a modified West Coast scheme; if you can call it that. His playbook — on the passing end — is based on passing the ball efficiently. That means he'll beat a team with a thousand paper cuts via screens, slants, flood concepts, mesh concepts, and endless check-down options.
Reich, as an evolving offensive mind, does the smart thing: He takes what the defense gives him and exploits it.
Brissett's skill set will thrive in that offense. He's an accurate quarterback (even if his numbers don't indicate so) with a good, but not great, arm. The former backup's best trait, however, is his brain; he's a cerebral playmaker with the ability to dice up the defense with pre- and post-snap reads. Though he's not as athletic as Luck, he knows how to move around in the pocket.
When looking for a quarterback in a West Coast scheme, a coach often looks for accuracy, thought processing, and the ability to move around the pocket among other things. As stated, Brissett fits the bill.
In many aspects, Brissett is similar to Luck. While he's not as talented as Luck, he's more than capable of leading the Colts' offense. We've seen that before. But, in 2019, we'll see that in a scheme suited to take advantage of his skill set and a roster talented enough to give defensive coordinators headaches.
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