The Indianapolis Colts were undoubtedly one of the most surprising teams of the 2018 NFL season. Among their notable breakout performances from the year came via tight end Eric Ebron.

Ebron had endured a rough start to his career after failing to live up to the hype of being a former top-10 pick in the draft. His inconsistency and struggles with drops ultimately led to his release from the Detroit Lions in the offseason.

Fortunately, Ebron was able to enjoy quite the resurgence after signing a two-year, $13 million deal with the Colts. He quickly established himself as quarterback Andrew Luck's favorite target in the red zone. His role as Luck's security blanket underneath led to a career-year as he finished the 2018 campaign by hauling in 59 passes for 662 yards and 12 touchdowns. With his numbers being among the league leaders at his position, he was able to earn his first career trip to the Pro Bowl as well.

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More importantly, he played an integral role in the Colts' playoff run this season. Although they may have fallen short in the AFC Divisional Round, they can take solace in the fact that they surpassed expectations for a young team that is supposed to be in the midst of a rebuild. Indianapolis still has nine picks in the 2019 NFL Draft and over $122 million in cap space heading into the offseason.

There is no question that Ebron has certainly come a long way since his days in Detroit. He may never be able to live down the fact that he was selected ahead of generational talents such as Aaron Donald and Odell Beckham Jr., however, he still has an opportunity to establish himself as one of the best receiving tight ends in the league.

It is difficult to gauge where that might put Ebron's value moving forward. It is no secret that he is not the strongest blocker. Fortunately, his rapport with Luck will give him a chance to prove that his performance this season was no fluke.