The Indianapolis Colts (0-0-1) came away with a tie to begin the 2022 regular season in Week 1 against the Houston Texans (0-0-1) at NRG Stadium.
Between performance and usage, we can gather a lot of information about a player’s stock. While we know the stock for the big-name players like Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr., it’s the other pieces on the roster whose stock is likely to change the most throughout the season.
It’s important to remember that the stock report is fluid. A player whose stock fell in one week, can rise the following week, and vice versa. It’s more about spotting trends and potential for the future based on what we saw in the game that week.
Without further ado, here is the stock report following the Colts’ Week 1 tie with the Texans:
Stock Up: DE Kwity Paye
Though it was tough sledding for the entire pass rush during the majority of the game, Paye turned it on when the team needed it most. After Rodrigo Blankenship gave the Texans starting field position at the 40-yard line to begin overtime, Paye put the team on his back. He had two sacks on that drive alone and finished with a team-high four total pressures. He also was credited with two run stops on the day. It was a very encouraging for a second-year breakout candidate.
Stock Down: K Rodrigo Blankenship
You knew this was coming. Had Blankenship simply missed the game-winning field-goal attempt, he might not even be on this list. But he added the two instances in which he kicked the ball out of bounds late in the fourth quarter and to begin overtime—consecutive kicks mind you. Whether the Colts make a change isn’t clear yet, but that seat is hot.
Stock Up: WR Mike Strachan
Strachan only finished with two receptions on two targets for the day, but it was an encouraging outing for a player who was on the roster bubble just a few weeks ago. The Colts chose to make Dezmon Patmon a healthy scratch while Strachan finished with 36 receiving yards.
Stock Down: RT Braden Smith
It was a rough outing for the entire offensive line, but the main issue was Smith’s performance at right tackle. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith was credited with allowing a team-high four pressures and a sack. Given how much money the Colts have invested in the offensive line (and Smith himself), the team needs him to keep this from becoming a regular occurance.
Stock Up: TE Kylen Granson
This has more to do with Granson’s role and usage than it does with his performance. The second-year tight end left some plays on the field, but it’s the usage that’s intriguing. Granson played one more snap than starter Mo Alie-Cox while seeing seven targets to his two on the day. According to Pro Football Focus, Granson had a much higher route participation, running 29 routes to Alie-Cox’s 19. Sometimes, a player’s stock changes based on the usage he sees. That’s the case here with Granson, and it will be interesting to see if this is a trend or a one-off.
Stock Down: DL Dayo Odeyingbo
While I’m still optimistic Odeyingbo will eventually turn into a reliable player, we can’t ignore the fact that he played just four snaps on the day. There wasn’t much of a rotation at all, and it was clearly Tyquan Lewis who will serve as the fifth defender in the front. We’ll see if this becomes a growing concern moving forward.
