Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is likely to start practicing this week, but when will he be able to return as the starting QB of the Colts and to your fantasy football lineup?
Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said that Luck will be on a “pitch count” when he begins practice and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said that Luck will need three to four weeks of practice before he’s ready to start.
Three weeks from Monday the Colts will take on the Titans in Tennessee in a key divisional game. That is the absolute earliest Luck will be available. Here is a look at the Colts’ upcoming schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 1 at Seattle
Sunday, Oct. 8 versus San Francisco
Monday, Oct. 16 at Tennessee
Sunday, Oct. 22 versus Jacksonville
Many Luck fantasy football owners were hoping that he would be available on Sunday, Oct. 8 against the 49ers but Mortensen’s timetable as well as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport’s suggest that the Titans game or the Sunday, Oct. 22 game in Indy against the Jacksonville Jaguars is most likely.
Luck and the Colts have their bye week the weekend of Nov. 19, which is to say fantasy football owners of Luck are only looking at four games before they need to go searching for a QB yet again.
Advice: If possible, keep Luck on your bench throughout the season but have a middle-range back-up like a Kirk Cousins, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz or Alex Smith ready to slide in.
