The Indianapolis Colts had grand plans for rookie rusher Marlon Mack in 2017. Mack was a steal in the fourth round and showed a lot of promise in preseason. He was expected to challenge veteran workhorse Frank Gore for the starting job.
Is Marlon Mack ready for a feature back fantasy role in 2018?
The Colts are not jumping the gun to commit to Mack as their starter.
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Unfortunately, that promise did not make it to the regular season. Mack finished the season with 93 carries for 358 yards and three touchdowns. He added 21 catches for 225 and a score to the passing game as well. Mack never came close to threatening Gore’s job, as he was mistake-prone and only had one game with over 70 total yards all season.
Looking ahead to 2018
The Colts’ backfield is expected to look very different next season. Gore is the oldest running back in the NFL and will be a free agent this summer. He is unlikely to remain with the Colts if he does decide to return to the league next season. That automatically promotes Mack to the starting role.
However, the Colts are not ready to commit just yet. They will likely shop for or draft a feature back in the offseason. The Colts will also have a new head coach next season. Mack needs to work hard to improve his game over the summer to make sure he does not get lost in the Colts’ new-look offense in 2018. He should remain a specialty back next season given his incredible athleticism.
Fantasy Slant
Mack does not have much fantasy appeal. He is clearly not ready to take on starter responsibilities, so he may get drafted in the final rounds in 2018 as owners look to fill spots. He is good for about the same amount of production as he had this season. Dynasty owners may want to sell Mack while he presumably has a starting job.
