Just when it seemed the Indianapolis Colts might finally have some hope with Andrew Luck, it all came crashing down this week. The team announced Luck has experienced soreness in his surgically-repaired throwing shoulder and will be shutdown for the remainder of the week.
Luck underwent shoulder surgery on January 19 and the team seemed cautiously optimistic he could return early in the season. But with each passing week, the deadline was pushed further and further back as Indianapolis took a cautious approach with its franchise quarterback.
Just two weeks ago, Luck started participating in practice in a very limited form and his throwing program's intensity started to increase further. But even then, reports suggested it would take him a month of practices before he would be ready to suit up and start behind center for Indianapolis.
Already sitting at 2-4 this season and now with Luck out for an additional four-plus weeks, Indianapolis may need to consider shutting Luck down for the season. If he is unable to return until December, Indianapolis will be far out of the playoff picture and in closer contention for a top-five pick. As a result, fantasy owners should operate under the assumption Luck doesn't return this year.
In non-keeper leagues, Luck should be dropped if he hasn't already. A gamble made by fantasy owners with the hopes of landing value with great performance in the second half of the season, should now be considered a sunk cost. It's time to move on from Luck this 2017 fantasy season.
The news is also damaging for T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief. Hilton, a high draft pick in PPR leagues, just isn't nearly as productive with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. In four of his six games this season, Hilton finished with fewer than five receptions and 60 receiving yards. He has made two big plays this year, a 60-yard catch and run and 63-yard play, but outside of that has just 362 yards on 38 targets.
Meanwhile, Moncrief hasn't surpassed 70-plus receiving yards in a game this season and has found the end zone just once. While Brissett has impressed at quarterback, Luck's long-term absence makes Hilton a low-end, risky WR2 and Moncrief a WR4.