Colts Are Great Value if Carson Wentz Timeline Holds Up
By Peter Dewey
Has the Indianapolis Colts fall in division and win projection odds suddenly turned them into a great value for the 2021 season?
The latest report on Carson Wentz’s status for Week 1 of the season sure makes it seem like it.
Good vibes all around @Colts.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) August 11, 2021
Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger are competing for the backup role.
Yes, the backup role.
Carson Wentz trending to open the season as the starter with All-Pro G Quenton Nelson on same path after foot surgeries.
The Colts open season vs. Seahawks.
Carson Wentz out here at Colts camp. No boot on foot. No limp I can detect. pic.twitter.com/Hfj6qNsvsQ
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) August 10, 2021
Woah. Wentz was given a 5-to-12 week timetable, but it appears he is well on his way to hitting the shorter end of that and getting back in action for the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
Just one day after Sam Ehlinger began taking first-team reps for the Colts, it appears that their quarterback crisis could be averted.
Ever since Wentz decided to have surgery on the foot injury he suffered in training camp, the Colts have seen their division odds fall from -110 to +160 since the injury. WynnBET currently projects the Colts to win 8.5 games in 2021 with the over (-115) slightly favored to the under (-105).
Indianapolis looked like a surefire playoff team if Wentz was healthy under head coach Frank Reich, and now may be the time to jump back on the Colts at +160 to win the division and the over on their win projection for the 2021 season.
Prior to the Wentz scare, Indianapolis was a -220 favorite to make the playoffs in the AFC, so grabbing them at +160 odds to take a weak division like the AFC South could be a fantastic value play for bettors.
Wentz, who had a career season in Philadelphia when Reich was his quarterback’s coach, is +1800 to win MVP this season, and he may be able to find that old form again if he’s ready to play by Week 1.
Back in 2017, Wentz threw for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns in 13 games before going down with a season-ending knee injury, but he hasn’t looked like the same player ever since.
Maybe the change of scenery will help, but now that the Colts are looked at as more of an underdog to make the playoffs, it seems like the perfect time to take a shot on them now that Wentz’s timeline is coming into focus.
Buying that the Colts are back in the playoff conversation? Get in on the action with the WynnBET app.