Colts wide receiver Phillip Dorsett out 4-6 weeks with fractured fibula

As if their 27-21 home loss on Sunday wasn't bad enough, Colts head coach Chuck Pagano confirmed today that rookie wide receiver Phillip Dorsett suffered a fractured fibula in the loss and will be out 4-6 weeks.  Dorsett will undergo a procedure on Tuesday morning to take care of the injury.

Carter was spotted in the locker room earlier today and spoke with the media, though he needed crutches to get around.  He too confirmed that it's a 4-6 week injury and is confident that he'll be back and ready to contribute once he recovers.  "I don't think it's any nerve or ligament damage, just a clean fracture," Dorsett told the media, according to FOX59's Mike Chappell.  "I think I'll be back (this season).  Knowing me, I'll be back.''

It's tough news for Dorsett, who in seven games has caught 11 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown (averaging 15.7 yards per catch) but was beginning to see a bigger role in the offense.  With Andre Johnson struggling, Dorsett was likely going to see increased snaps, but now the first round pick will miss the next month or so.

With Dorsett's injury now, however, the Colts have only T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, Andre Johnson, and Griff Whalen on their roster at the wide receiver position.  Johnson hasn't done much and a lot of fans want Whalen cut for some special teams struggles on Sunday, but now the team is suddenly thin at wide receiver.  Only Hilton and Moncrief are the guys who can be counted on to make plays.  Chuck Pagano said today that they have not made any decisions yet regarding potential moves at the wide receiver position, but many have wondered whether they will promote Duron Carter from the practice squad to the active roster.  Regardless, however, Carter would be nothing more than a depth piece, and the reality is that the Colts need Hilton and Moncrief to really step up, as well as Johnson.  Dorsett wasn't a huge factor in the offense early, but if the wide receivers continued to struggle, he might have seen increased snaps in the coming weeks.  Now, it will be four to six weeks before he's back on the field due to a fractured fibula suffered in the team's loss yesterday.