Colts 2016 player preview: Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett

The Indianapolis Colts will report to training camp on July 26 with their 90-man roster, which will be cut down to 53 players by the end of the preseason.  To pass the time until camp, we're taking a look at every player on the Colts' 90-man roster.  Today, we're looking at wide receiver Phillip Dorsett.

Who is he?

Last year, the Indianapolis Colts spent their first round pick on a wide receiver, drafting Phillip Dorsett out of Miami.  The pick was very heavily criticized, and the reasoning made sense: the Colts didn't need another wide receiver at the time.  Most people liked Dorsett's talent but not the value or the pick for the Colts.  As I've said for a while, however, I think it's a pick that will look better over time, and we could begin to see that happen in 2016.  Dorsett's rookie season wasn't overly impressive, as he played in eleven games and caught just 18 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown, averaging 12.5 yards per catch (he also rushed for 17 yards on three carries).  He missed a significant chunk in the middle of the season with a broken leg that hindered his development for a period, so he has spent time this offseason rehabbing to make sure he's fully healthy -€” and the good news is that he still is super fast, as he ran a 4.27 40 yard dash this offseason.  He is an athletic playmaker who has plenty of talent that the Colts are hoping to utilize in his second season.

What is his role?

Dorsett's role on the team is already pretty clear, as he's projected to be the number three wide receiver behind T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief if he can stay healthy.  That means that he should see a significant increase in his workload in the passing game and could become a reliable number three receiver capable of making big plays in the passing game.  At the same time, however, the Colts may utilize his versatility and move him around, including handing the ball off to him on some plays -€” in other words, trying to get the ball into his hands so he can use his speed and make plays.  That's smart, and it also means that we could see Dorsett take on various roles in 2016 as the Colts try to get him involved as much as possible in the offense.

What are his chances?

Phillip Dorsett will make the roster, and he figures to play a nice role in the offense in 2016 as well.