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Indianapolis Colts: 5 Players to Follow During Training Camp

By Kyle Nishida

Aug 29, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano yells from the sidelines during the second quarter of a football game against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 29, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano yells from the sidelines during the second quarter of a football game against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports /
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Indianapolis Colts
Oct 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) shakes with wide receiver Phillip Dorsett (15) before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Wide Receiver Phillip Dorsett

Phillip Dorsett garnered a lot of hype as a rookie during last year’s training camp and preseason. However, the young receiver failed to turn that success into regular season excellence. Now, everyone wants to see if he can make the adjustment this year.

Dorsett was the Colts’ first round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and was supposed to be their x-factor on offense. Unfortunately, Dorsett did not give the Colts the sort of production they were anticipating.

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In 11 games last season, Dorsett caught 18 passes for 225 receiving yards and one touchdown. He missed five games because of an ankle fracture. The Colts need better production from him in 2016.

Dorsett’s speed is comparable to starters Donte Moncrief and T.Y. Hilton, but his route running is nowhere close to theirs. As a result, Dorsett struggled to create separation between him and defenders on passing plays.

In college, Dorsett got away with sloppy route running because he was faster than most college defenders. In the NFL, receivers have to be at least adequate route runners to get open because every team has quick cornerbacks who are capable of covering fast receivers.

The more passing options the Indianapolis Colts can give Andrew Luck, the better their offense will be in 2016. If Dorsett becomes less dependent on his speed and sharpens his other receiving techniques, like route running, the Colts could have an explosive passing team in 2016.

Next: Colts: Can Andrew Luck Return to 2014 Form?

Although Dorsett’s success will not be determined by his training camp and preseason performances, people will still focus a lot on him. Good performances throughout both these periods will take pressure off of him early.

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