Griff

Whalen

Whalen is going to be sidelined roughly a month with turf toe. He can’t re-sign with the Raiders until Week 7, but is eligible to sign with anyone else before then. The veteran slot man and special teamer will surely make the workout rounds at some point in the next two months.

We didn’t anticipate Whalen even being blurb worthy this season, but he quickly became a favorite of Jon Gruden and rose up the depth chart once Ryan Switzer was dealt. Unfortunately, he is now dealing with a serious injury. Perhaps he is released with an injury settlement once he is close to full health.

Whalen reeled in eight catches for 66 yards in Saturday’s regular season dress rehearsal against the Redskins, but suffered a left foot injury in the process. Whalen would have received strong consideration for the practice squad had he stayed healthy.

Undrafted out of Stanford, the 6'1/185 Whalen has now caught 12 balls for 125 yards and one touchdown this preseason. The Colts have question marks at the wide receiver position, but figure to look to waivers and/or free agency for upgrades. Whalen will receive consideration for a spot on the practice squad.

Playing over Darrius Heyward-Bey recently as a slot receiver in the Colts’ sub-package offense, Whalen hauled in a third-quarter touchdown pass from Andrew Luck to give Indy a 27-3 lead. The Stanford alum and Pep Hamilton favorite will fill a similar role in the playoffs for Indianapolis.

Whalen heads into the offseason having caught 22 passes over his final five games. He made the most of his second chance after being re-signed on December 14. Ideally, the Colts would find a more-talented receiver to man the slot in 2014, but Whalen has certainly earned a chance at the job. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound second-year pro has proven to be a surer pair of hands over the middle than fellow Stanford alum Coby Fleener. Whalen is worth a look in Dynasty leagues.

Signed off the practice squad on Saturday, Whalen caught four passes for 45 yards against the Texans, running ahead of Darrius Heyward-Bey as a pass catcher. DHB was largely called on to block. Whalen has likely secured a roster spot for the rest of the season, but remains miles from fantasy relevance.

Promoted off the practice squad on Saturday, Whalen ran as the Colts’ No. 3 receiver in the absence of LaVon Brazill. The performance likely earned Whalen a roster spot through the end of the season, but he’ll remain well off the fantasy radar for Week 16.

Whalen is needed as insurance just in case LaVon Brazill (foot) can’t play Sunday against the Texans. CB Jalil Brown was waived to make room.

Whalen reeled in seven of his team-high eight targets and did a ton of work after the catch. The other target was an end-zone shot. Since being promoted from the practice squad two week ago, Whalen has been running as the No. 3 receiver ahead of LaVon Brazill. The 23-year-old has some skills as a slot receiver. He’s worth monitoring in dynasty formats this offseason. Whalen should continue to have a prominent role on offense for the remainder of 2013.