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Hakeem Nicks Signs One-Year Deal With The Colts
As NFL.com suggested, the Indianapolis Colts now have another "potentially talented" wide receiver joining forces Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton. The Colts have signed former Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks to a one-year contract. The contract is worth $3.5 million "with upside for more," a source tells NFL Network's Albert Breer.

At this point, skeptical Fantasy football owners might stress that "previously productive" is a better description than "potentially talented."

All that said, it's hard to argue that Nicks doesn't provide the Colts and Andrew Luck with a player capable of giving them what last year's free-agent addition at the position, Darrius Heyward-Bey, failed to provide: A serious enough threat to make life easier for Wayne, Hilton, Luck and the rest of the passing attack.

Another positive? Nicks is just 26 and two seasons removed from being considered one of the top wideouts in the league.

After battling foot and knee injuries in 2012, though, Nicks' playmaking ability vanished in 15 games last season. Of all players with 100 targets in 2013, Nicks was the only one without a touchdown to show for the effort. And the truth is, trying to guess which Nicks the Colts will get is just that: Speculation.

But for fantasy owners like me, who like to take chances on "potentially talented" and "previously productive" players, it's hard to imagine opening the season in better position to succeed than Nicks. Owners able to land him as a third (or better yet fourth) wideout this coming season wouldn't be risking much.

As NFL.com summed up: "If [Nicks] manages to recapture his pre-injury form, this is a steal for the Colts. If his game-breaking cutting ability and run-after-catch skills never return, general manager Ryan Grigson is out less than $4 million and still has young players such as Da'Rick Rogers and LaVon Brazill as fallback options."

Worth noting, the Panthers, the team said to be most interested in securing Nicks' services on Thursday, either didn't make an offer at all (if you believe Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio) or made an offer that wasn't especially impressive (if you believe CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora), also had the greatest need at the position.

Remember: Of the six receivers currently under contract in Carolina, only two have caught a regular season pass in the NFL. In fact, Kealoha Pilares and Toney Clemons have a combined five catches with one touchdown (for Pilares in 2012).

Given the dearth of experience and talent on the Panthers' roster -- and given that Carolina G.M. Dave Gettleman has first-hand knowledge of Nicks from their time together in New York (Gettleman worked in the Giants' front office before taking over the Panthers), the fact that Carolina didn't make a stronger push for Nicks is worth noting.