Coach Chuck Pagano notes that rookie RB Vick Ballard has been "ahead of the learning curve" in his first training camp. "He's doing a great job in the run game and the pass game. The protection stuff is coming around on first down," said Pagano. "He's a dynamic runner; he's got make-miss ability. He's strong. He gets extra yards ... So I'm really pleased with his progress to this point." Ballard's impressive camp has been one of the primary reasons Rotoworld has yet to buy into Donald Brown as a fantasy starter.

Colts rookie RB Vick Ballard rushed 10 times for 34 yards in the team's second preseason game Sunday night against Pittsburgh. Indianapolis' run blocking was putrid, but Ballard runs with good pad level and did well to keep falling forward. The fifth-round pick out of Mississippi State looks clearly to be ahead of Delone Carter on the Colts' depth chart. Look for Donald Brown, Ballard, and third-down back Mewelde Moore to open the season as Indianapolis' top three running backs, playing in a rotation.

NFL Network's Mike Lombardi stated repeatedly on Inside Training Camp Live Tuesday that rookie Vick Ballard will prove the Colts' best running back option this season. We'll wait for preseason action to make any bold predictions on Ballard, but Lombardi is certainly high on the fifth-round pick. Lombardi even says he'd draft Ballard onto his fantasy football team, if he played. "Prototypical NFL runner in terms of breaking tackles, yards after contact," Lombardi described. "He's a sleeper. I'm not a fantasy guy, but I would play him."

Colts RBs coach David Walker noted that fifth-round RB Vick Ballard is a "smart kid" who did a "nice job" in offseason practices. "He's done a really nice job of picking things up and impressing his teammates," added Walker. Beat writers also noted that Ballard showed promise in minicamps and believe he has a legitimate shot at pushing Donald Brown and Delone Carter for playing time as a rookie. He's a player to track in deep leagues over the next month.

Colts signed fifth-round RB Vick Ballard to a four-year contract. Ballard has some pop at 5-foot-10 and 219 pounds, but there's no wiggle to his game and he's not going to help in the passing attack. While NFL teams aren't smitten with Ballard's talent, opportunity can be more than half the battle in fantasy leagues, and there's plenty of it in Indianapolis' backfield. Ballard should battle Delone Carter for the team's primary power back role.