Fantasy Faceoff: T.Y. Hilton vs. Kelvin Benjamin

Here's a look at whether fantasy football owners would be better off selecting Indianapolis Colts WR T.Y. Hilton or Carolina Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin in 2016 drafts:

2015 Stats

*Benjamin missed all of 2015 with an ACL tear.

The Case for T.Y. Hilton

Hilton is in a more pass-happy scheme compared to Benjamin. Colts OC Rob Chudzinski loves to stretch the field vertically (he turned former Browns QB Derek Anderson into a Pro Bowler) and Hilton is one of the best deep threats in the entire league. He still managed to average 16.3 yards per catch in 2015 even with Andrew Luck playing just seven games all season.

Despite being just 5-foot-10 and 183 pounds, Hilton has played at least 15 games in every season during his four-year career. In the past three seasons, he has been targeted at least 130 times. He is clearly Luck's favorite and most reliable target and should see more looks with the departures of Andre Johnson and Coby Fleener.

The addition of first-round pick Ryan Kelly at center should bolster the Colts' offensive line in hopes of keeping Luck healthy for all 16 games. If this is the case, Hilton could very well surpass his totals from 2014, where he caught 82 passes on 131 targets for 1,345 yards and seven touchdowns.

Best-Case Scenario: Indianapolis' defense underachieves once again, but the offensive line holds up. This would force Luck to throw the ball 40-50 times a game, and if this is the case, Hilton will see a good chunk of those targets. A good showing from Frank Gore and the running game would also give Hilton more one-on-one coverage downfield.

Worst-Case Scenario: Defenses strategize around shutting down Hilton, limiting his big plays. Even if he routinely receives double coverage he can still catch 70-80 passes, but it would limit his yardage totals and touchdowns.

The Case for Kelvin Benjamin

At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Benjamin is your prototypical big-bodied red zone monster. He picked up 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie in 2014 but missed the entire 2015 season with an ACL tear. He put up those kind of numbers before Cam Newton took a major step in his development.

Benjamin ranked as the WR16 in non-PPR leagues in his rookie year, and likely would have been a second-to-fourth round pick before going down last season. Barring any setbacks from his knee injury, there's a strong chance he exceeds his numbers from his rookie campaign.

Those concerned that TE Greg Olsen is looked upon as the No. 1 receiving option need to be aware that Benjamin received 22 more targets than the veteran tight end in 2014. Olsen is the security blanket, but Benjamin remains the big-play threat.

Best-Case Scenario: The Panthers' defense takes a step back with the loss of Josh Norman and Newton is forced to go to the air more. Picking up 1,200 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns is a realistic possibility here.

Worst-Case Scenario: Newton loses trust in Benjamin's shaky hands. His 10 dropped passes led the NFL during his rookie season. If this persists, it could be catastrophic for his fantasy value.

Verdict

Hilton has more seasons under his belt and less injury concern compared to Benjamin. He also plays in a pass-first offense and has great chemistry with his QB. He's definitely the safer pick of the two.

On the other hand, Benjamin's ability to high-point the ball can only be matched by a handful of players. There's concern about how often Newton just ran it in himself when the Panthers were near the goal line, but he won't have to risk his health with Benjamin out wide for a full season.

I'm giving Benjamin the edge here based on his exceptional ability in the red zone. He's a dark horse to lead the NFL in touchdown receptions.