INDIANAPOLIS – Is he disrespected or just overlooked?

Is he underrated or simply unproven?

T.Y. Hilton says he doesn’t know the answer. He also says he doesn’t care, but that’s not an entirely believable statement. (We’ll explain shortly.)

All Hilton knows is he feels he hasn't gotten his due. Hilton sees it in his rating in the totally unscientific NFL Network Top 100 survey (No. 61, the 12th-ranked receiver on the list as voted by the league’s players). And he sees it in the fact that, nationally, he’s not universally viewed as a premier player.

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Vontae Davis and T.Y. Hilton start fighting almost immediately after finally putting on pads

The Indianapolis Colts’ NFL-leading receiver says he’s just not feeling the love.

“I don’t know, man,” Hilton said Tuesday, the third day of Colts training camp. “They still don’t see me as a top-five receiver, but I’m going to leave that where it’s at. At the end of the day, my stats speak for themselves. For me, I just want to get back to winning, get back in the playoffs. ”

Those stats do speak volumes.

Hilton led the NFL with 1,448 receiving yards in 2016, a career-best season and his fourth straight over 1,000 yards. Last season was also the best display of all-around play from Hilton, who became a more difficult cover on a wider array of passes as his route-running became further refined. His run after the catch – not just in terms of running away from defenders but also eluding them – was much improved, too.

Even so, Hilton tends to be left out of the conversation when the subject turns to the NFL’s elite receivers. Players like his childhood friend Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and Julio Jones tend to dominate that discussion.

Why? Again, Hilton doesn’t have answers.

“Maybe they don’t like me,” he said. “I don’t know.”

Here’s what we do know: Hilton says he’s unaffected by it all, but the truth is it doesn’t sit well with him. You can tell by reading between the lines. Take, for instance, the tweet Hilton posted just hours after reporting to training camp on Saturday.

It includes a rendering of Hilton, wearing his No. 13 jersey and a crown, sitting on a throne with the letters “WR” emblazoned at the top (king of wide receivers?). The post includes the text “Another Camp & Y’all still disrespecting me. (Don’t) worry keep doubting me.”

It was a not-so-subtle acknowledgement that Hilton is very much annoyed by the public perception of his game. He came close to adding some colorful context to the tweet when, on Tuesday, he said of the NFL Network rankings, “They had guys in front of me that ...” he started off before his voice trailed off, clearly choosing not to share what was really on his mind.

“At the end of the day, it is what it is. I can’t do nothing about it.”

None of this is to say that Hilton is obsessed with his reputation. This is not a topic he frequently addresses. It is in no way a preoccupation for him. Which is good, because if Hilton’s progression is going to continue – and he’s improved consistently over the past several seasons – then now is no time to let up.

“I don’t know what he did last year,” coach Chuck Pagano said, “but it has no relevance in this season. It has no relevance on today or tomorrow.”

To that end, Hilton has set an ambitious goal this season. He wants to reach double digits in touchdowns for the first time. Hilton has never had more than seven touchdowns in a season, as a rookie in 2012 and in 2014.

It’s time for Hilton to find the end zone more often, and he knows it.

“That’s my main thing,” he said. “If we do that, we should be back in the playoffs. ”

Hilton has never been a priority for the Colts in the red zone. Only 9.2 percent of Hilton's targets have come in the red zone, 19th among the top 20 in receiving yards since his rookie season.

That’s why Hilton’s goal-line touchdown against No. 1 cornerback Vontae Davis on Tuesday – which came one play after the two engaged in a shoving match – was more than a little notable. It was a crafty, hard-nosed sort of play, the kind of contested catch that can help Hilton shed the reputation with which he entered the league.

As far as some are concerned, that reputation still follows him.

“Just a speed guy,” Hilton nodded, noting the perception some still have. “If you look at my yards inside and outside, I’m pretty much dominating in both of them. You can’t really prepare for me one way, thinking I’m just going to play outside.”

Disrespected? Overlooked? Underrated? Unproven?

Doesn’t matter. The numbers speak for themselves. They might say different things to different people.

But, to Hilton, they say he’s one of the best in the game.

Follow IndyStar reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter and Facebook.