Note: This is the third in a series of essays that look at which positions the Colts might draft, and whether they should or not.

Verdict: Despite fan sentiment, almost certainly

You’ll forgive Colts fans if wide receiver is a bit of a sore point when it comes to this draft. With so many great players out there in last year’s first round who could have helped the Colts at one of several different positions — we wanted Ronald Darby, but nobody listens to us — GM Ryan Grigson drafted a wideout.

While we are all familiar will the Bill Polian philosophy that if you have a star quarterback, you give him all the weapons you can, the offensive line was suspect at best, and the pass-rush and secondary had were just as concerning. Besides, there were a lot of questions about the guy they got in Phillip Dorsett. Was he big and tough enough for the NFL? Could he run routes other than the post? Are his hands up to snuff?

Actually, entering into the 2015 season, it looked like the Colts had a surfeit at wide receiver. There was star deep threat TY Hilton, free-agent signee and all-time great Andre Johnson, first-rounder Dorsett, promising second-year man Carlos Moncrief, reliable chain-mover Griff Whalen and CFL standout Duron Carter.

But only Hilton and Moncrief met or exceeded their minimum expectations. Johnson quickly showed he was over the hill and was cut after the season. Dorsett — as many Colts fans feared would happen — got hurt quickly and often and added very little to the offense or special teams. Whalen got out of the dog-and-pony show after the season and signed with Miami. Carter never made it to the 53-man roster.

The Colts later added Quan Bray, an undrafted free agent they liked in summer camp. While he played just three snaps on offense, he was a revelation on special teams and is the favorite to retain a return specialist roster spot in 2016.

If you want to know which positions a team will draft, it’s always a good idea to check what a team has on hand or are likely to add headed into the draft. Right now, the Colts have an outstanding No. 1 in Hilton and a promising No. 2 in Moncrief (who should have started over Johnson from Day 1 last season). But after that, it’s shaky. First-round pick or not, Dorsett has yet to prove he can stay healthy in the NFL or contribute on a consistent basis. Bray is a wide receiver in theory, but a returner in reality (keep in mind he never had more than 39 receptions a season even in college). We at Speed Blue are rooting for him, though, because he seems like a solid kid. And the Colts current receiving squad also boasts Joshua Stangby, a slight small-schooler who the Colts kept on the practice squad last season. He dominated in his short stay in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference after two years at a California junior college, but has a long way to go before he’s catching passes from Andrew Luck.

That means — of the five receivers currently under contract — the Colts have one sure thing in Hilton, a strong contender in Moncrief, a maybe in Dorsett and two hopefuls in Bray and Stangby.

And the need for pass-catchers has been increased by the loss of Coby Fleener and his 54 receptions last year. That loss looms especially large when you realize that Fleener operated out of the slot for almost 50 percent of his snaps last season, and stayed in to pass block for about one passing snap in every ten.

So, as loathe as Colts fans might be to hear it, the Colts need a slot receiver. You might think that’s where Dorsett steps in. And you might be right, but he hardly fits the mold of a quick, sure-handed slot guy. Last season, he ran 70 routes from the slot, catching 6 of the 15 passes thrown his way for 102 yards and a touchdown (for comparison, he caught 12 of 21 for 123 on the outside).

Or maybe it’s former basketball player Erik Swoope, who the Colts have been hanging onto for a couple of years. It’s hard to say based on the two offensive snaps he saw last season (neither of which came in the slot).

If the slot guy isn’t already on the roster, with the free agency cupboard bare and the Colts without any trading ammunition, that means the Colts will have to draft another pass catcher, much to dismay of their fans.

After last year’s debacle, a first rounder is probably out of the question, but a third or fourth isn’t if the prospect looks like he can contribute right away. Oregon’s Bralon Addison will fall in the draft because of his height and timed speed, but the kid is a player. He would thrive in Indy.