Indianapolis Colts News

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) is currently working his way back from the torn Achilles that ended his 2025 campaign in Week 14. While Jones has not yet been fully cleared, he still appears to be tracking towards being ready to go for Week 1 of the 2026 season. Jones was having arguably his best NFL season before the injury in 2025, completing 68% of his pass attempts for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions across 13 games. The 29-year-old also rushed for 164 yards and five scores on 45 attempts. Jones may be less aggressive as a rusher in his first year back from injury, which could limit his fantasy upside for 2026. Still, the veteran quarterback appears to have found a home in Indianapolis and was the QB12 in per-game fantasy scoring before getting hurt last season. For rebuilding dynasty managers, buying low on Jones ahead of 2026 could pay dividends.

The fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. once sat as high as QB5 in consensus dynasty rankings, looking like an unstoppable fantasy force through the first two and a half games of his career. A significant shoulder injury ended his rookie season after only 84 pass attempts, a sample size small enough to keep his significant flaws hidden behind his unmatched rushing upside. Since then, Richardson has completed less than half of his 266 attempts, repeatedly proven incapable of holding the starting job, and fallen to the bottom of the Colts' depth chart. With Daniel Jones recovering from the Achilles tear that ended his 2025 season and limited to 7-on-7 work during last month's minicamp practices, Richardson split starter reps with 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard, with neither able to separate in any meaningful way. Jones is expected to ramp up participation when the team reconvenes for training camp, potentially amounting to another missed opportunity for Richardson. Because of his rare physical abilities, Richardson remains capable of racking up fantasy points anytime he gets onto the field, but with his career trending in the wrong direction, that solace makes him little more than a frustrating dynasty hold.

As a rookie in 2025, Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens was frequently held out of games as a healthy scratch, and across his nine appearances, he carried the ball only 26 times, failing to reach 100 yards on the season. Any significant additions to the Colts' running back room in the 2026 offseason could have theoretically left last year's fifth-round pick fighting for a roster spot, but with Indianapolis allowing both Ameer Abdullah and Tyler Goodson to depart in free agency and spending only a seventh-round pick on Kentucky's Seth McGowan in the 2026 NFL Draft, Giddens is right back in line to serve as Jonathan Taylor's primary backup. With Taylor handling an astronomical 86.6% of the team's running back carries in 2025, it's unlikely that the backup role provides any significant work barring a major philosophical shift or injury, neither of which can be ruled out following Taylor's 369-touch campaign. In a worst-case scenario where the three-time Pro Bowler is forced to miss significant time, Giddens and McGowan would likely split work, giving both a potential avenue to see their value rise and making them both worthwhile end-of-bench stashes in deep dynasty leagues.

For the first time in his career, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2025 and was handsomely rewarded with a new four-year, $114 million contract minutes after officially reaching free agency. With the Colts trading away their leading target-earner from each of the past five seasons in Michael Pittman Jr., there is little doubt as to who their primary receiver will be in 2026, and with an opportunity to blend some of the league's most high-value targets with a significant volume increase, Pierce has legitimate week-winning potential. Targeted only 149 times over the past two seasons, Pierce has scored on 8.7% of those opportunities while registering a staggering 21.8 yards per reception. With his primary competition now coming from second-year tight end Tyler Warren and a slot receiver in Josh Downs who saw fewer than 30 total snaps in two receiver sets in 2025, Pierce could threaten to match his two-season target total in 2026 alone. After undergoing offseason ankle surgery, Pierce's ADP has fallen to WR38, routinely pushing him into the seventh round or later, but with expectations of a full recovery by the start of the season, fantasy managers would be hard-pressed to find more upside from that area of 2026 drafts.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor had a whopping 1,139 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns through the first 10 weeks of the 2025 season before quarterback Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. Indy's offense collapsed after Jones' injury, though, and defenses might not respect Jones as much if he's ready for the start of the 2026 season. With Taylor approaching the last year on his current deal, the Colts will need to decide if they want to give the 27-year-old a third big contract. ESPN's Ben Solak reminds us that Taylor's last contract negotiation with the Colts "got fairly icy." He's now three years older, and if the Colts' season goes south early in 2026 and they see a rebuild coming, a trade could be in the works. JT proved last year that he can still be one of the best RBs in the league despite having plenty of tread on his tires. Solak thinks the Bears and their ascending offense would make perfect sense for Taylor, with D'Andre Swift having not proven to be completely reliable as a go-to RB1.

Indianapolis Colts top wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) might not be ready for the start of training camp this summer after having surgery on his left ankle in late March, and the Colts traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. As Pierce continues to rehab, veteran free-agent wideout Keenan Allen could be in consideration for the Colts on the open market, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. The 34-year-old previously played for head coach Shane Steichen when Steichen was the Chargers' offensive coordinator, so there is a clear connection there. The major problem with adding Allen is that both he and Josh Downs are primarily both slot weapons. Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler, is approaching the end of his NFL career, but in his 13th season in 2025 in his return to the Chargers, he had a respectable 81 receptions for 777 yards and four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (three starts). If/when Allen lands with another NFL team, he'll be competing for a WR3 role most likely, which might give him fleeting deep-league value in PPR formats.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs was a popular breakout candidate heading into the 2025 season, and while his 58 receptions and 566 receiving yards were both career lows, it's easy to see why there's renewed hype heading into 2026. After leading the team in targets in each of the past five seasons, the departure of Michael Pittman Jr. via trade has created an opportunity for Downs to see the largest role of his career, and early reports out of minicamp would suggest he's ready to take advantage. After seeing minimal usage in two-receiver sets throughout his first three years in the league, Downs was regularly spotted working on the outside, indicating a role beyond the slot-only usage that has defined his career. It's worth noting that after signing a four-year, $114 million deal, presumed number one receiver Alec Pierce has been absent from practices, creating a heightened need for a second outside presence, and at only 5'9", it may still be unreasonable to expect an every-down role from Downs. That said, the depth chart behind the two homegrown talents is incredibly thin, with journeyman Nick Westbrook-Ikhine next in line for starter's reps. At only 24 years old, the best football of his career is likely still ahead of him, and with the burns of last year's WR48 finish potentially fresh in the minds of some dynasty managers, Downs can still be acquired at a reasonable cost.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has predominantly been used out of the slot through his first three seasons in the league, but following the departure of Michael Pittman Jr. via trade to the Steelers, the 5-foot-9 former third-round pick could be moved all over the formation. The Colts committed $84 million in guaranteed money to presumed number one receiver Alec Pierce following a career year in 2025, but behind him, the table is set for Downs to step into an expanded role. Downs was seen lined up on the outside throughout mandatory minicamp, routinely making plays regardless of which quarterback was running the offense, and head coach Shane Steichen told reporters, "I think Downs, his role will step up a little bit more - more targets for him." The 24-year-old Downs is RotoBaller's WR44 for 2026, and, set to reach free agency in 2027, he could be the next Colts receiver to see a massive payday.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren could have an even bigger role in his second year in the NFL, and he's been working on improving his explosion out of his breaks going into the 2026 season, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59. Warren continued to flash his skill set during offseason workouts after catching 76 of his 112 targets for 817 yards and four touchdowns in his first 17 games (12 starts) in 2025 after Indy took him with the 14th overall pick out of Penn State. "Certainly expect him to be a big part of the offense again, and he's making a jump on what was a really, really good rookie season," quarterback Daniel Jones said. Warren's 76 catches and 817 yards were both club records for a rookie TE, and his five total TDs (one rushing) were behind only Hall of Famer John Mackey's seven. He led the Colts in targets as well, and receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was second in targets in 2025, is now in Pittsburgh. Warren finished as the TE6 in half-PPR scoring last year, and with Jones returning to the Colts, RotoBaller has him ranked as a top-five fantasy TE going into his sophomore campaign. He averaged 10.8 yards per catch in 2025 and had 10 plays that went for at least 20 yards. Only receiver Alec Pierce (17) had more such plays for the Colts.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was one of just 11 RBs in 2025 to play every single game, which led to him carrying the ball 323 times, 12 more than any other player in the league, according to Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. The 27-year-old has 1,551 carries in his NFL career, which could suggest he might be reaching that point where many RBs' production begins to dip. "That's a fair assessment," head coach Shane Steichen said when asked if he's considered dialing back Taylor's workload at all. "It's hard to take him off the field when he's running so good, but getting Seth McGowan in the fold and DJ Giddens, and see how those guys come along in training camp, and we'll go from there," Steichen added. Since entering the NFL in 2020, Taylor's 1,551 carries rank third-most in the league. JT was a Pro Bowler for the third time in 2025, reaching 1,585 rushing yards and a league-high 18 rushing touchdowns on a league-high 323 carries, adding a career-high 46 catches for 378 yards and two more TDs in 17 starts to finish behind only Christian McCaffrey in fantasy scoring. The Colts will surely be mindful of Taylor's workload in his seventh NFL campaign in 2026, but with little experience behind him in the backfield, he should still see high-end volume, making him an easy top-five RB target in fantasy drafts.

When the Indianapolis Colts took running back Seth McGowan in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, they added to a room in serious need of depth behind three-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor. With Taylor playing in all 17 games and leading the NFL with 323 carries in 2025, there was little work to be split up behind him, and the next three backs on the roster combined for fewer than 50 attempts. Two of those backs, veterans Ameer Abdullah and Tyler Goodson, are no longer on the roster, leaving McGowan to battle it out with 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens for the team's primary backup role. In a disappointing rookie season, Giddens was held out of several games as a healthy scratch while averaging only 3.7 yards per carry. With quarterback Daniel Jones potentially facing a ramp-up period to begin the year as he recovers from the Achilles injury sustained in December, the Colts' running game becomes all the more important, and a balance will need to be struck in preserving Taylor after 2025 marked his first full season since his 2021 breakout. A big, physical back, McGowan will have his chance to make an impression when the pads come on for training camp in late July. Whoever ultimately wins the job between McGowan and Giddens will have little standalone value behind Taylor, but in a run-heavy offense behind a running back with a history of missing time, the role comes with some of the highest insurance upside in the league.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Riley Leonard started the final game of his 2025 rookie campaign, throwing for 270 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, and he is now battling for the primary backup role behind Daniel Jones, according to Colts Insider Joel A. Erickson. With Jones still recovering from his December Achilles tear and unable to participate in full team drills, Leonard split minicamp reps with 2023 fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson Sr., and their competition for the number two job is expected to carry into training camp. Indianapolis declined Richardson's fifth-year option, putting him on the final season of his rookie contract, so if Leonard can win the job outright, it could be his to hold for the foreseeable future. With the mobility to provide fantasy viability in any spot-start duties, and potentially available on waivers in many leagues, the 2025 sixth-round pick is worthy of back-of-roster consideration in deep dynasty leagues.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Ashton Dulin has "never had a bigger chance to start" going into the 2026 season after the Colts traded veteran wideout Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. Alec Pierce (ankle) and Josh Downs are set to slide into the Colts' top two receiver spots in 2026, leaving Dulin to compete with veterans Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Laquon Treadwell, as well as rookie seventh-rounder Deion Burks, for the third WR spot. Boyd suggests that Dulin could have the upper hand because he's entering his fourth year in head coach Shane Steichen's offense. The 29-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Malone College has already been impressing during offseason practices. In his six seasons in the NFL (all with the Colts, Dulin has just 40 receptions on 70 targets for 623 yards and four touchdowns in 82 games played (seven starts). The best thing going for Dulin is his versatility, as he's been a key special teams asset and has also played defensive back. Duliin will be a deep fantasy sleeper going into the 2026 campaign.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor put together a dominant year in 2025, recording 1,963 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns on 369 touches. The 27-year-old averaged 4.9 yards per carry while also setting career-highs in targets (55), receptions (46), and receiving yards (378). Entering 2026, Taylor once again projects as the focal point of a Colts offense that will get quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) back from the Achilles injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely. However, fantasy managers may have a reason to be concerned about Taylor's ability to hold up after shouldering such a large workload last season. After recording 372 touches in 2021, Taylor proceeded to miss 16 games over a three-season span between 2022 and 2024. He also has a history of recurring ankle injuries, which could easily pop back up in 2026. While Taylor is still a high-level fantasy running back, dynasty managers may want to explore selling high on him for a monstrous package ahead of 2026.

Indianapolis Colts kicker Spencer Shrader (knee) was able to get up some kicks as he works his way back into the mix. Shrader is currently recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 5 of last season. He knocked down 3-of-5 field goal attempts during a recent practice session. He'll be competing with Blake Grupe for the starting kicker job this upcoming season. Grupe connected on all five of his kicks, so Shrader could have a tough challenge ahead of him. Despite some struggles, it's quite amazing that Shrader is even attempting field goals around eight months after surgery.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles), who is just over six months removed from rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Dec. 7, has so far been limited to seven-on-seven drills during organized team activities this offseason, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. However, head coach Shane Steichen said the 29-year-old signal-caller is expected to resume taking part in 11-on-11 drills in training camp next month. "It's my back leg, my push leg," Jones said, explaining the importance of his right Achilles. "There's a strength component. I think there's still work to be done," Jones conceded. "I wouldn't say I'm all the way there at this point." The Colts aren't rushing Jones back, but barring a setback this summer, he looks to be on track to be ready for the Week 1 2026 regular-season opener on Sept. 13 against the Baltimore Ravens. Jones was playing great in 2025 in his first year in Indy before tearing his Achilles, completing 68% of his pass attempts for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. However, fantasy managers should temper expectations for Jones as a QB2 after the Colts traded away his top wideout this offseason in Michael Pittman Jr. Remember, the Colts' offense will continue to run through running back Jonathan Taylor.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. has been limited to 15 starts and fewer than 400 total dropbacks since being selected fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. With him now clearly behind Daniel Jones in the Colts' quarterback room, and Jones progressing well from the Achilles tear that ended his 2025 season, already throwing in 7-on-7 sessions, Richardson's next opportunity for starting work remains a mystery. With Indianapolis declining his fifth-year option, 2026 marks the final year of Richardson's rookie contract, but barring the unexpected, he will reach free agency with barely over a 50% career completion percentage and more interceptions than touchdowns. While he will still only be 25 at that point, it's unlikely he will find anything more than a short-term commitment and a chance to compete for a backup role. With a skill set custom-designed for fantasy football, he remains a dynasty hold at RotoBaller's QB35, as all he needs to do is find the field to score points, even if it does not translate directly to real-life NFL success.

Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens was a healthy inactive for almost half of his 2025 rookie season, and he failed to impress on the limited work he did receive, averaging only 3.7 yards on his 26 rush attempts. That said, the depth behind All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor is dangerously thin, and Giddens is reportedly in competition with 2026 seventh-round pick Seth McGowan for one of the most valuable handcuff roles in the league. While Taylor managed to play all 17 games in 2025, that marked the first time he'd done so since his breakout 2021 campaign, and as one of the last true bell cows in the league, whoever lands closer to him on the depth chart will be viewed favorably by the dynasty community. Giddens and McGowan share similar body types and skill sets, and it's entirely possible that the loser of their training camp battle will again become a healthy inactive on game days, but the most likely scenario in the event of Taylor's absence would be some sort of committee split. Should Taylor go down to injury, both players are likely to see an immediate value spike, so regardless of how their competition plays out, Giddens remains an end-of-bench stash in all but the shallowest of dynasty leagues.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) didn't participate in OTAs or minicamp practices while he recovers from surgery. Pierce underwent a clean-up procedure on his ankle that has been bothering him for years. Pierce hasn't been on the field yet, but believes he'll be ready to go at some point during training camp. The Colts are going to play it safe and make sure Pierce is 100 percent ready before getting him back into the mix. The expectation is that Pierce will have no lingering effects from this ankle problem that has plagued him since 2024. Despite not being fully healthy, Pierce still finished with over 1,000 receiving yards this past season. He signed a massive $114 million extension with the Colts and is expected to be a focal point in the offense moving forward.

When asked about wide receiver Alec Pierce's ankle surgery, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen allowed for the possibility of him not being ready for the start of training camp in late July, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN. The head coach said it could be "a couple weeks in." Pierce broke out in 2025 in his fourth year in the league with 47 receptions on 84 targets for a career-high 1,003 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games played. It was the second year in a row that he led the league in yards per reception at 21.3. The momentum he created last year has been stalled by offseason ankle surgery, though, and it sounds like he won't be ready for the start of camp this summer. It could be an issue for the Colts' WR room after they traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason. If Pierce's ankle injury limits him early on in 2026, the Colts would be asking Josh Downs, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ashton Dulin, and rookie Deion Burks to step up. Pierce's fantasy stock is on the rise as a big-play threat at the position, but he's becoming more of a risky boom/bust WR3/flex target as the 2026 season nears.