Indianapolis Colts News

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.

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan was a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after an up-and-down collegiate career that saw him make stops at four different schools, but if he can beat out 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens for the team's primary backup role behind Jonathan Taylor, he could soon be viewed as one of fantasy's most valuable insurance backs. While Giddens has the better draft capital and a more complete collegiate profile, he dealt with minor injuries as a rookie and was held out of several contests as a healthy scratch, only averaging 3.7 yards per carry on his limited opportunities. Like Giddens, McGowan is a big-bodied back and capable pass-catcher, meaning whoever earns the job could render the other a non-factor on gamedays. With pads yet to be donned, any competition between the two is purely speculative at this point, but their battle bears monitoring when training camps open in summer, and at RotoBaller's rookie RB11, McGowan is worthy of a bottom-of-the-roster spot in deep dynasty leagues, at least until depth charts are sorted.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren could be the biggest beneficiary of his team's offseason trade of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers, per Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. The 15th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Warren recorded 76 catches for 817 yards and four touchdowns on 112 targets across 17 games (12 starts) as a rookie. The 24-year-old actually led Indianapolis in targets in 2025, finishing with one more than Pittman Jr. (111). Still, the departure of Pittman Jr. leaves Warren as the clear number one option in the Colts passing game, with wide receivers Alec Pierce and Josh Downs set for supporting roles. Warren's production tailed off down the stretch last season after Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) suffered a season-ending torn Achilles. With Jones expected to be ready for the start of 2026, Warren could be ready to emerge as one of the truly elite tight ends in fantasy football in his second NFL campaign.

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan is "right in the thick" of his team's RB2 battle after a productive showing at OTAs, per Andrew Moore of Sports Illustrated. A seventh-round pick out of the University of Kentucky, McGowan recorded 851 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns on 184 touches across 12 games in his final collegiate season. Superstar running back Jonathan Taylor is locked in atop the Colts depth chart at the position and should dominate backfield touches when healthy in 2026. However, the team is currently without an obvious favorite to win the backup role behind Taylor. McGowan's primary competition currently appears to be 2025 fifth-rounder DJ Giddens, who recorded just 26 carries for 96 yards across nine games as a rookie. If McGowan can establish himself as the RB2 in Indianapolis, he would immediately carry handcuff appeal for fantasy managers looking for an insurance policy on Taylor.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Ashton Dulin has seen the majority of the snaps as his team's starting outside wideout opposite WR1 Alec Pierce, per Andrew Moore of Sports Illustrated. Moore writes that Pierce and slot receiver Josh Downs are "locked in" as the Colts' top two wide receivers, but it appears that Dulin has the inside track to be the team's WR3. Dulin has played a limited role in Indianapolis over the past two seasons, recording seven catches for 173 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets across seven games. However, the Colts offseason trade of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers has opened an opportunity for Dulin. With a career average of 15.6 yards per reception, Dulin profiles as a downfield target who could offer some boom/bust value for fantasy managers in 2026.

The 14th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren hit the ground running and immediately emerged as a key piece of his team's offense as a rookie. Across 17 games, the 24-year-old recorded 76 catches for 817 yards and four touchdowns on 112 targets and added a touchdown as a rusher for good measure. Warren's production faded a bit down the stretch of the season, but Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) missed the team's final four games of the year after tearing his Achilles in Week 14. Jones should be ready for 2026, and Warren could be the team's clear number one target in the passing game following Indy's offseason trade of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Between his prospect pedigree, rookie season production, and clear opportunity with the Colts, Warren profiles as an elite dynasty tight end with number one overall tight end upside.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was cleared to participate in 7-on-7 drills on Monday as he continues to work his way back from the torn right Achilles that ended his 2025 season in December. Jones has been throwing throughout organized team activities, but progressing to 7-on-7 work is a significant milestone in his recovery and puts him one step closer to participating in full-team drills. Prior to the Week 14 injury, Jones was the fantasy QB7 in his first season with the Colts. With the team's leading target-earner from each of the past five seasons, Michael Pittman Jr., traded to Pittsburgh this offseason, big things are expected of wide receivers Alec Pierce and Josh Downs and tight end Tyler Warren, though that obviously hinges on the health and availability of Jones. Behind him on the depth chart are Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard, but head coach Shane Steichen has suggested that Jones could take part in full-team workouts by the start of training camp with a goal of having him ready for Week 1.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has been trending up in dynasty leagues. The 24-year-old receiver's dynasty stock has benefitted from the Colts' decision to trade Michael Pittman Jr., which should leave Downs in line to start alongside Alec Pierce. While Pierce projects as the Colts' top receiver after his big payday, Downs has the potential to carve out a fantasy-relevant role. This offense is good enough to support two fantasy-relevant receivers for several years to come, especially as long as Daniel Jones is under center. Downs has ranked between WR35 and WR44 in each of his three NFL seasons, but we wouldn't be surprised to see him take a big step forward and post the best fantasy finish of his career in 2026. Downs set a new career low in catches, yards, and fantasy points last year, softening his price tag in dynasty leagues. Managers should take advantage of this discount and send out trade offers for the UNC product before his potential Year 4 breakout.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) posted the most productive season of his career in 2025, recording 47 catches for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns on 84 targets across 15 games. The Colts rewarded him in the offseason, handing him a four-year, $114 million contract. The new money comes with new responsibility as well, as Pierce could shift into Indy's WR1 role following the team's offseason trade of wideout Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pierce showed signs of becoming a more well-rounded wide receiver in 2025, but he's still never averaged more than 5.6 targets per game in a season and is heavily reliant on downfield production. Pierce is also recovering from offseason ankle surgery, which isn't expected to impact his availability to open 2026 but could be a limiting factor on his performance. If the Colts' passing game as a whole takes a step back in quarterback Daniel Jones' (Achilles) first year back from a torn Achilles, Pierce's production may not take the leap many are expecting. In dynasty formats, managers may want to look to capitalize on the growing hype around Pierce with a sell-high trade.