Shaquille Leonard Fantasy

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard (back) isn't putting a timetable on his return after he had surgery in June to fix two discs in his back that were causing pain all the way down his leg. The good news is that Leonard is feeling relief already, but he could miss most of training camp and the preseason. It remains to be seen if the 26-year-old will be ready for the start of the regular season, too, which will make him much more risky as a high-end fantasy linebacker in IDP leagues. Leonard is a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro with at least 121 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons. He had 122 tackles (75 solo), four tackles for loss, three QB hits, four interceptions, eight passes defensed, a league-high eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 16 games in 2021.

Jul. 26th • 12:13 PM

The Indianapolis Colts placed All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard (back) on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Sunday, according to the team. Leonard had back surgery on June 7, but at the time of his surgery the Colts expected him to be ready for the start of the regular season on Sept. 11 against the Houston Texans. The three-time Pro Bowler, who led the NFL with eight forced fumbles in 2021, signed a five-year, $99 million contract extension last August. Defensive end Tyquan Lewis, safety Rodney McLeod and wide receiver Michael Strachan were also placed on the PUP list Sunday. The 26-year-old Leonard is one of the best fantasy linebackers when he's healthy, but there's a very real chance he won't be ready to go by Week 1 this year.

Jul. 25th • 2:47 PM

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard (back) will start training camp on the physically unable to perform list. The veteran had back surgery in June, hoping to address the lingering leg pain he played through last season. Head coach Frank Reich isn't sure if Leonard will be ready for Week 1, although the team can activate him anytime before final roster cuts at the end of August. The 26-year-old was instrumental in helping Indy be a top-10 fantasy defense last season, finishing with 122 tackles (75 solo), eight forced fumbles, and four interceptions. The Colts will need him healthy if the club hopes to be as potent on the defensive end in 2022-23.

Jul. 24th • 12:16 PM