2025 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Preview

2025 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Preview The Colts are at a crossroads, with a regime firmly on the hot seat and mired in quarterback purgatory, despite investing the No. 4 overall pick on Anthony Richardson two years ago. Richardson has been a disaster as a passer and can’t stay healthy. He completed a horrendous 47.7 percent of his passes in his sophomore season, with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Shane Steichen was forced to play musical chairs at QB with Joe Flacco before returning to Richardson in a lost season. Now, Steichen added Daniel Jones as insurance. Jones fizzled out in New York and has also been hampered by developmental issues. Indianapolis has plenty of skill-position talent, but poor play-calling and QB play are the biggest obstacles preventing this group from achieving success. The offensive line and RB Jonathan Taylor have been bright spots in an otherwise underwhelming Indy offense. The front five accumulated the No. 4 run-blocking grade per PFF, but lost C Ryan Kelly and LG Will Fries to the Vikings. Despite missing three games, Taylor had his finest campaign since 2021, ranking seventh at running back with 17.6 fantasy points per game. The Colts added Khalil Herber and rookie D.J. Giddens, but Taylor’s three-down role is secure, making him an excellent RB1 to target in the second round of fantasy drafts. Indianapolis ranked 25th with 197.7 passing yards per game and last in completion rate (56.3 percent). However, Josh Downs and Michael Pittman posted similar top-40 wide receiver numbers. Downs shined in his second season, snagging 72 of 107 targets. Pittman’s numbers (69/808/3) fell off dramatically, but both wideouts remain solid mid-round depth targets whose volume gives them weekly starter upside. WR Alec Pierce had the best showing of his career but remains an erratic fantasy option as the club’s main deep threat. Pierce had five games with 16-plus fantasy points and six with fewer than five points. A.D. Mitchell topped 50 yards once in a forgettable rookie campaign. Nabbed 14th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tyler Warren will stabilize an unproductive rotation of middling tight ends. Warren was considered the top tight end in the draft and was expected to warrant top-10 attention. He’s a phenomenal downfield threat and another weapon at Richardson’s disposal. It’s time for Richardson and the Colts’ brass to put up or shut up. Fantasy Grade: C QB Richardson, Anthony, IND [QB1] Anthony Richardson was a highly coveted breakout pick last summer, but his sophomore campaign brought more highs than lows. While Richardson is an extraordinary rusher who delivered three 20-plus point games, his erratic accuracy (47.7 percent) resulted in a benching and overall QB25 season. Time is running out for GM Chris Ballard, head coach Shane Steichen, and Richardson, who faces competition for his job from Daniel Jones. We anticipate Richardson opening the season as Indy’s starter, but he must make significant and immediate improvement as a passer to retain that job and deliver on his immense fantasy upside. ADVICE: Elite runner with top-10 upside, but an equally precipitous floor. QB Jones, Daniel, IND [QB2] After a tumultuous 2024 season, in which he threw for 2,070 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions over 10 games before being released by the Giants, Daniel Jones signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Currently positioned as the backup to Anthony Richardson, Jones’s fantasy relevance hinges on Richardson’s performance. Should Richardson struggle, Jones could step in, offering a dual-threat capability reminiscent of his 2022 season, where he amassed 708 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. While his 2024 QBR of 47.8 ranked 26th, a change in scenery might rekindle his fantasy potential. ADVICE: Could see some starts but is only relevant in deep Superflex leagues. RB Taylor, Jonathan, IND [RB1] Jonathan Taylor led all running backs with a massive 88.4 percent opportunity share and ranked 2nd in snap rate (80.5 percent). All that usage resulted in 1,431 rushing yards (4th), 12 touchdowns (8th), and 17.6 fantasy points per contest (RB7). However, Taylor missed multiple games with injury. That has now happened in four of his five NFL seasons. And, his usage in the passing game eroded. D.J. Giddens will further limit Taylor’s involvement in the passing game, as will the Colts’ worrisome quarterback situation. Taylor remains one of the best breakaway runners in the league, but he’s a notch below the three-down bellcow backs. ADVICE: RB1 that lacks the receiving chops to post top-5 numbers. RB Giddens, DJ, IND [RB2] ADVICE: Giddens posted back-to-back 1,500-plus yard seasons at Kansas State. He has elite metrics and excels as a receiver. Giddens has a clear path to be Jonathan Taylor’s backup and is one of the top handcuffs to target late. RB Herbert, Khalil, IND [RB3] Middling option on the track to be a journeyman. We expect Herbert to open camp as Indy’s No. 2 back, but he could eventually cede that role to D.J. Giddens. WR Downs, Josh, IND [WR1] Josh Downs overcame poor quarterback play to rank 32nd in fantasy points per game (13.1). The Colts ranked last in adjusted completion rate (67 percent) and 27th with 211.7 passing yards per game. Downs was targeted at a higher rate than Michael Pittman and was the more productive player. Downs was PFF’s No. 12-grade wideout, running 84.5 percent of his snaps in the slot. Indianapolis is bringing back the key players from last year and has added uninspiring Daniel Jones to the mix. Downs’s role is secure, making him a quality team WR1 that can be drafted in WR3 territory. ADVICE: Strong middle-round value target with WR2 upside. WR Pittman, Michael, IND [WR2] Pittman’s play dropped off after posting his best numbers in 2023. Even though he ranked 24th with 111 targets, Pittman’s weekly fantasy average declined by 24 percent. Like his running mate, Josh Downs, poor QB play was the catalyst. There wasn’t a significant dip in metrics or usage, and Pittman only missed one game. Downs’s ascension factors in, but the two teammates’
High-Stakes Draft Sees Anthony Richardson Go QB1

High-Stakes Draft Sees Anthony Richardson Go QB1 In Latest Circa Championship Draft In the latest Circa Las Vegas Fantasy Championship draft on Saturday night, managers witnessed the first real shock of the 2024 fantasy football season. Indianapolis Colts dual-threat quarterback Anthony Richardson was drafted as the overall QB1. The second-year signal-caller shockingly came off the board at 5.8 a near full round ahead of Josh Allen (6.6) as well as two rounds ahead of Patrick Mahomes (7.2), C.J. Stroud (7.6) and Jalen Hurts (7.9). Betting Movement Series: Big Expectations For Rookie RB | Elite RB Vegas is Fading | RB Ascending Up Early Draft Boards | WR Who May Struggle To Fulfill ADP value Is a player who has only played in four career NFL games worthy of being drafted first among all quarterbacks in re-draft leagues in 2024? Let’s dive in. Play Dynasty? Take a shot and become Dynasty King! $299 Entry, $2,875 in lg prizes + $10K Grand Prize w a $2K Dynasty King Bonus! Richardson Goes QB1 Obviously, fantasy managers are high on Richardson after seeing him throw for three touchdowns while also rushing for four touchdowns prior to suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5 against the Titans. The talented quarterback has seen his stock rise this summer owning an ADP of 74.2 / QB4. Last month, Richardson was the overall QB6 but has since moved ahead of both C.J. Stroud and Joe Burrow. However, this past weekend the hype reached a fever pitch when the former Flordia Gator stand-out came off the board ahead of arguably the best players at the position. Richardson has fantasy managers all-in as their QB1 due to his recent comments that he will not shy away from running the ball despite being injured last season on a rushing attempt. “My legs have always been one of my superpowers,” said Richardson recently. “So, trying to take that away from me, I don’t think that’s a good thing for this offense. It’s just more so me playing a little bit smarter and learning how to take care of myself and my teammates. Knowing when to make the right play and knowing when to try to get the extra few yards. Don’t take my legs away, but just be more smart.” #Colts QB Anthony Richardson on HC Shane Steichen trusting him to make the right reads as a runner: “My legs always been one of my superpowers. So, trying to take that away from me, I don’t think that’s a good thing for this offense.” Adds that Jonathan Taylor will help, too. pic.twitter.com/Hs3n85n0pA — James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) July 25, 2024 WHAT ARE THE ODDSMAKERS SAYING? Despite only a small size, oddsmakers are bullish on Richardson in betting markets listing him with a passing yards betting projection of 3200.5 at DraftKings. The biggest move involving Richardson involves his passing touchdown number which opened at 15.5 but has since steamed to 18.5. His rushing yards betting demand has risen from 500.5 to 550.5 while his rushing touchdown number has held steady at 7.5 “Despite intriguing rushing talent, I am not willing to draft Richardson ahead of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts.” – Frankie Taddeo In comparison, Josh Allen has betting projections of 3750.5 passing yards, 27.5 passing touchdowns, 480.5 rushing yards, and 9.5 rushing touchdowns. Despite only having a betting rushing yards projection of 329.5, Patrick Mahomes owns the highest passing yards demand of 4350.5 as well as the highest passing touchdowns number at 34.5. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts owns a passing yards number of 3600.5, 22.5 passing touchdowns, 550.5 rushing yards, and 9.5 rushing touchdowns projection. Purely from a statistical betting perspective, it is very hard to defend drafting Richardson ahead of any of the top three options. Anthony Richardson has two rushing TDs less than six minutes into the game! 📺: #INDvsHOU on FOX⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/QfJYDVcoD2 — NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2023 There may be no bigger boom or bust pick at the quarterback position in 2024 than Richardson. His current ADP at the FFWC of QB4, behind only Allen, Hurts and Mahomes seems a bit high to me. While being in the same tier as Jackson, Stroud, Burrow, Love, and Prescott I will certainly own shares of A-Rich, but I will not be investing premium round draft capital nor will I ever draft him ahead of Allen, Hurts, or Mahomes. Get on the Road to the World Championships for just $50 by visiting the FFWC Draft Lobby today! Here’s how it works: Entering and winning a $50 Starter League will earn you a seat at the 2025 Las Vegas Fantasy Championships ($349 entry). Winning that league will win you a seat at the 2026 World Championships. –OR– Skip the line and directly enter the 2024 World Championships ($1,925 entry) today by securing your spot with a $200 deposit! GET THE LATEST FANTASY TIPS AND CONTEST UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter to win Weekly Prizes + Breaking Fantasy news & updates!
2024 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Preview

2024 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Preview There was a lot of adversity in Indianapolis in 2023. Still, the Colts were a dropped pass away from winning the AFC South. Despite missing his prized rookie signal-caller for most of the campaign, in
NFL Week 1 Jaguars at Colts: DFS & Fantasy Preview

NFL Week 1 Jaguars at Colts: DFS & Fantasy Preview Betting Line: Jaguars – 4.5 Over/Under: 45.5 The Jaguars have an ascending offense led by Trevor Lawrence. He had growth in all areas in his sophomore season, but he lacked big plays (only three completions of 40 yards or more). Calvin Ridley looks locked and loaded to have a big year after sitting on the sideline since the fifth week of 2021. Last year, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Evan Engram had career seasons in their first year with the Jaguars. Travis Etienne looks poised to push higher up the running back rankings, even with Tank Bigsby commanding some touches in his rookie campaign. Indianapolis had a black cloud hanging over their preseason due to Jonathan Taylor wanting to be traded. After placing him on the injured reserve for four games, the Colts lack identity at running back. Anthony Richardson will get plenty of carries in his first NFL start, but can he throw the ball well enough early in his career to deliver wins for Indy? The combination of Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs has an upside feel. The question is whether or not Richardson will attempt more than 30 passes in many games to support his top receivers in the fantasy market. Note: The fantasy points per $1,000 are based on the early projections for Week 1. The above grid shows the top players excepted to contribute in Week 1 in the fantasy games. I listed each player’s salary at DraftKings and FanDuel, plus their fantasy points expected per $1,000 of salary invested. In GPP (grand prize pools) events, the goal is to find players with a chance to score four times their salary at DraftKings ($50,000 salary cap and three times at FanDuel ($60,000 salary cap). Jacksonville Jaguars Trevor Lawrence Lawrence finished seventh in quarterback scoring (20.83 FPPG) in 2022 while delivering two impact games (37.10 and 32.00) in fantasy points. In two starts vs. the Colts, he gained 432 combined yards with five scores. The addition of Calvin Ridley gives a higher chance of delivering passing touchdowns and adding length to his yards per pass attempt (7.0 in 2022 and 6.0 in 2021). Lawrence adds value to his stat line by running the ball (73/334/2 and 62/291/5). Indy allowed 25 passing touchdowns last year with 10 interceptions and 44 sacks. I don’t see this game turning into a shootout due to the Colts’ lack of an explosive passing quarterback. Lawrence has the tools to shine, and he may hit on a 50+ yard touchdown in this matchup. His salary requires at least 25.00 fantasy points to be viable. I expect Lawrence to finish close to this number in Week 1. Travis Etienne The Jaguars ran the ball 32.3 times a game in the preseason, leading to 420 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Etienne rushed for more than 100 yards in six games last year (including in the playoffs). He scored over 20.00 fantasy points in only three games (25.20, 26.60, and 23.00). Jacksonville gave him 20+ touches in five matchups. He finished 17th in running back scoring (208.10) despite a slow start over his first four games (34/144 and 8/81), while James Robinson (51/230/3 with 6/33/1) played well over the first three weeks. The Jaguars will rotate in a second back, leading to Etienne seeing about 60% of the team’s snaps. To reach a winning score in more weeks, Etienne must score more often and be more active in the passing game. Not ideal for Week 1, but he has the wheels to hit on a long TD, keeping in the explosive mix. Tank Bigsby Over his last 25 games at Auburn, Bigsby rushes for 2,069 yards and 20 touches on 402 carries while chipping in the passing game (51/364 on 76 targets). He ranked third in the preseason in rushing yards (159) on 28 carries. Bigsby didn’t score while losing one ball at the goal line. I get the buzz in the preseason, but Etienne is the dynamic back in this offense. He is overpriced in Week 1 for his expected opportunity. Calvin Ridley Over the summer, Ridley flashed speed and quickness in training camp while offering elite route running. He continues to shoot up draft boards, and I support his movement. When at his best in 2020 (90/1,374/9 on 143 targets), Ridley was the fifth highest scoring wideout (283.90). He gained more than 100 yards in eight games (9/130/2, 7/109/2, 5/110, 8/136, 5/108, 8/124/1, 10/163/1, and 5/130). The Jaguars’ wide receiver had 238 catches for 2,670 yards and 19 touchdowns on 369 targets last year. The addition of Ridley will undoubtedly push them higher in all categories in 2023. Based on his salary at DraftKings and FanDuel, Ridley should glow like a beacon in the night. Ridley needs a 7/100/1 game to place him in the money in the DFS market. His one negative is the Jaguars may not need to throw the ball much in the second half. Read more about the FullTime Fantasy’s staff feelings about Calvin Ridley in 2023 here. Christian Kirk Kirk set career highs in catches (84), receiving yards (1,108), touchdowns (8), and targets (133) in his first year with the Jaguars. Unfortunately, Ridley is now the true WR1 for Jacksonville. On the positive side, Kirk will see weaker coverage. He gained over 100 yards in three games (6/117, 9/105/2, and 6/104/1) in 2022 with three other 20+ fantasy weeks (6/78/2, 8/76/1, and 6/99/1) in PPR formats. Kirk only had 11 targets in his two games (6/78/2 and 4/24/1) vs. the Colts. With Ridley expected to be popular in the DFS market in Week 1, Kirk could be the against-the-grain play. His salary requires about 22.00 fantasy points to be an option. Zay Jones Jones outperformed expectations in 2022 (82/823/5 on 121 targets) while working close to the line of scrimmage (10.0 yards per catch). He posted two impact games (11/145 and 6/109/3) plus three competitive
2023 Indianapolis Colts Outlook

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2022 FullTime Fantasy Staff Predictions

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