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.
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.
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: 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.
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.
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.
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’ overall numbers were strikingly similar. Pittman is a good receiver, particularly in contested catch situations. Having Shane Steichen and Jim Bob Cooter returning doesn’t help, but Pittman looks like a quality WR4.
ADVICE: Pierce is a great late-round Best Ball guy. He had five weekly WR1/2 performances interspersed with seven games outside the top 64. With Indy’s unsettled quarterback situation, Pierce is a volatile depth target that will have his share of blow-up spots.
TE Warren, Tyler, IND [TE1] Sleeper
Tyler Warren, the Indianapolis Colts’ No. 14 overall pick, enters the 2025 NFL season as a high-upside TE2 with TE1 potential in dynasty formats. In 2024 at Penn State, he recorded 104 receptions, 1,233 yards, and 8 touchdowns, plus 26 carries for 218 yards and 4 scores, earning the John Mackey Award. His 2.9 yards per route run, 30 broken tackles, and 61.9% contested catch rate highlight his playmaking ability. Despite a crowded Colts’ receiving corps, Warren’s 6-6, 257-pound frame and versatility make him a matchup nightmare, though quarterback play could temper immediate production.
PK Shrader, Spencer, IND [PK1]
Shrader converted all nine of his kicks for the Colts last season, who put up a surprisingly high amount of kicking points. However, with big-time quarterback concerns, we wouldn’t bet on a repeat. Shrader is also a bit of an unknown option, so there is no reason to draft him. Just leave Shraader on the waiver wire and readdress your PK spot on a week-to-week basis.
Between the 2025 NFL Draft and free agency, the Colts added some depth to a defense that was middle-of-the-pack last season. In 2024, Indy forced 25 turnovers and 36 sacks. The schedule looks favorable, but there isn’t much upside here. The average fantasy fan can’t name a single Colts’ defender, which is a good indicator that they won’t be drafted.
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