The Colts are led by Shane Steichen, who is a very underrated playcaller. He was the former offensive coordinator for the Eagles, and he has proven in a short time that he can do a very good job of getting his players schemed open. The Colts arguably have their best offense that they’ve had in quite some time since Andrew Luck departed, and it will be exciting to see what Steichen can do with this group of players.
It feels like every high-stakes player is in love with Richardson’s upside this season. As of right now, he has a fifth-round ADP, and if he can prove to stay healthy throughout training camp, I can see that moving up to the fourth round. In the few games that he played as a rookie, Richardson showed a very strong arm and a willingness to run and make big plays. It’s those rushing yards that give us the feeling that he could be a real difference-maker this season. I can’t fault anyone who wants to take Richardson as their QB1, as he could be a league-winning pick; however, watch his shoulder closely during training camp because the Colts will not risk him if he’s not at 100%. One of the other things that flies under the radar is that the Colts signed Joe Flacco this past offseason to be their backup. This means they will not rush Richardson on the field until he is fully healthy.
With Zach Moss now in Cincinnati, Taylor has practically no competition in the Colts backfield. We’ve seen Taylor be taken as high as number one overall in previous seasons, so it seems funny to think that he has become a second-round fantasy pick. Mobile quarterbacks create running lanes, and Taylor should see plenty of room to run. So long as he stays healthy, he feels like a lock for about 1800 all-purpose yards and a dozen touchdowns.
Pittman’s value plummeted last season as soon as Anthony Richardson got injured. But now that Richardson is expected to make a full recovery, Pittman should see his value be somewhere between the late second/early third round. He makes for an ideal WR2 in high-stakes formats. The presence of Adonai Mitchell might siphon away some targets from Pittman, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not a game-changing receiver who should have the A.J. Brown role in this offense.
Both Downs and Mitchell will have roles in the Colts passing attack. Downs was a Gardner Minshew favorite last season, as he just has this uncanny way of finding holes in the zone and taking advantage of them. It will be interesting to see whether Richardson appreciates Downs’s ability to get open in tight coverage. Mitchell is an absolute game changing wide receiver who many thought should have gone in the first round. He will be a much better counterpart for Pittman than Alec Pierce for sure. Mitchell reminds me of players like Rashid Shaheed, who is just an absolute demon in best ball while still being solid in seasonal leagues.
Don’t tell anybody about this, but if you’re looking for a super late tight end who has breakout potential keep your eyes on Woods. He didn’t play last year due to injury, but he’s got a ton of talent and he’s a complete mismatch due to his speed and size. He’s back healthy and looking good in camp. There’s a realistic chance that he starts the season TE1.
The Colts’ season hinges on Anthony Richardson’s health. If Richardson stays healthy and his shoulder is 100%, the Colts will most likely make the playoffs. However, if Richardson struggles at all, the Colts may be hovering around .500 unless Flacco can pull off some more late-season magic.
