Indianapolis Colts

The fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft played in only four games last season due to multiple injuries, including the AC joint sprain that ended his rookie year prematurely. Richardson still showed flashes of his impressive athletic upside when he was on the field though, and the 21-year-old has been pushing ahead in his rehab as fast as Indianapolis will let him. Richardson might even be cleared for the Colts' voluntary minicamp later this month, which would put him well ahead of schedule.

The second-year quarterback left the game after only 13 snaps, with veteran Joe Flacco taking over for the Colts under center and leading them to their first win of the season. While the fact that Richardson avoided a more serious injury is good news for the franchise, Flacco's success could give the coaching staff more comfort with the idea of sitting the younger QB out for a week to fully recover.

Rapoport's unnamed source said, "He's OK," in regard to the star running back's injury. Taylor didn't appear to be hampered by the issue in the Week 4 win, amassing 108 yards from scrimmage and scoring his fourth rushing touchdown of the season. Should Taylor be limited in Week 5 against the Jaguars or even sit out the game, Trey Sermon would likely get the start in the Colts backfield.

Taylor has handled the lion's share of carries in the Colts backfield, but Sermon would be next in line to lead the ground attack if Taylor misses any additional time due to his injury. Tyler Goodson could also see additional opportunities in Taylor's absence.

Flacco took over under center after Richardson's injury and threw two touchdown passes to help guide the Colts to a victory over the Steelers. The 39-year-old veteran showed he still has some gas left in the tank by tossing 13 touchdown passes in five regular-season starts for the Browns last season.

Taylor ran for 88 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries and added three receptions for 20 yards against the Steelers, but could not finish the game after hurting his ankle in the waning minutes. If he can't play this week at Jacksonville, Trey Sermon would be next man up in the Colts' backfield.

Richardson, who was forced out of Sunday's game late in the first quarter, remains uncertain to be under center for the Colts' Week 5 matchup at Jacksonville, as Indy could err on the side of caution with their young quarterback and go with Joe Flacco. The 39-year-old Flacco threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns without an interception after taking over Sunday. Richardson also dealt with injuries as a rookie in 2023, which limited him to just four games

Pittman was added to the Colts' injury report Friday as a DNP, though head coach Shane Steichen relayed that Pittman is expected to play Sunday. Still, Pittman could see less snaps while managing his injuries, which opens the door for Downs to see an increased snap count and target share in his 2024 debut. Downs was the second-leading receiver for the Colts in 2023, finishing with 68 catches on 98 targets for 771 yards and two touchdowns across 17 regular-season games.

Pittman did not practice Friday, and the big wide receiver could have a more limited role if not 100 percent. Pittman is also off to a slow start with just 52 yards on seven catches through two games.

Buckner was carted to the locker room during the Colts' Week 2 loss to the Packers after his lower right leg got caught underneath him. Buckner, who has back-to-back eight-sack seasons, has only missed one game since being acquired in 2020, being held out of a November game after going on the COVID-19 list.

Brents suffered a serious knee injury in Week 1 and will be placed on injured reserve. Some in the media have suggested that his season is formally over. However, the team is waiting to see how Brents bounces back after surgery before officially ruling him out.

Gay missed the season opener but is coming off a good rookie campaign in which he converted 33 field goals in 41 attempts and tied for third in the NFL with eight makes of 50-plus yards.

Head coach Shane Steichen said this past Sunday that Downs' status for Week 1 is unclear, per James Boyd of The Athletic, which should give Mitchell more looks in the passing game from quarterback Anthony Richardson. Mitchell was the Colts' second-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, and his ability to line up outside or in the slot should give him plenty of playing time out of the gate.

An eight-year veteran, Ebukam had a career year in 2023, his first season with the Colts. He recorded career highs with 57 total tackles, 9.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits.

Richardson had a rocky joint practice against the Bengals on Tuesday, completing 10 of 20 passes with a touchdown and an interception. Boyd reports Richardson frequently didn't seem to have anywhere to throw the ball and also was exposed to constant pressure, making Thursday's game a potentially good opportunity to build back confidence. "I think it'll be really good for Richardson," Steichen said. "Any time you can get out there in those game-like situations, it's good. Obviously, you want to be smart with these guys in the preseason because we've got a long season ahead of us, but we're excited to get those guys out there."

The Colts' offensive starters had a rough joint practice with the Bengals on Tuesday, and head coach Shane Steichen clearly seems to feel they still have some work to do to get ready for the regular season. Consequently, Taylor could see his fair share of carries before calling it a night and hopefully maintain the clean bill of health he's enjoyed thus far this summer.

Boyd has Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Will Mallory and Drew Ogletree as the four tight ends to make Indianapolis' final roster, with Woods on the outside looking in. Woods missed the entire 2023 season due to injuries to both hamstrings, but he entered training camp healthy and finished with one catch for 17 yards in the Colts' preseason opener against the Broncos. Woods has two more preseason contests to make a case for himself for the final 53-man roster.

Richardson therefore looks set to see his first game action since Week 5 of last season, when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Richardson will also have the benefit of playing with the first-team offensive line and will look to carry over the momentum he's built while impressing in OTAs and training camp.

With Michael Pittman now uncertain to play Sunday due to back and calf issues, Downs could slot right into a prominent role in his return. Alec Pierce has been the Colts' best receiver through two weeks with eight catches, 181 yards and two touchdowns.

Harrison played primarily as a linebacker in 2023, as 135 of his 234 defensive snaps came inside the box. However, the Colts are concerned about the inconsistency of Cross, leading them to look for other solutions. Holder also notes that the team could look to outside options if neither Cross nor Harrison can show consistency.

Latu has made his presence felt during team drills, often blowing by offensive linemen and ending plays before they can even begin. He has made life particularly difficult for second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, who noted after Friday's practice that Latu is a "great young player and he keeps me honest." Latu is currently listed as the backup defensive end behind Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo. However, Odeyingbo has been out with a calf injury since Tuesday, which opens the door for Latu to get more reps with the first-team defense during practice sessions and potentially preseason games.

Hull was limited to one regular-season game as a rookie last season due to a knee injury that included a torn MCL and meniscus, but the 2023 fifth-round draft pick out of Northwestern has rebounded nicely from the injury and has a chance to carve out a prominent role in 2024. He's competing with Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson for the top backup spot that was occupied by Zack Moss in 2023. Moss left in free agency to sign with the Bengals.

Paye is looking to continue his trend of growing production, and after improving his regular-season sack total by 2.5 in 2023 compared to the previous year, he needs to tack on another 1.5 sacks to reach double digits. If Paye can post 10.0 or more sacks in 2024, he would be in strong position to earn a lucrative multi-year extension with the Colts, who picked up the fifth-year option on Paye's rookie contract for 2025 in May.

Richardson went 52nd overall to fantasy editor Pierre Becquey, behind Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson, but ahead of Joe Burrow, C.J. Stroud and Dak Prescott. Despite playing in just four games as a rookie prior to season-ending shoulder surgery, Richardson's a popular fantasy sleeper due to his dual-threat skill set. The fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft had three passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns during his brief stint as the Colts' starting quarterback in Richardson's rookie season.

After a promising rookie campaign in 2022 that saw Woods accumulate 25 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns, he missed the entire 2023 season due to injuries to both hamstrings. Woods will have to compete with wide receivers Michael Pittman, Josh Downs and rookie Adonai Mitchell for targets from second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. However, Ciely points out that Woods' 6-foot-7 frame creates matchup nightmares for opposing defenses, and the tight end will be particularly lethal in the red zone and short-yardage situations.

Edholm concedes second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson would be an excellent candidate if he remains free of any long-term injuries, but the analyst fears that last year's shoulder injury could have effects that linger into the new season. Meanwhile, he banks on Taylor's good health, satisfaction with his contract and a strong finish to the 2023 season that saw him average 104.5 rushing yards per contest over the last four regular-season games as the main reasons for backing his candidacy.

Goodson appeared in six games for the Colts in 2023, but despite the team parting ways with top backup Zack Moss in the offseason, Goodson could find himself on the outside looking in for the Week 1 roster. Boyd expects Indianapolis to keep Trey Sermon and Evan Hull over Goodson as Jonathan Taylor's backups.

The Colts picked up Paye's fifth-year option in May, which will keep him with the team until 2025. The defensive end wants to stick with the team in the long term but isn't in a rush to sign a contract extension, as he's focused on having a strong 2024 season to increase the potential value of a new deal. He has improved each year of his career, highlighted by 8.5 sacks over 16 regular-season games in 2023.

The veteran tight end is heading into the final year of his current contract, and cutting him would clear $5.9 million in cap space for the Colts. Alie-Cox's blocking skills have made him a mainstay for Indianapolis, but he's never put things together as a receiver, and the team's depth chart is loaded with younger, cheaper options. As a result, Alie-Cox could be deemed expendable before the end of training camp.

Boyd has Gould and Ashton Dulin taking the last two wideout spots ahead of D.J. Montgomery, Ethan Fernea and Juwann Winfree. Gould was taken by the Colts in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft in large part due to his elite punt-return skills at Oregon State, earning All-American and All Pac-12 Honors in 2022 after leading the nation averaging 18.3 yards per punt return. Given the NFL's new kickoff rules, Gould could be utilized by the Colts as the primary kick and punt returner, which gives him an edge to make the 53-man roster following training camp.

Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson are also competing for the job, but Sermon has carried over a solid showing down the stretch in 2023 into the offseason. The 25-year-old is already on his third NFL team, but he was a third-round pick by the 49ers in 2021 and offers a more well-rounded skill set than Goodson or Hull.

Latu was regarded as a polished prospect when selected 15th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, and his first practices with the Colts have confirmed that. However, the team boasts one of the deepest and most talented defensive lines in the league, which will make it difficult for Latu to see a full-time role immediately. The UCLA product could still make his mark with explosive plays, particularly sacks and forced fumbles.

Both the second-year quarterback and head coach Shane Steichen said the move was simply precautionary following Richardson's season-ending shoulder surgery last year. The 2023 first-round pick was already being monitored closely by trainers during Wednesday's practice, and he missed some reps with the first team before ceding the final period of that day's session to veteran backup Joe Flacco.

Michael Pittman is the Colts' top wide receiver, and Josh Downs is likely to start as well coming off a 771-yard rookie season. Pierce recorded 593 receiving yards as a rookie in 2022 and 514 in his second NFL campaign last season. If Mitchell can build off his strong start at camp, Pierce is likely to be the odd man out in three-receiver sets.

Mitchell had some first-round buzz heading into the 2024 NFL Draft but ended up sliding to 52nd overall before being selected by the Colts. The talented rookie out of Texas excelled Tuesday in the first of Indianapolis' three minicamp practices. Michael Pittman has a pedestrian 15 touchdowns through four NFL seasons, so the 6-foot-2 Mitchell has a chance to become Richardson's favorite red-zone target out of the gate.

Richardson has had plenty of time to recover from the shoulder injury that he suffered Week 5 of his rookie season. He has been participating in OTAs, suggesting that Richardson has put the injury in the rear-view mirror. It's still encouraging to hear confirmation that he hasn't lost the arm strength, which along with his running ability, made Richardson such a tantalizing prospect and prompted the Colts to draft him fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Stroud-Richardson rivalry is expected to be one that takes center stage in the AFC South for many seasons to come, but it had a truncated start in 2023 due to Richardson's season-ending shoulder injury. However, Richardson is already back to throwing without restrictions, and barring any summer setbacks, will face off with Stroud for the second time in Week 1. Richardson completed six of 10 passes for 56 yards and added a pair of rushing touchdowns versus Houston in Week 2 last season before exiting the game with a concussion in the first half.

Despite putting up 68 receptions and 771 yards in his rookie season, Downs has been viewed as something of an afterthought in the Colts offense this offseason. Indianapolis signed Michael Pittman to a long-term extension and then selected Adonai Mitchell in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, though both will play outside while Downs finds the majority of his playing time in the slot. His ability to get open quickly and in the short areas of the field should help him maintain a significant role in the receiving corps even with increased competition.

The quarterback is well ahead of schedule in his recovery, and while Indianapolis is expected to be cautious with him this offseason, it seems as though Richardson will be able to take part in all team activities. The Colts added Joe Flacco as a free agent to provide a veteran insurance policy, but his ability to stay healthy could be all that stands between Richardson and a breakout 2024.

Mitchell was once believed to be a first-round prospect, but reports he'd interviewed poorly and had some character concerns helped lead to a slide into Day 2. Ballard did not mince words when expressing his opinion about some of what he'd read regarding Mitchell's character, using profane language when speaking to the media and criticizing the use of anonymous sources in the reports. Meanwhile, the source of Mitchell's consternation was primarily his drop in draft position, which resulted in him being the 11th wide receiver taken over the first two rounds.

Kelly has spent his entire career with the Colts since Indianapolis drafted him 18th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. He has made 111 starts overall while being named to the Pro Bowl in four of the past five seasons. Extension talks haven't yet begun between the team and the center, who will be 31 years old at the start of the 2024 campaign.

The fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft played in only four games last season due to multiple injuries, including the AC joint sprain that ended his rookie year prematurely. Richardson still showed flashes of his impressive athletic upside when he was on the field though, and the 21-year-old has been pushing ahead in his rehab as fast as Indianapolis will let him. Richardson might even be cleared for the Colts' voluntary minicamp later this month, which would put him well ahead of schedule.