2026 Team Outlook: Indianapolis Colts

QB Riley Leonard, IND - Not Draft Worthy

Leonard spent three underwhelming seasons at Duke (382-for-619, 4,450 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions) before transferring to Notre Dame, where the Fighting Irish handed him full control of the offense in 2024. He responded with career highs in completions (269), attempts (403), and completion rate (66.7%), but showed some weakness in his yards per pass attempt (7.3). Notre Dame went 14-2, with their only loss coming in the National Championship game. His legs were his most dangerous weapon. Leonard rushed 184 times for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns, building on similarly strong rushing numbers in 2022 (124 carries, 699 yards, and 13 scores). He topped 100 rushing yards twice, scored two or more rushing touchdowns in four games, and received double-digit rushing attempts in 13 of his starts. He did undergo ankle surgery both before and after the season, which bears monitoring. As a passer, Leonard profiles as a first-read quarterback with limited value as a traditional play-caller. At 6'4" and 215 pounds, he looks the part physically, but his experience managing a high-volume passing attack is minimal despite last year's improvement. He operated behind a strong offensive line, which allowed 20 sacks, and benefited significantly from play-action plays, with defenses regularly committing

to stop the run. His instinct to take off and run was evident early in plays, often triggering before he had fully worked through his progressions. At this stage, Leonard is a developmental project at the NFL level. He'll need meaningful reps and considerable growth in reading defenses and working through his full progression before earning serious consideration as a starter. Injuries to Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson gave Leonard value experience in his rookie year, but he only made one start (Week 18 vs. the Texans – 291 combined yards with three touchdowns, an interception, and a lost fumble). His success may have left the Colts wondering why they gave away three development games to Philip Rivers (0-3 with 181 passing yards per game, four touchdowns, and three interceptions). Fantasy Outlook: Leonard has three years left on his minimum contract ($4.4 million), putting him in a better position to win the Colts’ backup quarterback job. His completion rate (58.2%) and yards per pass attempt (6.2) weren’t assets in his rookie season, so there is work to be done.

4. RB Jonathan Taylor, IND - Stud (low risk)

Taylor announced his presence in 2022 with a dominant Week 1 (175 combined yards, a touchdown, and four catches on 35 touches) before a toe issue in late September gave way to an ankle injury requiring surgery. He missed six games and was largely a non-factor in the contests surrounding his absence, with one bright spot in Week 10 (22 carries, 147 yards, a touchdown, and two catches for 16 yards). In his 10 full starts, Indianapolis gave him 21.9 touches per game. His ankle surgery lingered into 2023, costing Taylor the first four games. The Colts eased him back over the following two weeks (99 combined yards and six catches on 20 touches), before he found his rhythm over his next five starts (377 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and 10 catches for 75 yards and a score, averaging 16.04 PPR fantasy points per game). A broken left thumb then cost him three more games. Taylor closed the season on a strong note, rushing 69 times for 327 yards and three touchdowns over his final three contests, but his passing game involvement was minimal (three catches for 16 yards). Taylor carried his 2023 late-season momentum into 2024, though injuries remained a constant companion. He missed three games with an ankle issue but opened the season with four productive starts (72 carries, 349 yards, four touchdowns, and six catches for 77 yards). After returning from injury, Indianapolis kept him at just over 20 touches per game, but his effectiveness dipped, averaging only 11.60 PPR fantasy points during that stretch. He closed the year on a tear, topping 100 rushing yards in each of his final four games with a combined 580 yards

and six touchdowns on 117 carries, with repeated weakness with his receiving chances (four catches for 18 yards on eight targets). Last season, Taylor shook the injury-risk tag by suiting up for 17 games for only the second time in his career. He dominated the Broncos’ defense in Week 2 (25/165 with two catches for 50 yards and one score), setting up a monumental scoring run over his next eight starts (146/903/15 – 6.2 yards per carry with 25 catches for 183 yards and another touchdown). The Colts’ stud back averaged 28.70 PPR fantasy points over this span. The lack of a trusted starting quarterback, after the Daniel Jones injury, led to tighter run lanes for Taylor (134/446/3 – 3.3 yards per carry) and a sharp decline in fantasy value (12.91 FPPG) over his final six matchups. Despite his regression, he averaged 21.4 touches per game over this span. Fantasy Outlook: Taylor was the fourth-best running back (363.30 fantasy points) in PPR formats last year, and his success has him priced the same, based on his ADP (9) and RB4 ranking in the early draft season in the National Fantasy Football Championship. His uptick in value in the passing game (46/378/2 on 55 targets) helps his consistency factor, and Taylor already brings the big play and scoring edge to his fantasy profile. The Colts have given 321 and 379 touches over the past two seasons, and he showcased the same level of workload in 2022 (372 touches). Taylor has the tools and opportunity to be a fantasy beast if he makes another 17 starts in 2026. Indianapolis will ride him hard in his contract season while still having the power to franchise Taylor after 2026. I can’t dismiss 2,000 combined yards with 20 touchdowns and four catches this year.

5. TE Tyler Warren, IND - Stud (low risk)

Warren saw limited action over his first four seasons at Penn State, totaling 49 catches for 606 yards and 11 touchdowns before breaking out in 2024 as the focal point of their offense. He led the nation with 104 catches while adding 1,233 receiving yards and eight scores, and Penn State also used him as a runner on some plays (26 carries, 218 yards, and four touchdowns) to maximize his impact on the field. He even had six pass attempts on the year, completing three for 35 yards and a touchdown. His best performances came away from home: a dominant 17-catch, 228-yard, and one-touchdown outing at USC, along with 100-yard games at Purdue (8/130/2) and Minnesota (8/102). He recorded at least Year TRC SPT TYD YD% YC TGT TD 2025 94 0.261 967 0.24 10.29 139 6 2024 39 0.135 467 0.13 11.97 76 2 2023 72 0.201 896 0.23 12.44 124 5 Indianapolis Colts

six catches in 10 of his 16 starts, demonstrating the kind of consistency that's rare at the position. Impact tight ends are among the hardest players to find in any draft class, and Warren has the traits to become one. He wins contested catches, creates separation over the short and intermediate areas of the field, and brings speed and quickness after the catch. His blocking is functional on quick-hitting run plays, but he'll need to prove himself against elite pass rushers when asked to chip and hold in pass protection, a key developmental area as he transitions to the NFL. In last year's high-stakes drafts, Warren was the 11th-ranked tight end. He beat expectations by finishing fifth in PPR fantasy points (188.50). The Colts' star tight end finished second on the team in catches (76) and receiving yards (817) while drawing the top spot in targets (112). Despite his success, Warren lost his mojo over his final 10 games (scoring under 10.00 fantasy points eight times). In addition, he failed to deliver any impact games, which was tied to his low scoring (four touchdowns). Warren scored between 11.00 and 18.50 fantasy points in eight contests, with six coming over the first seven weeks (7/79, 4/79, 5/73, 4/44/1, 6/63/1, and 4/69/1). Fantasy Outlook: The Daniel Jones injury last year was a key part of Warren fading down the stretch. With Michael Pittman off the team, he projects to be Indianapolis's top receiving target. In the National Fantasy Football Championship in mid-June, Warren is the fourth- ranked tight end with an early fifth-round ADP (58). My early thought is 85 catches for 1,000 yards and about seven touchdowns, which fits his current price point.

14. PK Spencer Shrader, IND - Not Draft Worthy

In Week 5 last season, Shrader suffered a torn ACL in his right knee after getting hit while kicking an extra point. He opened the year with 13 of his 14 field goals going through the uprights. His only missed came from over 50 yards (1-for-2). Shrader was perfect across his 12 extra points. Over his first three seasons in the NFL, he was unable to secure a starting job despite making all of his kicks (5-for-5 in field goals and 9-for-9 in extra points). Last year, the Colts rotated in three kickers last season due to injuries. They made 42 of 45 of their extra point tries, with a high level of success in field goals (34-for-36), with seven of nine kicks going through the uprights from 50 yards or more. Indianapolis scored 53 touchdowns in 2025. Fantasy Outlook: The Colts expect Shrader back kicking this summer, putting him on track to compete for their kicking job. He will go undrafted in all fantasy leagues until Shrader shows success on the field.

20. QB Daniel Jones, IND - Gamble (high risk)

Jones's first three seasons in New York produced a 12-25 record, 45 passing touchdowns, and 49 turnovers (29 interceptions and 36 fumbles – 20 lost). He averaged just 6.6 yards per pass attempt and showed most of his 300-yard passing ability early in his career (five of these six games came in his rookie year). His legs were consistently his most reliable asset, as he rushed 172 times for 1,000 yards and five scores at 5.8 yards per carry over that stretch. Teams RATT YDS Run% ATT YDS Pass% Plays Yards Indianapolis Colts 441 1996 0.446 547 4085 0.554 988 6081

A neck injury ended Jones's 2021 season after Week 12. Outside of a strong Week 4 (429 combined yards and two touchdowns), he failed to throw more than two scores in any game that year. His 2022 season brought genuine improvement in some areas. A new coaching staff unlocked his rushing ability even further (120 carries, 708 yards, and seven touchdowns), and his completion rate (67.2%) reached a new top, with three consecutive years of improvement. Turnovers dropped sharply (five interceptions and three lost fumbles). His passing volume remained low (29.5 attempts per game), and Jones topped 300 yards only three times while finishing with 200 or fewer passing yards in 12 of 18 appearances, including the postseason. From 2020 to 2022, he threw just 36 passing touchdowns over 41 games. In 2023, Jones developed a right knee injury in early October in his fifth start, leading to two missed games, followed by a season-ending ACL tear in Week 9. When on the field, he posted a strong completion rate (67.5%) but managed only 5.7 yards per attempt and absorbed sacks on nearly 16% of his drop-backs, more than double his rate from his first 54 games. Jones had one impact performance (380 combined yards and three touchdowns) over his five starts. Over his final season with the Giants in 2024, Jones went 2-8 over 10 starts with just 10 touchdowns, posting a four-year low in completion rate (63.3%) and continuing to struggle in yards per attempt (6.1). He topped 20.00 fantasy points four times and remained a willing runner despite a dip in efficiency (67 carries, 265 yards, two scores at 4.5 yards per carry), but it wasn't enough to save his tenure with the Giants. The move to Indianapolis was electric for Jones over his first eight starts. He gained 2,148 combined yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions, highlighted by a 7-1 record and 270 points scored. Despite his success, Jones ran the ball less than expected (30/86/4 – 2.9 yards per rush). His ability to drive the ball downfield (8.5 yards per

pass attempt) with a higher completion rate (71.2%) allowed the Colts to move the chains and take advantage of the power running of Jonathan Taylor. A torn Achilles ended his year in Week 14, but Jones had been playing through a fractured left fibula for a couple of weeks, which may have been when his Achilles issue first arose. As a result of his issues, Jones wasn't the same player over his final four games (61.9% completion rate and 7.3 yards per pass attempt), resulting in 1,053 combined yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Fantasy Outlook: The Colts signed Jones for $88 million over two seasons in March, which shows their confidence in his 2026. They expect him to be ready for Week 1. With Michael Pittman no longer on the roster, Indy's receiving corps has a different look, and the structure doesn't look as impressive as in 2025, unless Tyler Warren makes a significant step forward. Jones comes into this draft season as a QB2 in the early draft season in the National Fantasy Football Championship with free ADP (207). His progress over the summer will push him up draft boards, but the lack of length to his resume won't move the needle for many drafters. When at his best last season, Jones averaged 23.46 fantasy points in four-point passing touchdown leagues, which is worthy of a top-five quarterback outcome if repeated for 17 games. At the very least, he is worth a flier as a QB2 or even QB3 to see how well Jones plays early in September. Two dates with the Houston Texans' defense aren't ideal, and the Jaguars should continue to improve on the defensive side of the ball.