2026 Team Outlook: Indianapolis Colts
WR Josh Downs, IND - Sleeper (undervalued)
Downs carved out a WR3 role as a rookie, finishing with 68 catches for 771 yards and two touchdowns on 98 targets. He was the most productive over a six-game stretch from Week 3 to Week 8 (8/57, 2/34, 6/97, 5/21/1, 5/125/1, and 7/72), before fading considerably over the final nine games (just 28 catches for 289 yards and no touchdowns on 42 targets, averaging 6.42 PPR fantasy points per game). A knee issue that surfaced in Week 9 was a significant factor in that second-half regression. 2024 opened with two missed games due to an ankle injury, but Downs cranked up his fantasy value from Week 4 through Week 11. He delivered starting-caliber fantasy numbers in seven of eight games (8/82/1, 9/69, 7/66/1, 4/109/1, 6/60, 7/72, and 5/84/1). A shoulder injury cost him another game, and the Colts then largely ignored him over four other matchups (three catches or fewer in each). He closed the regular season on a high note with 10 catches for 94 yards on 13 targets in Week 18, offering a reminder of what he's capable of when featured in the Colts' offense. The addition of Tyler Warren had the most impact on Downs's opportunity last year. He comes off career lows in catches (58), receiving yards (566), touchdowns (4), and targets (4) while gaining only 9.8 yards per catch. Downs slipped to WR43 in PPR formats (137.90 fantasy points) due to scoring fewer than 10.00 fantasy points
in half of his 16 games. His best fantasy value came in Week 6 (6/42/1) and Week 9 (6/57/1). A concussion knocked him out of Week 7. Fantasy Outlook: Based on his expected targets, Downs should rank first on the Colts in fantasy WR opportunity, but Alec Pierce should outscore him in fantasy points per touch. His ADP (95) in the early draft season of the National Fantasy Football Championship ranks him as the 47th wideout selected, creating a buying opportunity. I expected Downs to average at least seven targets per game (119 over 17 starts), putting him on a path to catch 80 balls for 900 yards with a handful of scores.
QB Anthony Richardson, IND - Deep-league Only
Richardson is a physically imposing quarterback prospect (6'4", 245 pounds, with a 4.43 forty), whose athleticism and arm talent are undeniable. The concerns are equally clear: his 54.7% career
completion rate reflects real accuracy issues, and his limited college experience left his throwing mechanics and ability to read NFL defenses underdeveloped. He has a natural feel for pressure and the toughness to hang in the pocket, and he's a legitimate big-play threat when given space to run, with an open-field style that draws comparisons closer to Lamar Jackson than to Jalen Hurts. Downfield, he can deliver with touch and precision when a receiver has a clean window, but timing routes over the short areas of the field remain a consistent weakness. With the Florida Gators, Richardson saw limited action in 2021 before making 12 starts in 2022. His rushing production was exceptional (103 carries, 654 yards, and nine touchdowns), but his passing raised questions: a 53.8% completion rate, just 27.3 attempts per game, and 2,549 yards with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions against modest competition. His NFL debut was injury-shortened from the start. He played just two full games in 2023, totaling 519 combined yards and five touchdowns before a concussion and a right shoulder AC joint issue ended his season in Week 5. Things deteriorated even more in 2024; Indianapolis lost confidence in Richardson, and injuries again cost him six starts. His completion rate dropped to 47.7%, a number that's impossible to sustain for a starting NFL quarterback. He showed his big-play ability by gaining 20 or more yards on 28 of his 126 completions, with six reaching the 40-yard mark. Over his first three starts, he threw three touchdowns against six interceptions while adding modest rushing value (18 carries, 117 yards, and a score). The following seven starts brought more of the same (1,160 passing yards, five touchdowns, and six more interceptions), but he was more active on the ground (65 carries, 358 yards, and five scores). His rushing production offers a path to relevance, but the accuracy issues have yet to show any meaningful improvement.
Richardson battled hip, oblique, and back issues in 2024. A June shoulder issue heading into last season put him in backup quarterback mode over the summer. He suited up for only 14 plays in 2025 due to suffering an eye injury in October. Richardson is set to be a free agent next year. Fantasy Outlook: He comes into 2026 with an 8-7 record over three seasons with the Colts, while missing 38 games and having massive accuracy issues. His first step this summer is winning Indianapolis's backup quarterback job. He brings no draftable fantasy value.
RB DJ Giddens, IND - Low Potential
Indianapolis added Giddens in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Over his final two seasons at Kansas State, he gained over 1,000 rushing yards in each year (223/1,226/10 and 205/1,343/7) while averaging 6.0 yards per carry. Giddens also had 50 catches for 581 yards and four touchdowns. At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash. Giddens relies more on his speed and vision than on power in the heat of his runs. His running style requires patience, but he takes multiple strides to reach his top gear. In his rookie season, the Colts gave Giddens only 70 snaps with no missed time due to an injury. He gained 96 yards on 26 carries (3.7 yards per rush), with no catches on two targets. Fantasy Outlook: Giddens will be found in the free agent pool in almost all 12-team redraft leagues. His passing-catching skill set should give him rotational snaps on passing downs if he proves himself in pass protection. He'll compete with incoming rookie Seth McGowan for the handcuff RB2 in the Colts' offense.
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, IND - Not Draft Worthy
Westbrook-Ikhine's two seasons as the Tennessee Titans' WR2 were underwhelming on the whole. He caught 25 of 50 targets for 397 yards and three touchdowns in 2022, with one standout game (five catches, 119 yards, and two scores), followed by a nearly identical 2023 (28 catches for 370 yards and three touchdowns on 45 targets). 2024 was his most productive yet, setting career highs in targets (60), receiving yards (497), and touchdowns (9) on 32 catches. He was particularly hot at midseason, scoring in seven of eight games during one stretch. His limitations were hard to ignore; a 53.3% catch rate and three catches or fewer in 11 of his final 13 games made him a boom-or- bust option at best. His 6'2", 210-pound frame makes him a natural red zone target, which is where most of his value lives. Six of his nine touchdowns came inside the 20-yard line, underlining his profile as a scoring-dependent fantasy asset rather than a reliable volume contributor. With Miami in 2025, the Dolphins gave Westbrook-Ikhine 39.3% of their snaps, resulting in a lost season (11 catches for 89 yards on 20 targets).
Fantasy Outlook: Westbrook-Ikhine will compete for WR3 snaps for the Colts, with a better chance to add scoring value. Unfortunately, he brings no fantasy value to the draft table.
RB Seth McGowan, IND - Fantasy Handcuff
McGowan turns 26 in October, which led to him slipping to the seventh round of this year’s draft despite a productive college career. He began at Oklahoma in 2020, showing early promise with 571 combined yards, four touchdowns, and 13 catches over eight games before an off-field incident led to his dismissal from their program. A personal family loss compounded this setback and kept him away from the game for three years. McGowan eventually resurfaced at New Mexico State and Kentucky, where he spent the past two seasons, totaling 1,951 combined yards, 18 touchdowns, and 42 catches on 359 touches. At the 2026 NFL Combine, McGowan ran a 4.49 forty, a reasonable time for a back carrying his frame (6'0" and 225 pounds). He profiles as
an early-down thumper with some limitations to account for. Ball security is a concern, and he lacks the explosiveness to consistently win in space. Getting off the snap quicker would help him reach the second level before defenders can close, an area that will need improvement at the next level. His passing game upside is limited, but his value in pass protection should help him get on the field in his rookie season.
WR Deion Burks, IND - Deep-league Only
The Colts took a seventh-round flier on Burks in the 2026 NFL Draft. In his third season at Purdue in 2023, he caught 47 of his 92 targets for 629 yards and seven touchdowns, leading to a transfer to Oklahoma. Unfortunately, Burks missed eight games the next season due to a thigh injury and a concussion. He rebounded the next year, leading to a career high in catches (57) with 620 yards and four touchdowns on 89 targets. Burks brings elite speed (4.30 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine) with surprising strength (26 reps of 225 lbs.) for his frame (5’10” and 180 lbs). His route running has areas of need, while having a small catch radius. He is at his best when creating an edge with his first step and moving to daylight at the first level of a defense. Despite his expected advantage in speed, winning over the long field isn’t a part of the field where he excels. Burks must learn to drive to the football better and finish off his pass patterns, especially when moving back toward the quarterback. Fantasy Outlook: Burks gives the Colts insurance for Josh Downs while adding more speed to their wide receiver position. He’ll have a limited role in his rookie season.
