Tag: Deon Jackson fantasy football

Fantasy football: Indianapolis Colts offensive breakdown

Few aspects of Indy’s offense will breed fantasy familiarity in 2023.

While he didn’t exactly dazzle in his professional debut — completing just seven of 12 passes for 67 yards with an interception — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who was named the starter last week, still took a seat on the bench during the second preseason contest against the Chicago Bears.

The fourth overall pick has athleticism that makes Richardson an intriguing QB2, but what does starting the rookie from Week 1 on mean for the rest of the Colts offense? Perhaps more importantly, a recent development in the running backs room may have more pronounced impact on this offense.

Here’s how to handle the Indianapolis Colts’ tenuous running back situation

One of the safest backfields has quickly devolved into chaos.

Entering last season, the Indianapolis Colts had one of the most stable, fantasy-friendly running back situations in the NFL with a true lead back in Jonathan Taylor, who’d tallied 564 of the team’s 834 carries by running backs over the prior two seasons. Things changed a bit in 2022 with the historically durable Taylor breaking down and missing six games, opening the door for inseason acquisition running back Zack Moss to flash his talent.

Even with that development, the Colts still boasted a clear hierarchy of Taylor as RB1 and Moss as a capable backup who could help keep the Wisconsin alum healthy. All that changed last week, however, following a meeting between Colts owner Jim Irsay and Taylor, who emerged from that encounter with a public trade demand. Further muddying the waters, Moss sustained a broken arm during practice on July 31 and is expected to miss around six weeks following surgery.

With this once-stable situation devolving, it’s a good time to examine what Indy has in their backfield and what fantasy owners can anticipate for 2023.