Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts have ruled out running back Trey Sermon (hamstring) due to a hamstring injury sustained during Sunday's preseason game against the Broncos. Sermon, who saw his first action in the game's third series while Jonathan Taylor played the first two, recorded one reception for 12 yards but had no carries. The injury likely occurred during special teams play. The backup running back role behind Taylor was expected to be highly competitive at the Colts' training camp, but Sermon appeared to have secured the position. Head coach Shane Steichen had praised Sermon's performance, particularly his pass protection and vision on runs. With Sermon sidelined, Tyler Goodson has moved ahead of 2023 draft pick Evan Hull as the next running back in line. While no Colts running back is expected to have a significant fantasy impact as long as Jonathan Taylor remains healthy, the backup role can be valuable. Zack Moss demonstrated this last season, finishing as the No. 28 running back in PPR points per game, showing the potential for substantial fantasy value in the No. 2 spot.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods "has yet to put together a day where he stood out" in training camp, according to Destin Adams of A to Z Sports. Woods missed all of last season due to injuries to his hamstrings, making it crucial that he use this summer's training camp and preseason to showcase himself. That hasn't happened, though, as the 25-year-old continues to drop passes and run with the second-team offense. As of now, Adams speculates that Woods is behind Moe Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Drew Ogletree, and Will Mallory in the pecking order. Such a dynamic would certainly leave Woods on the roster bubble with less than a month until the NFL regular season kicks off.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Ashton Dulin (hamstring) missed his second straight day of practice on Friday. With his and Josh Downs' (ankle) recent injuries, other wideouts on the Colts roster have been able to run with the first team. The severity of Dulin's injury is unclear, but this puts him in jeopardy of missing Indianapolis' preseason opener on Sunday. The fifth-year wideout had previously been a full-go at training camp on the heels of missing the entirety of the 2023 season with a torn ACL he suffered in August last season. The Colts have a relatively deep WR corps, and Dulin is listed fifth on the team's unofficial depth chart behind Michael Pittman Jr., Downs, rookie Adonai Mitchell, and Alec Pierce. For now, he can be safely left by the wayside until he returns to health and begins rapidly ascending the depth chart.

Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Anthony Gould has been used in the slot at times with the first-team offense during training camp. The rookie wideout is also competing for the punt-returner job. With Josh Downs (ankle) missing time, the Colts are giving all of their receivers a look in different spots to see who might fit where in case they're needed. Gould will notably compete with fellow rookie Adonai Mitchell and returning veterans Alec Pierce, Kylen Granson, and Jonathan Taylor for targets. It's worth noting that Pierce and Mitchell ran with the first team almost exclusively in Indianapolis' most recent practice. Still, Downs' injury certainly opens opportunities for others on this roster. He's going unselected in drafts right now.

Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is taking advantage of his increased playing time with the first team with Josh Downs (ankle) out. As per Kevin Bowen of The Fan, Friday was easily the best combined practice for him and teammate Alec Pierce. Both routinely worked with the starters, and notably, Mitchell ran out of the slot, hauling in three of three targets. The rookie wideout has nine receptions throughout training camp now, giving him the fourth-most among Colts pass-catchers, trailing only Michael Pittman Jr., Downs, and Kylen Granson. The Colts' coaching staff trusting Mitchell to expand his role so quickly is an encouraging sign. Downs' progress in return from injury is something to monitor, because if he were to miss time during the season, the former Texas Longhorn could return sleeper value in drafts this year. He's the NFFC WR66 (158 overall) currently in average draft position.