Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is coming off of a quiet showing in Week 16, catching just two of three targets for 19 yards, however, outside of teammate Josh Downs, all Colts pass catchers suffered in last week's matchup as Anthony Richardson completed just seven passes on the day with Jonathan Taylor doing all of the heavy lifting for the offense. Prior to that game, Pittman Jr. had no less than seven targets or five receptions in four consecutive contests heading into Week 16. This Sunday, the Colts are eight-point favorites against the Giants who have been tough against wide receivers, allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points to WRs on the season, but have been bottom third in the league in yielding production to RBs, so look for the offense to run through Taylor again. There is also uncertainty as to who will be under center for the Colts as Anthony Richardson (back, foot) missed practice all week, so it could be veteran Joe Flacco in his stead. With Flacco at QB earlier this season, the numbers indicate Downs was the 39-year-old's preferred target. As such, regardless of who is throwing the ball, Pittman Jr. projects as a risky Flex play this week with fantasy championships on the line.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs is coming off of his third consecutive game with exactly three catches, although those nine catches came on 19 targets. Fellow wideout Michael Pittman Jr. seemed like Anthony Richardson's preferred option based on his 13 receptions over the last three games, but looking closer, Pittman Jr. had the same amount of targets as Downs over that stretch (19). While Downs' aDOT of 7.12 yards contrasts with Pittman Jr.'s 11.26, they are basically the Colts' 1A and 1B receivers for fantasy purposes this week. That is, if Anthony Richardson is under center for the Colts, but after missing practice all week with back and foot injuries, the second-year QB is at risk of missing Week 17's matchup with the Giants. If that happens, Joe Flacco will slide in as QB, and the 39-year-old showed more rapport with Downs than Pittman Jr., with Downs logging a 36-338-1 line (five games) compared to Pittman Jr.'s 13-139-1 line (four games) with the veteran at the helm. Neither one makes for a great play this week, as both look like high-end Flex options with Richardson calling the plays, but Downs has WR3 upside if Flacco gets the start.

With Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (back, foot) in real danger of missing Sunday's matchup versus the Giants after missing practice all week, the team will turn back to Joe Flacco if the 22-year-old is ultimately ruled out. Flacco came on for an injured Richardson in Week 4 and made four additional starts for the team this season, completing 67% of his passes (113-for-170) with a 9:5 TD:INT during his time under center. Compared to Richardson's 48% completion rate and 8:12 TD:INT, the 39-year-old should provide a slight boost to the receiving corps, although the veteran does not pose a threat with his legs like A-Rich does. As such, that should also free up some goal-line work for Jonathan Taylor who broke out last week for 218 yards rushing and three scores. The Colts are eight-point favorites in this matchup and need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Giants currently hold the No. 1 pick in the next draft and are probably better off losing. So look for Indy to try to limit mistakes and kill the clock by handing the ball off to Taylor, leaving Flacco as a low-end QB2 in Week 17 should he draw the start.

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that quarterback Anthony Richardson (back, foot) is questionable to play on Sunday in Week 17 against the hosting New York Giants. "We'll see how the next 48 hours go," Steichen said. It's notable that Richardson did not practice at all this week. Apparently he won't need to practice in order to play on Sunday, but it's not a great sign for fantasy managers that were hoping to use the second-year signal-caller in an excellent matchup against the two-win Giants. The 22-year-old has an unstable floor because of his inaccuracies as a passer, but his rushing ability gives him QB1 upside this weekend in the matchup against the Giants if he's active. A-Rich's back is more problematic than his foot, for what it's worth. If he's ruled out, veteran Joe Flacco would step in again and would be an option as a low-end QB2 in superflex fantasy formats.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson's (back, foot) status for Week 17 versus the New York Giants on Sunday is in question after he missed a second straight day of practice on Thursday with back and foot injuries. However, a team source said the Colts are optimistic that Richardson will play on Sunday after he has made consistent progress while responding to treatment. Still, Richardson's performance in practice on Friday will be critical. He didn't miss any snaps in the Week 16 win over the division-rival Tennessee Titans, when he rushed for a career-high 70 yards. If he is not able to play this weekend, the Colts will turn back to veteran Joe Flacco to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. While Richardson remains a work in progress as a passer, he's had nine or more rushes in four of the five games since returning as the starter and would have clear QB1 upside in Week 17 if he's active.