Indianapolis Colts

After the addition of rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell in the second round of this year's NFL draft, Indianapolis Colts wideout Alec Pierce will compete with Mitchell on the outside for the No. 3 role this season. Michael Pittman Jr, who signed a three-year, $70 million contract extension this offseason, will continue to see the lion's share of the targets, with Josh Downs manning the slot as the No. 2 option. The 23-year-old Pierce only had 32 catches for 514 yards and two touchdowns last year and will now be battling a much more dynamic pass-catcher for a role in the Colts' offense in 2024. Not only is Mitchell a superior athlete, but his production (55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023) speaks for itself.

The Indianapolis Colts selected Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell with the No. 52 overall pick of the second round in the 2024 NFL draft. Mitchell was rumored to be taken as high as the middle of Round 1, but he ultimately fell a bit and landed with quarterback Anthony Richarson. Mitchell spent two seasons at Georgia before transferring to the Longhorns, where he racked up 55 receptions for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns while playing alongside Xavier Worthy and J'Tavion Sanders. With Michael Pittman Jr. in town, Mitchell might be capped in the WR2 role, but the development of Richardson will dictate how much upside he may have.

The New England Patriots quietly brought in free-agent tight ends Brycen Hopkins, Sean McKeon and Mitchell Wilcox in for workouts late last week, which could reflect on their desire to add another layer to the tight end depth chart of Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper and La'Michael Pettway. Hopkins has only 13 receptions on 19 targets for 196 yards and no touchdowns in his four NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. McKeon ended the 2023 season on Injured Reserve due to an ankle injury and has only six catches on 11 targets for 38 yards and one touchdown in his four NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Wilcox has 29 catches on 35 targets for 211 yards and one touchdowns in his three years with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that tight end Drew Ogletree is off the NFL commissioner's exempt list and is back with the team during offseason workouts. Ogletree was recently cleared of domestic-violence charges following his arrest last December. Ogletree was put on the commissioner's exempt list on Dec. 30. The 25-year-old caught nine of his 21 targets for 147 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games (nine starts) in 2023 in what was essentially his rookie season after he didn't play at all in 2022 after being drafted in the sixth round (192nd overall) in 2022 out of Youngstown State due to a torn ACL he suffered in the preseason. Ogletree will be off the fantasy radar as tight end depth behind Jelani Woods, Kylen Granson and Mo Alie-Cox in 2024.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder), who played in parts of just four games in his rookie season in 2023 before having season-ending shoulder surgery for an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, is making roughly 40 throws per day in his recovery this offseason. He has thrown more than 200 passes in all just five months post-surgery. The 21-year-old former fourth overall pick is on a mission to get ready for his sophomore season and should be fully ready for Week 1 this fall. "I've never waited this long to get back to playing football," Richardson said. "I'm just on a mission this year. Once that mission's complete, then I'll be good." While Richardson has plenty to improve on as a passer, he has considerable QB1 upside in fantasy football because of his sure athletic ability and rushing prowess despite not having played a full season in the NFL.