Indianapolis Colts DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

The Indianapolis Colts will roll with veteran Joe Flacco as the starting quarterback on Sunday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings following the early-career struggles of Anthony Richardson. Richardson has started in just 10 games since being selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, completing 50.2% of his passes for 1,535 yards, seven touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He's racked up 378 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The Colts are moving him to the bench, but that does not mean his time in Indianapolis is nearing an end. ESPN Colts writer Stephen Holder reporters a team source told him, "We are not quitting on Anthony. That will be the story, but that is not the case." Either way, this is somewhat of a surprising development since most viewed Richardson as a long-term project due to his lack of experience in college and the NFL. Fantasy managers might consider dropping Richardson in redraft leagues, but he remains a hold in dynasty formats.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson has been benched, with Joe Flacco taking over as the starter. The veteran quarterback will start Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings, his fourth this season. Richardson has struggled this season, completing only 44.4% of his pass attempts in six games. Many wonder if the team is giving up on the former No. 4 overall pick too quickly. However, fantasy players welcome the change at quarterback. Flacco has been significantly better for the Colts' pass catchers, especially Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs. Flacco is a must-add off the waiver wire in single-quarterback and superflex leagues. Meanwhile, Pittman and Downs have WR2 upside with the veteran under center. a

Per Arye Pulli of the NFL, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen would not commit to Anthony Richardson starting at quarterback in Week 9. "We're evaluating everything," proclaimed Steichen. Yikes. It's a rough turn of events for the second-year starter, but not exactly one that's a surprise. The former Florida Gator has had a tough go in his appearances this season, failing to complete more than ten passes in 4-of-5 contests that he's played the entire game. Alternatively, veteran Joe Flacco excelled in his three outings, tossing seven touchdowns to just one interception. Fantasy managers must track this developing story ahead of the team's Week 9 road matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. If the team does turn to Flacco, it'd be an instant boost for the outlooks of Indy's pass-catchers. Stay tuned.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) was able to corral just one of his six targets in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Texans, gaining a measly 16 yards in the contest. Fellow wide receiver Josh Downs was the only Colt who snared more than one pass from quarterback Anthony Richardson, who completed just 10 of 32 passes in the game. Pittman was a DNP at practice on Friday, but it was Richardson's inefficiency that was more to blame than his lingering back issue as the six targets were the most he'd seen since Week 5. Unless Joe Flacco gets back under center for the Colts, this receiving corps looks poised to be very volatile for the foreseeable future and it will be hard to predict which one of the pass catchers will lead the team each week. Having a Week 9 date with the Vikings on the road in Minnesota likely won't make things any easier near-term, although several receivers have posted solid fantasy performances against that group, but with Richardson at the helm, the 27-year-old is probably nothing more than a boom/bust WR3/4.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs led his team's receiving corps in catches and yards in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Texans, reeling in four for 109 yards and a score. Downs was the only Colt to amass more than one reception in the contest with quarterback Anthony Richardson completing just 10 of 32 passes, and he nearly scored another touchdown but was down just shy of the end zone. The 23-year-old was also credited with 13 rush yards. Despite the solid effort, the former third-round draft pick will be volatile with such poor quarterback play and hard to trust on a weekly basis. In Week 9, the Colts will face the Vikings who have had seven wideouts record 78 or more receiving yards through seven games, so there's a chance he could have some Flex appeal, especially if Joe Flacco happened to be under center instead of Richardson.