DJ Giddens DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Indianapolis Colts added former Kansas State running back DJ Giddens in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and James Boyd of The Athletic believes he is poised to beat out Tyler Goodson as the team's top pass-catching back. The team added Khalil Herbert this offseason to replace Trey Sermon, but Giddens profiles as more of a receiver after snagging 50 receptions over his final two collegiate seasons. That said, Indianapolis ranked 30th in total running back targets a season ago (65), so Giddens is unlikely to have standalone upside as a backup to Jonathan Taylor. Instead, he'll be more of an interesting handcuff back that could have flex value in the case of a Taylor injury. Giddens was a fifth-rounder, though, so it's too early to assume he'll have any role in Indy's offense.

The Indianapolis Colts have selected Kansas State running back DJ Giddens with the 151st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He's a big-bodied runner with decent speed and the ability to find gaps at the line of scrimmage. Over his final two collegiate seasons, he totaled 2,569 rushing yards, 581 receiving yards, and 21 total touchdowns. Presumably, he'll have a chance to compete with Khalil Herbert for the No. 2 running back role behind Jonathan Taylor. Of course, Taylor remains the workhorse in Indianapolis, so Giddens would only become fantasy-relevant if Taylor gets injured.