Anthony Richardson

At a press conference in Indianapolis, head coach Shane Steichen announced that the Colts would turn to former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones under center. Anthony Richardson will be relegated to backup duties after failing to do much to suggest that he was the better fit.

The move comes as little surprise on two fronts. General manager Chris Ballard and Steichen are both sitting atop seats that are getting hotter by the day. It only makes sense that they’ll play the more experienced quarterback to pocket a few wins and potentially save their jobs. Of course, the Colts also have 14 million reasons to play him as well, $13 million of which is guaranteed. This goes against the wishes of the majority of the Indianapolis fanbase, most of whom (anticipating a losing season) think the Colts’ brass should be sticking with Richardson in the hopes that he can develop before it comes time to pull the trigger on his fifth-year option. That option would tie him in through 2027 and would be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 million guaranteed. The fans want to see him develop, and the head coach wants to keep his head off the chopping block. It’s a public relations nightmare.

For fantasy football managers, this is hardly a surprise. Jones and Richardson are two of the last “starters” being drafted in deep-bench best ball leagues. Most assumed Jones would start the season with the ball, but few expect him to keep it before Richardson gets another shot. Thus begins a QB carousel of two that will leave you on the edge of your seat throughout 2025. Steichen has said publicly that the job belongs to Jones for the duration of the season. As pointed out by The Coachspeak Index on Twitter, Steichen very rarely tells the truth to the media. Everyone sees right through it and expects the quarterback tango.

Neither player is worthy of a pick in redraft, except for exceptionally large leagues or leagues with enormous benches. Managers who are absolutely desperate and need to draft one should take it a step further and draft both for insurance.

Author: Sam Schneider (@BuyAndSellYou)

The Indianapolis Colts still haven’t decided on their starting quarterback. Reports say Daniel Jones will start preseason game two, but Anthony Richardson will handle most of the workload. Richardson only played seven snaps in the last game before exiting with a dislocated pinky finger. Steichen will likely want a longer look this weekend before making a final decision. Steichen said he “doesn’t have an exact timetable” of when he’ll choose, but “sooner rather than later would be nice.”

Both Richardson and Jones have something to prove heading into the season. They were high draft picks, but have not succeeded in the NFL overall. Richardson is described as a raw prospect but highly touted for his strong arm and rushing upside. However, injuries have derailed his ability to be on the field, build chemistry with his receivers, and develop a general feel for the NFL. Daniel Jones was cut by the NY Giants less than two years after signing a four-year $160M contract extension. He lost the starting job, was ranked the thirty-second quarterback in passer rating, had seven interceptions, and eight touchdowns in 2024.

Richardson has an Underdog ADP of 175, while Jones sits at 214. While both quarterbacks are cheap options, managers are showing us there is not much faith in either option to succeed.

Author: Dane Madoche(@FF_DaMaddog)

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson experienced a scare Thursday night in a preseason matchup with the Baltimore Ravens. Richardson got blown up on a sack that was determined to be his fault. X-rays have been reported to be ‘’clean,’’ allowing for Richardson to return in the coming days. In total, it is a dislocated pinky. 

This is good news for Richardson who had been shining in training camp. The problem lies in the fact that Richardson made a fundamental mistake in not recognizing he had to get rid of the ball quickly. A key difference between training camp practice and pre-season games is that pre-season games allow for contact. 

With this being an early test for the starting quarterback job between Daniel Jones and Richardson, the positive news on the injury front is muted when considering what led to the injury. Head coach Shane Steichen is surely going to be frustrated with the former 4th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, Daniel Jones isn’t lighting things up on his end either. Much like Browns fans have already done, it would be wise for Colts fans to stock their fridge with a copious amount of beer. 

Author: Jeremiah Retzlaff (@coachretzlaff1)

According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, Anthony Richardson has been with his personal coaches in Miami for weeks, working on ramping up his velocity. This is good news for the team, who still hopes to tap into the wellspring of talent at Richardson’s disposal. While Daniel Jones may be the safe bet to start week 1, the Colts are hoping Richardson will be ready for a normal workload when training camp begins.

Richardson has struggled with injuries and accuracy early on, but still possesses the elite athletic tools that earned him top-5 capital in the NFL draft and rookie drafts. This news shouldn’t do much to sway Richardson’s value at this point in any fantasy format. There’s nothing to do but consider him a hold in Dynasty leagues. If he’s named the week one starter in the coming months, however, his value should rise incrementally, and he would be worth a late flyer in redraft simply based on his rushing upside.

– Blake Stachel (@bllakkay)