The Colts on Tuesday named Daniel Jones their beginning quarterback over Anthony Richardson, and coach Shane Steichen stated that is “for the season” and never simply Week 1 in opposition to the Dolphins.
“I do not wish to have a brief leash on that,” Steichen stated at a information convention in Indianapolis.
Jones, who signed as a free agent this offseason, was introduced in to compete for the beginning job with Richardson. Primarily based on what Steichen noticed in coaching camp and the primary two preseason video games, Jones has accomplished sufficient to earn the job and ship Richardson, the No. 4 general decide within the 2023 NFL Draft, to the bench.
“You guys heard me discuss in regards to the consistency, and that is actually what I used to be in search of,” Steichen stated. “Actually, the operation on the line of scrimmage, the checks, the protections, the ball placement, the completion proportion, all of that performed an element. I feel Daniel did an ideal job (being constant), and I feel AR has made strides in that space. However I do really feel he must proceed to develop in these areas.”
There are two sides to this determination for Fantasy managers. At quarterback, Richardson supplied extra upside than Jones, and now we lose a possible high-end sleeper with Richardson on the bench.
Richardson has performed 12 video games in his two-year profession with out damage, and he averaged 18.3 Fantasy factors per sport over that span. He might be among the many higher working quarterbacks within the NFL, and final yr, he was on tempo for 808 dashing yards and 10 touchdowns within the 10 wholesome video games he appeared in.
After all, we all know Richardson is flawed as a passer with a profession completion proportion of fifty.6. In these 10 video games in 2024, he was on tempo for two,963 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions.
I hoped to see what he might do in Yr 3 after spending the offseason working with the identical personal quarterback coach who helped Josh Allen. Now, it should doubtless take Jones getting damage or struggling earlier than Richardson can return to the sphere. He is value holding in dynasty leagues, however Richardson shouldn’t be chosen in re-draft leagues.
Jones is simply value drafting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, however he does have some sleeper attraction. He has two seasons on his resume with at the least 19.1 Fantasy factors per sport, together with as a rookie in 2019 (19.4) and in 2022 (19.1), each with the Giants.
In 2022, Jones had 3,205 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions, together with 708 dashing yards and 7 touchdowns. He’s one among solely 10 quarterbacks in NFL historical past with at the least 3,000 passing yards and 700 dashing yards in the identical season, becoming a member of Randall Cunningham (1990), Cam Newton (2011, 2012 and 2017), Robert Griffin III (2012), Russell Wilson (2014), Lamar Jackson (2019, 2023 and 2024), Kyler Murray (2020), Josh Allen (2021 and 2022), Jalen Hurts (2021 and 2022) and Jayden Daniels (2024).
Jones has rushed for two,179 yards in 70 profession video games, which is 529 yards per season on common. He is solely rushed for greater than 500 yards as soon as in six years, but it surely does present you his upside.
We additionally know the draw back with Jones, who has scored fewer than 20 Fantasy factors in 46 of 70 video games. He additionally has 85 complete touchdowns (15 dashing) and 73 complete turnovers (47 interceptions and 26 fumbles).
Now, Jones beginning ought to be higher for the weapons in Indianapolis in comparison with Richardson, which ought to assist Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Tyler Warren. All of them get a lift in Fantasy worth.
Final season, Taylor averaged 16.6 PPR factors per sport in 9 video games with Richardson. He averaged 19.1 PPR factors per sport in 5 video games with Joe Flacco, and Taylor had 11 catches on 19 targets over that span. With Richardson, Taylor was non-existent within the passing sport with seven catches on 12 targets, and he had three outings the place he did not get a goal.
Jones will certainly contain Taylor extra as a receiver out of the backfield. And Taylor is a stable choice in Spherical 2 as a No. 1 Fantasy working again in all leagues.
I’ve Pittman ranked barely forward of Downs now, with the latter coping with a hamstring damage. Pittman battled a again damage in 2024, and he averaged simply 10.4 PPR factors per sport, which was his lowest complete since his rookie yr in 2020. He additionally struggled with Richardson.
In 2024, Pittman performed 10 video games with Richardson, and Pittman averaged 7.9 PPR factors over that span. In six video games with Flacco, Pittman averaged 14.3 PPR factors per sport, together with 5 outings with at the least 12.5 PPR factors. Pittman is value drafting as early as Spherical 9.
I’d additionally draft Downs in Spherical 9, and his worth might rise when wholesome. And, you guessed it, Downs was higher with Flacco in 2024 in comparison with what he did with Richardson. Downs averaged 15.7 PPR factors per sport in six outings with Flacco in comparison with 10.7 PPR factors per sport in seven video games with Richardson.
Each receivers will face competitors from Warren, however Jones will hopefully preserve all three of his primary targets concerned. And I like Warren as a top-eight Fantasy tight finish this season.
He is value drafting as early as Spherical 8 in all leagues, and he was a star in faculty in 2024. At Penn State, Warren had 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns, and he added 26 carries for 218 yards and 4 touchdowns. He ought to be a go-to choice for Jones immediately.
I am not anticipating a lot from Alec Pierce or Adonai Mitchell, however each might be waiver wire choices in the course of the season, particularly if an damage happens. Pierce, who’s coping with a groin damage, most likely loses worth with Jones, provided that his arm power does not evaluate to Richardson.
In 2024, Pierce had 37 catches for 824 yards and 7 touchdowns on 69 targets, and he averaged 10.1 PPR factors per sport. His 22.3 yards per catch was No. 1 within the NFL amongst receivers with at the least 50 targets.
Most probably, Jones may have numerous short-area throws, which ought to profit Pittman, Downs, and Warren. Even Taylor wins with Jones underneath heart.
Whereas Richardson is the extra thrilling quarterback, the Colts are going with Jones as their starter. And, he hopefully will deliver out one of the best of the playmakers in Indianapolis this yr.
