Kevin Szafraniec details why Indianapolis’ current quarterback situation has the potential to limit the 2025 upside of the entire offense and how perpetuating the situation could have negative effects on the team’s long-term outlook.
Quarterback purgatory can be a reality for NFL franchises, and the Colts currently find themselves in the midst of this situation. The Colts have constructed a solid roster and, after two successful seasons under Shane Steichen, appear to be a QB away from making noise in the AFC. However, Steichen’s ability to coax decent records out of his team while dealing with suboptimal QB play has resulted in the team selecting in the middle of the draft order in each of the last two seasons, a veritable no man’s land for teams attempting to land a young stud at the game’s most important position.
Indianapolis hoped that athletic marvel Anthony Richardson could develop into their franchise quarterback after the team selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft. Sadly, injuries and erratic play have largely been the story of Richardson’s first two seasons, with otherworldly highlights showing up just often enough to provide brief glimmers of hope that he can still put everything together. In an attempt to challenge Richardson, the Colts signed another underperforming top 10 pick, Daniel Jones, to battle for their starting QB job in 2025. Based on Jones’ history with the Giants, there is a high likelihood that any success he experiences in Indianapolis will be short-lived.
It may sound a bit odd, but perhaps seeing the Colts fail in 2025 could be the best thing for the long-term success of both their fantasy assets and the team as a whole. Without a pick at the top of the draft order, it would take a Godfather offer to move into a position to add a blue-chip QB in next year’s draft. Unfortunately, such a move could have lasting repercussions that would also limit the team’s future upside. As the entire Colts organization appears to be hamstrung by their current QB situation, which positions provide viable options for fantasy managers to add to their 2025 rosters, and which Colts have the potential to explode with a QB upgrade in 2026?
AFC North
- Baltimore Ravens: There Is No End in Sight for Lamar Jackson’s Fantasy Domination
- Cleveland Browns: There Are Gems to Be Found on Kevin Stefanski’s Offense If You Know Where to Look
- Cincinnati Bengals: Poor Real-Life Roster Construction Creates Elite Fantasy Pathways for the Bengals’ Stars
AFC South
- Houston Texans: Why New Weapons and a New Scheme Will Lead to a C.J. Stroud Bounceback
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 2025 Represents Trevor Lawrence’s Best Chance Yet to Reach His Ceiling
- Tennessee Titans: Will an Abundance of Garbage Time Result in Tennessee’s Late-Round Skill-Position Players Returning Big-Time Fantasy Value?
AFC East
- Miami Dolphins: Whose Fantasy Arrows Are Pointing Up on a Miami Offense Heading in the Opposite Direction?
- New York Jets: A Shift in Offensive Philosophy Could Result in Breece Hall and Isaiah Davis Forming the Best Backfield in the AFC
- New England Patriots: Drake Maye Still Finds Himself Surrounded by Lackluster Weapons, But He May Thrive Anyway
AFC West
- Denver Broncos: Bo Nix Is About to Join the Ranks of the NFL’s Elite QBs
- Los Angeles Chargers: Has Justin Herbert Forced Greg Roman to Rethink His Offensive Approach?
- Las Vegas Raiders: Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty Could Emerge to Become the Top Players at Their Positions
NFC North
- Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy Finds Himself in the Middle of the Perfect Storm for Fantasy Production
- Green Bay Packers: Why the NFL’s Most Complete Roster Is Finally About to Get the Attention It Deserves
- Detroit Lions: Amon-Ra St. Brown’s Discounted ADP Has Him Poised to Be 2025’s Most Undervalued Superstar
NFC South
- Atlanta Falcons: Which Players Are Primed to Help Take the Atlanta Offense to the Next Level?
- Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young Is Finally Ready to Deliver on His College Potential
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Despite Yet Another New Offensive Coordinator, Baker Mayfield and Bucky Irving Are Still Set Up to Deliver in 2025
NFC East
- Philadelphia Eagles: Why Small Changes Could Lead to Even Bigger Fantasy Scoring in 2025
- Dallas Cowboys: A New Offensive Direction Is Exactly What Dak Prescott Needs to Get Back on Track
- Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels’ Fantasy Ceiling Is Only Limited by the Aging Roster Around Him
NFC West
- San Francisco 49ers: Make Sure You Are Rostering the Next Wave of Stars in Kyle Shanahan’s Offense
- Arizona Cardinals: Why Kyler Murray Will Overcome His Doubters and Return to His Elite Ways
- Los Angeles Rams: History Is Getting Ready to Repeat Itself in L.A. as Puka Nacua Eyes 2025’s Overall WR1 Spot
Just Running in Place
The entire Colts team was consistent but largely average over the past two seasons. The offense was clearly the team’s strength, finishing between 10th and 17th in both scoring and yards in each of the past two seasons. The defense was equally consistent but not as productive, ranking between 24th and 29th in scoring and yards in 2023 and 2024. After hovering around a .500 record in each of his first two seasons as head coach, 2025 could be the most important year of Steichen’s entire Indianapolis tenure, with an improved record not necessarily being the best result for his future success.
