According to a few of the mainstream media NFL power rankings, the Indianapolis Colts are not initially well thought of as they are set to begin the 2025 regular season:
VIA ESPN
23. Indianapolis Colts
Chances to make the playoffs: 32.0%
Chances to win division: 21.1%
Projected wins: 7.7
Strength of schedule: Eighth easiest
2024 record: 8-9Biggest strength: Defensive line. The Colts rank in the top 10 in spending on interior defensive linemen and edge rushers, and that has created perhaps the team’s strongest position group. The unit
is anchored by DT DeForest Buckner and has several solid veterans throughout, such as DEs Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam and NT Grover Stewart. The additions of 2024 first-round choice Laiatu Latu and this year’s second-round pick JT Tuimoloau give the group a chance to reach the next level. — Stephen Holder
Biggest concern: Quarterback. The Colts have selected Daniel Jones as their Week 1 starter over third-year player and incumbent starter Anthony Richardson Sr., the latest domino to fall in the team’s woeful quarterback story. Jones will be the Colts’ 11th different starting quarterback in a regular-season game since Andrew Luck abruptly retired before the 2019 season. Indianapolis’ lack of stability at the position continues to undermine what is otherwise a mostly solid roster. — Holder
QB stat to know: Jones is 4-0 against the AFC South in his career, and his QBR of 81 in those games is the highest by any quarterback with at least three starts against his new division over the past five seasons. — ESPN Research
How to win your fantasy league: TE Tyler Warren. A physical and rugged mover who can work the middle of the field and produce after the catch, Warren can impact the Colts’ passing game from a variety of pre-snap alignments. He had 104 receptions in his final season at Penn State, and he should be a reliable target for Jones. Warren is an upside play who can be drafted as a fringe TE1 in 12-team leagues. — Bowen
Bold prediction for 2025: Adonai Mitchell will record at least 700 receiving yards. I’m a believer in the receiver after a somewhat disappointing rookie campaign, which was plagued by missed connections downfield, because he also showed signs of real potential. Mitchell recorded an 82 open score (top 10 among wide receivers). I’m betting that skill will pay dividends. — Walder
VIA NFL.COM
Rank 28.
Indianapolis Colts
The chances of ending a four-season playoff drought right now fall on Daniel Jones, and I make no apologies for being a little skittish about those prospects. The rest of the roster isn’t in terrible shape, mind you, but it’s not strong enough for me to assume that the Colts can withstand average QB play (or worse) and find a way into the postseason mix. Perhaps Anthony Richardson still can have a say in what happens this season, the way Bryce Young did after being benched in Carolina a year ago, but forgive me if I am not banking on that happening. The Colts can run the ball, and employing a more aggressive defensive scheme is likely the best way to go with this unit, but I’m still seeing a team with major limitations until one of the quarterbacks proves he can be a difference-maker.
VIA PFF
24. Indianapolis Colts
- Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
- Biggest offseason addition: CB Charvarius Ward (56.2)
- Biggest offseason loss: C Ryan Kelly (67.0)
One of the most underwhelming quarterback battles in recent memory ended with Daniel Jones being named the team’s starting quarterback to open the 2025 campaign. Whether he’ll finish the season as the starter is a different question. The offense, with Jones, doesn’t have a particularly high ceiling but might be able to grind out more wins than the Anthony Richardson rollercoaster.
The playoffs are still the goal for the Colts in the AFC South, and the defense has enough intrigue to keep them in contention. It’s really up to the offense and how the Daniel Jones experiment plays out.
One player to watch in 2025: Wide receiver Josh Downs has been the most consistent receiver in a strong room for the Colts over the past two seasons. He earned an 84.8 PFF overall grade in 2024 and could be Jones’ top target in 2025.
VIA CBS Sports
26. Colts
They opted for Daniel Jones as their quarterback, which tells you what they think of Anthony Richardson. The roster has talent, but it’s all about quarterback.
Disappointing, but not completely unexpected for a team entering Week 1 with veteran Daniel Jones as its starting quarterback (without an injury to the starter), and not an elite defense backing him up.
The Colts have some good players on both sides of the ball, but it’s still a roster that lacks elite talent at the league’s most important positions and really needs some of its younger players such as rookie Tyler Warren, Laiatu Latu, and AD Mitchell to take a major leap—or in Warren’s case, make an immediate impact.
Still, we’ve seen the Colts beat the odds before. In 2012, coming off a 2-12 season, they were projected to be a bottom feeder again, but surprisingly finished the season 11-5 and began to ‘Build the Monster.’ That being said, #1 overall pick Andrew Luck isn’t coming back through that door again to ride on his white horse.
The goods news though is that the AFC South appears to be up for grabs again, as its a division that someone had to win over the past two seasons by default. Two of their divisional rivals, the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars finished 3-14 and 4-13 respectively, so both have a lot of work to do. It could come down to whether the Colts can topple the 2x reigning AFC South Champion Houston Texans, who finished 10-7 last year.
