One of the most intriguing quarterback battles to follow in the NFL is that of the Indianapolis Colts, who welcome a new Head Coach in Shane Steichen, as well as having drafted a signal-caller with their top overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Ahead of the fantasy football season, we break down what you can expect from the Colts’ starter in the pocket.
Colts starting quarterback: Anthony Richardson
UPDATE: Steichen has made it official for Week 1 of the 2023 regular season.
Colts now have named first-round pick Anthony Richardson as their starting QB for the regular season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 15, 2023
Shane Steichen and the Colts wasted no time by giving the number four overall pick the keys to the starting job. Richardson was named the starter for Indianapolis’ first preseason game as the team brass has apparently seen enough throughout training camp to warrant giving him significant reps from the get-go.
Despite having started just 13 games at Florida while being generally regarded as a raw pocket passer, Richardson’s athleticism and upside speak for itself. At 6’4” with a 244-pound frame, he wowed scouts after running a 4.43 40-yard dash at this year’s NFL combine.
Who is Anthony Richardson’s backup on the Colts QB depth chart?
The veteran Gardner Minshew will back up Richardson on the Colts’ depth chart. The fifth-year man is coming off previous stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles, having logged 24 starts with an 8-16 record in the same time span. With two seasons spent each in Jacksonville and Philadelphia, his best years came with the former after throwing for 5,530 yards with 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, to go alongside a 93.1 quarterback rating.