The Indianapolis Colts showed the makings of a Super Bowl contender through much of the season, only growing stronger with the addition of Sauce Gardner back at the trade deadline. Their top offensive talents like standout rookie Tyler Warren and Michael Pittman Jr. performed just as well as the real team as fantasy football standouts, but the situation has taken a turn for the worse with a three-game losing streak and season-ending Achilles injury to quarterback Daniel Jones. Now, the Colts are turning to an unexpected source to try and salvage the season — former quarterback Philip Rivers.
The team signed the longtime veteran to the practice squad on Tuesday and there’s a very real chance he could start as soon as Week 15. If Rivers does indeed assume the lead job under center, can managers still start the Colts’ top weapons in Warren and Pittman Jr. during the fantasy football playoffs?
Analysis
Heading into the Week 11 bye, the Colts’ offense ranked first in points (32.1) and yards (396.0), as well as fourth in passing yards (251.6) and fourth in yards per pass (8.2). Despite a slight dip in production over the last few games to fifth in points (28.9) and sixth in yards per game (368.5), the play of Jones has still created some excellent numbers for fantasy assets in the process. Pittman Jr. averages 14.1 FPPG and comes in as the overall WR9 in PPR, while Warren posts 12.4 FPPG and slots in as the PPR TE4. As weekly staples in most fantasy lineups, the loss of their starting quarterback certainly dampens the outlook heading into the most critical juncture of the season. The biggest question now is whether Rivers can step in off the street to support either pass catcher.
Answering that query is rather difficult. Saying the quarterback was signed off the couch isn’t really a hyperbole given that Rivers turned 44 years old earlier this week and last appeared in an NFL game during the 2020 campaign when he played for Indianapolis. Retired players occasionally come back, but a five-year layoff from the his last start is practically unheard of in situations like these. Working the veteran out and signing him to the practice squad this quickly conveys a real sense of both urgency and desperation on behalf of the Colts’ organization, but with their season ticking away, the reasoning behind the move does make sense… at least in theory.
Rivers is an eight-time Pro Bowler who totaled 17 years in the NFL during his playing days. The last time he was seen on the gridiron, he led the Colts to an 11-5 record with a 68.0% completion rate and 4,169 passing yards, tossing 24 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in the process. He averaged 260.6 yards per game during that campaign and his 2.0% interception rate showed he could still take care of the football, and he wasn’t exclusively working in the short areas of the field either with a respectable 7.7 yards per attempt. Rivers seemed to still have quality football left in the tank at the time when he walked away from the game, but half a decade has passed since then.
The quarterback is a consummate professional with more than enough experience to step in and lead an offense. However, his arm strength at this stage remains uncertain, and he’s not going to be immediately familiar with Shane Steichen’s offense either. Can fantasy players still trust Rivers’ weapons if he does wind up as the starter in Week 15 and beyond?
For fantasy managers with Warren at tight end, the answer is likely a yes. The rookie excels as a big-bodied target in the short and intermediate game and will likely create mismatches against linebackers to haul in checkdowns and keep the chains moving as he has all season. Assuming Rivers can still read the field at a professional level — he absolutely should be able to given his status as a likely future Hall-of-Famer (though the five-year clock on his eligibility will reset if he takes a snap) — the Colts’ star tight end still belongs in fantasy lineups heading into the playoffs. Given the nature of the position, Warren still provides a positional advantage regardless.
Reading the outlook for Pittman Jr. is a bit more uncertain since he tends to see more downfield looks and sits second on the team in air yards behind only Alec Pierce. Both of those players may see less upside for big plays if Rivers’ arm strength isn’t what it once was, or if he simply comes back rusty in Week 15. There’s some risk involved with starting either of those guys, but Pittman did play with Rivers in 2020 so it’s possible there’s rapport between the wide receiver and the signal-caller. It’s difficult to say he’s a must-start option, but given his role and possible volume, Pittman still belongs in lineups as a low-end WR2 or FLEX option. Despite the situation, it’s difficult to bench him given the stakes of the fantasy playoffs.
