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Wednesday update: The Colts have formally ruled Leonard out for Thursday’s game against the Broncos.
The Indianapolis Colts are likely to be without star linebacker Shaq Leonard for their Week 5 contest against the Denver Broncos, as he is dealing with a fractured nose and concussion. Given the recent scrutiny surrounding the NFL’s concussion protocol, it’s hard to see Leonard get cleared on a short week against Denver.
Shaq Leonard has a fractured nose in addition to the concussion, Frank Reich says.
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) October 4, 2022
Colts need swelling on the nose to come down before they can determine if the nose injury could be problematic going forward.
Fantasy football implications
The Colts have been solid defensively for the most part this season. They held a potent Kansas City offense to just 17 points, and are currently sitting in 14th in points allowed per game. With Leonard likely out, look for Zaire Williams and Bobby Okereke to have a bigger role in Indianapolis’ defensive game plan. The Colts don’t actually have a linebacker listed behind Leonard on the depth chart, so we’ll see how head coach Frank Reich devises the game plan against Russell Wilson and a Broncos offense waiting to erupt.