Draft These Colts and Thank Me Later: 2025 Fantasy Football Targets.
Let's dive into a few Indianapolis Colts players you should target to gain an advantage in your fantasy football drafts this season. While there's at least one standout player likely to be selected early, the Colts' roster also includes plenty of under-the-radar talent that can provide exceptional late-round value. These hidden gems can significantly impact your team's success late in the season, especially when fantasy playoffs hinge on these crucial late-round matchups.
Let’s get into it.
First up, and this should come as no surprise to anyone following the Colts: Jonathan Taylor. Despite an average draft position of 19.5 in PPR formats—likely a reflection of last year’s injury setbacks and contract holdout—Taylor enters 2025 fully healthy, paid, and poised to produce. Over the final five games of last season, he averaged 28.4 carries, 144.6 rushing yards, and 1.2 touchdowns per game, good for 25.6 fantasy points per contest.
So if you can get JT in the second or third round, do it.
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At age 26, JT remains firmly in his prime and is one of the few running backs currently on track to join the prestigious 10,000-yard club. Critics might highlight concerns about the Colts' offensive line, which has seen notable changes recently, especially with the departure of Ryan Kelly. However, stepping into Kelly’s role is Tanner Bortolini out of Wisconsin, who showed remarkable potential during the 2024 season with 351 snaps played, allowing zero sacks and just seven QB pressures. Furthermore, Bortolini shows veteran tendencies despite his youth—exactly the type of talent GM Chris Ballard consistently drafts. Coupled with Quenton Nelson, who holds the franchise record for most total All-Pro selections (four), the Colts' interior line looks solid. These strong trenches are exactly where Jonathan Taylor thrives, setting him up for another standout fantasy season.
While touching on this underrated Colts interior line, it is important to note what the scheme of this Indianapolis Colts offense is going to be and how it is going to position JT for another breakout season. To put it lightly, that scheme is: run the damn ball. With dynamic dual-threat Anthony Richardson at the helm paired with the talent of Jonathan Taylor, this Colts squad reminds me of the 2019 Baltimore Ravens—the team that broke the record for total rushing yards by a team in a single NFL season, led by Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram. Two guys that are VERY similar to AR and JT.
One last comparison: the play-callers, John Harbaugh and Shane Steichen, share a similar philosophy—put the ball into your freakishly athletic players' hands and let them make plays. Both coaches trust their rushing quarterbacks to take the ball, a crucial aspect that is going to lead to the dominance and success of Jonathan Taylor this year. It is going to be very difficult for teams to stop both of these guys.
Next, let's get into a couple guys you'll be able to get in later rounds. I'm going to start with Alec Pierce and Josh Downs. First, with an average draft position of 170, Pierce has elite deep route running and deep ball ability, which allowed him to lead the NFL in yards per catch (YPC) with 22.3 yards and achieve an average depth of target (aDOT) of 22.8 yards. Granted, this statistic hinges directly on Anthony Richardson being the starting quarterback. If Daniel Jones transitions to starter, we will likely see more of Josh Downs. However, Alec Pierce has been improving his route running and expanding his route tree daily. Pierce’s deep ball percentage and YPC might dip slightly with a change at QB, but Daniel Jones will capitalize on short and medium routes—areas where Richardson struggled. Simply put, Alec Pierce remains a top contributor in this stacked Indianapolis WR room, leading the team with 824 yards in the 2024 season, and with Pro Football Focus projecting him at 182nd overall, that's significant value.
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Now, via Pro Football Focus, Alec Pierce saw 817 snaps compared to Josh Downs' 604 last year. Despite fewer snaps, Downs nearly doubled Pierce’s receptions, totaling 72 compared to Pierce's 37, and you can expect those snap statistics to balance out next season. That's why my number one Colts player you can steal in a late round is Josh Downs. He led the team with 72 receptions on 102 targets, boasting a reception percentage (REC%) of 70.6%. His hands are as reliable as they come, and in this team's RPO scheme, his slot receiver skillset is bound to yield even more targets.
Between Weeks 4 and 11 of the 2024 season, Downs averaged an impressive 15.8 PPR points per game, ranking 13th among all wide receivers in that stretch. His exceptional route-running ability allows him to be targeted frequently, especially against zone defenses, where his 29.6% target rate and 22.3% reception rate both rank first among wide receivers in 2024 (via Pro Football Focus). Despite finishing last year as a top-tier fantasy receiver, Pro Football Focus now ranks him significantly lower, as the 46th overall WR and the 114th overall prospect —creating incredible value depending on how closely your league mates follow the Indianapolis Colts.
Bottom line: don’t overthink it. Jonathan Taylor is still the guy. If he slips into the third round, you’re getting a potential league-winner at a discount. And while you’re at it, grab Josh Downs late — he’s flying under the radar and could be a sneaky flex play all year. Thanks for following along, and I hope this fantasy insight helps a few of you take home the trophy this season.
