Guest of the League
All World League Est. 2003
FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Colts tab QB Daniel Jones as starter

Tue Aug 19 11:51am ET
Field Level Media

The Indianapolis Colts are turning to free-agent acquisition Daniel Jones over fellow former first-round pick Anthony Richardson as the team's starting quarterback.

"He's our starting quarterback for the season," head coach Shane Steichen said Tuesday. "I feel confident in his abilities."

Signed to a one-year, $14 million contract in the offseason, Jones joined the Colts to take part in an open competition for the job.

"When they both came in, I made it very clear that this is going to be a battle, and they're going to compete for the job," Steichen said Saturday after Indianapolis' preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. "And like I said, I'm going to make the decision I feel is best for the football team."

It's a second chance at an NFL starting job for Jones, one that puts Richardson's future with the Colts in question.

Jones, 28, was the No. 6 overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2019 NFL Draft. He suffered a season-ending ACL tear in 2023 but returned in time to start the 2024 season as the team's No. 1 quarterback.

He was benched after a 2-8 start to the season by New York and was replaced by Tommy DeVito, prompting Jones to request to be released from the Giants last November before signing with the Minnesota Vikings and was assigned to the practice squad. He did not play in any games with the Vikings, who planned to have J.J. McCarthy under center to start the 2025 season.

Jones has 14,582 passing yards, 70 touchdown passes and 47 interceptions in 70 career games (69 starts). He has 2,179 rushing yards with 15 TDs. His record as the Giants' starter was 24-44-1.

Richardson, 23, has struggled with both injuries and with inaccurate passing since being selected by the Colts with the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

For his career, Richardson has completed 50.6 percent of his passes for 2,391 yards and 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 15 games. He has also been sacked 21 times and committed 12 fumbles.

Richardson has been limited to 15 starts over his first two NFL seasons due to a myriad of injuries, including to his shoulder, oblique, foot, back and finger, as well as a concussion.

The Colts open the 2025 season Sept. 7 against the visiting Miami Dolphins.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

2025 Fantasy Tight End Preview

Player Notes
Tyreek Hill Aug 19 11:00am CT
Tyreek Hill

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (oblique) did side work on the JUGS machine but was not a participant during the team's practice on Tuesday, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Hill's oblique injury is not expected to threaten his availability for the start of the regular season. The 31-year-old has not had the greatest training camp as he looks to rebound from a down 2024 season. In addition to injury, Hill's chemistry with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has reportedly been suspect. Hill profiles as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in fantasy, but one with significant variance in his possible outcomes. If Hill rediscovers his prior form, he could smash his ADP. However, if Miami's offense struggles or Hill deals with injuries and/or age-related decline, he could be a massive bust.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Aug 19 10:50am CT
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (groin) will not practice on Tuesday, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The severity of Smith's injury is unclear, but it's a potentially worrying sign for Philadelphia, given that they are also currently without star wideout A.J. Brown (hamstring). The Eagles made a trade to acquire wide receiver John Metchie III from the Houston Texans on Monday, which could indicate that the team is at least somewhat concerned about its depth at the position. If Smith and/or Brown were to miss time, Metchie III and Jahan Dotson would likely be heavily relied upon. Assuming Smith's groin injury is minor, he profiles as a high-end WR3 whose value would skyrocket if Brown were to remain sidelined for a significant stretch.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Aug 19 10:50am CT
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (groin) will practice in a limited capacity on Tuesday due to a groin injury, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Goedert is a new addition to the team's injury report. Missed time has been a consistent issue for Goedert throughout his career, as he's missed at least three games in four out of his last five seasons. The 30-year-old is an efficient receiving tight end who typically does not see many targets in the Eagles' run-heavy offense. However, Goedert could be a great value early in the season if current injuries to A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (groin) keep the Eagles' top two wide receivers sidelined for a significant stretch.

From RotoBaller

Dontayvion Wicks Aug 19 10:40am CT
Dontayvion Wicks

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf) will not practice this week, according to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Wicks has been out of action for several weeks already with a calf injury, so at this point it's fair to question his availability for the start of the regular season. The Packers' wide receiver room has dealt with myriad injuries in addition to Wicks during training camp, including Jayden Reed (foot) and Savion Williams (concussion). The team finally got some good news when Romeo Doubs (back) returned to practice on Monday. With the injury uncertainty behind them on the depth chart, Doubs and rookie Matthew Golden could both be in line for significant target shares early in the regular season.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Aug 19 10:20am CT
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels finished with 14 rushing yards and a touchdown in Washington's 31-17 loss against the Bengals. Daniels didn't need to attempt a pass on the Commanders' explosive four-play, 74-yard opening drive. The drive began with an end-around to newly acquired weapon Deebo Samuel for 19 yards. The Commanders then gashed Cincinnati again in the run game with Chris Rodriguez getting loose for 40 yards. Daniels capped it off with a 14-yard scramble up the middle of the field, where he made a move on Bengals safety Jordan Battle near the goal line, and bounced right off him into the endzone standing up. Head coach Dan Quinn saw enough from the second-year signal caller, who looks primed for an MVP-caliber year after his historic rookie season. The next step will be getting his star wideout, Terry McLaurin, back on the practice field to get ramped up for week 1 at home against the Giants

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Aug 19 10:20am CT
Daniel Jones

The Indianapolis Colts have named Daniel Jones as the team's starting quarterback heading into the regular season, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Jones had been competing with Anthony Richardson Sr., who will serve as the backup. In 10 games last season for the New York Giants, Jones completed 63.3% of his pass attempts for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He's been an above-average rusher at the quarterback position throughout his career, averaging 5.5 yards per rush attempt and scoring 15 touchdowns with his legs. Jones does not profile as a starting-caliber fantasy quarterback, even in two-QB formats. However, he might be better than Richardson Sr. for the Colts' pass-catchers, as Jones has been a more consistent thrower of the football than Richardson Sr. in recent seasons.

From RotoBaller

Tetairoa McMillan Aug 19 10:20am CT
Tetairoa McMillan

Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (hamstring) was "working off to the side with no pads" during the team's practice on Tuesday, according to Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer. McMillan is reportedly dealing with a minor hamstring injury that could keep him out of the team's final preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday. Assuming McMillan is healthy for the start of the regular season, he has a good chance to emerge as the clear number one target in Carolina right away. He profiles as a low-end WR2 in fantasy with significant upside.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Aug 19 10:01am CT
Daniel Jones

The Colts have named Daniel Jones their starting quarterback for the start of the 2025 season. Anthony Richardson will serve as the top backup.

Jalen McMillan Aug 19 10:00am CT
Jalen McMillan

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (neck) will not be ready for the season opener, according to Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times. Stroud reported that McMillan suffered a neck sprain. McMillan sustained their injury during their preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend. While reports earlier on Tuesday suggested that McMillan was only to be held out of practice, it appears the second-year wideout has suffered a more serious injury. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he could miss multiple games if he is unable to progress. Chris Godwin (ankle) is also trending toward missing the start of the season, which would leave veteran Mike Evans and rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka as the top options in the passing attack. After a slow start in his rookie season, McMillan emerged as a breakout as he caught at least one touchdown pass in each of his final five games. When he does return, he will likely slot in as the No. 4 option behind Egbuka, which will limit his upside.

From RotoBaller

Jalen McMillan Aug 19 9:40am CT
Jalen McMillan

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (back) is not practicing on Tuesday, according to Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times. The 23-year-old has been held out of action since suffering a back injury during the preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he could be in danger of missing the remainder of the preseason if this injury begins to linger. Last season, McMillan enjoyed a productive second half in his rookie campaign. After catching just 13 passes throughout the first eight games, McMillan would go on to score at least one touchdown in each of his final five games of the regular season and average a stellar 19.8 PPR points per game over this stretch. However, with first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka gaining traction during camp, McMillan may take a step back during his sophomore season.

From RotoBaller

Austin Ekeler Aug 19 9:30am CT
Austin Ekeler

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler is still viewed as a "key" piece of the offense, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Earlier this week, reports suggested that the Commanders were actively looking to find a trade partner for running back Brian Robinson Jr. During training camp and the opening weeks of the preseason, rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt has flashed immense upside and appears to be in the running to take the starting job over Robinson. Last season, Ekeler served as the primary third-down running back in the offense. While he missed five games, he was rather productive when on the field. During his first 10 games in D.C., Ekeler averaged a solid 12.3 PPR points per game with solid 5.1 YPC. Even if Robinson were to stay on the Commanders, Ekeler would likely have a significant role on passing downs. He is worth a look as a late-round depth RB as he could even carve out a more substantial role if Robinson were to be traded.

From RotoBaller

Jonathan Mingo Aug 19 9:20am CT
Jonathan Mingo

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (knee) is expected to start the season on injured reserve after leaving Saturday's preseason game with a knee injury. This was to be Mingo's first full season with the Cowboys after he was acquired via mid-season trade in 2024, with Dallas sending a fourth and a seventh round pick to the Carolina Panthers. Mingo is now expected to miss the next four to six weeks, if not longer. Teams can place up to two players directly onto injured reserve when finalizing their 53-man rosters one week from Tuesday. If this is the route the team takes with Mingo, he will be eligible to return to the team as early as Week 5, though his recovery timeline would suggest it will be later. Mingo was battling Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin for the team's third wide receiver spot behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and whoever lands in that role should see spike weeks of fantasy relevance in a pass-heavy Cowboys attack.

From RotoBaller

Terry McLaurin Aug 19 9:20am CT
Terry McLaurin

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Washington Commanders Terry McLaurin may not find a team willing to give him the desired contract of $30+ million per year. Instead, Russini's sources tell her that most teams view McLaurin as a $27-$28 million player. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor McLaurin's status as he continues a "hold-in" with his team. McLaurin has been seeking a contract extension with the Commanders, but the team has been unwilling to pay him the figure he is seeking. Last season, the former Ohio State Buckeye enjoyed a career year with Jayden Daniels under center. McLaurin found the back of the end zone an impressive 13 times and tallied at least 1,000 yards for the fifth-straight campaign. With McLaurin continuing to hold out, fantasy managers should expect Deebo Samuel Sr. to continue to serve as their top pass catcher.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Aug 19 9:00am CT
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) was spotted on Tuesday morning, putting in rehab work on a side field. The 28-year-old has been held out of practice for multiple weeks, but the team has maintained that he will be ready for Week 1. Seeing him run at half speed is a positive step and a reassuring image to those who have already drafted him. Brown is currently RotoBaller's WR9, and his ADP saw very little dip even as he continued to miss practice. The Eagles threw the ball on under 45% of their offensive plays last season, which is good for 32nd in the league. Even with another successful season projected, that number is bound to move closer to the norm, and Brown should be the greatest benefactor. Soft tissue injuries tend to linger, but if he can slowly ramp up over the next few weeks, he enters 2025 as a very safe WR1.

From RotoBaller

Ainias Smith Aug 19 8:50am CT
Ainias Smith

Second-year Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Ainias Smith has enjoyed a healthy training camp, and his coaches have taken notice. Last season, as a fifth-round rookie, he struggled through camp with a stress fracture in his shin that would eventually land him on Injured Reserve for two months. This year, he is healthy and competing for one of the Eagles' last receiver spots on the 53-man roster. He has played in each of the team's first two preseason games, catching a touchdown in both and returning punts and kicks, as his path to the roster may run through special teams. Smith has been competing with fellow second-year wideout Johnny Wilson and undrafted rookie Darius Cooper for one of the team's final roster spots, and on Sunday, the Eagles acquired former second-round pick John Metchie III from the Houston Texans. Whoever can win the camp battle will have little relevance in managed redraft leagues, but could be worth a stash in deep dynasty formats.

From RotoBaller

Gabriel Davis Aug 19 8:50am CT
Gabriel Davis

The Buffalo Bills are expected to host 26-year-old free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis this week, following the former Bill and Jaguar's visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. The most productive seasons of Davis' career came in Buffalo, where he twice topped 700 yards and never scored fewer than six touchdowns in any of his four campaigns. Coming off a down season in Jacksonville, where he recorded career lows in all major receiving categories, he is looking for a career resurgence. Whether he lands in Pittsburgh or Buffalo, neither team is currently loaded at the receiver position. He could plausibly work his way into a usable role and potential fantasy relevance, especially in best ball formats, where he has always been most valuable.

From RotoBaller

Caleb Williams Aug 19 8:40am CT
Caleb Williams

After sitting out of his team's first preseason game, Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams led the Bears on a seven-play, 92-yard opening drive on Sunday Night that ended with a 35-yard TD pass. Over his 13 total snaps, he completed six of 10 passes for 107 yards and a 103.6 passer rating to go with his lone TD pass. According to head coach Ben Johnson, William's preseason debut came during his best stretch of training camp. "I thought really the three days of practice we had this week and this game were the most he's stacked up good days in a row right now," said Johnson. "The challenge is going to be keep pushing that direction." Williams enters year two after a disappointing rookie season with notable improvements to his pass protectors, playmakers, and playcaller. If he can continue to make strides in Johnson's fantasy-friendly system, he could be a late-round steal as RotoBaller's current QB12.

From RotoBaller

Marvin Harrison Jr. Aug 19 8:40am CT
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is approaching year two differently from his rookie season, and his connection with quarterback Kyler Murray continues to strengthen. Harrison entered training camp physically transformed, packing on about ten pounds of muscle, and he has worked closely with wide receivers coach Drew Terrell, adding nuance to his route running. Harrison and Murray connected several times in a recent joint practice against the Denver Broncos, showing enough for head coach Jonathan Gannon to rest his starters in the team's second preseason game. Harrison's first year in Arizona was solid, if unspectacular. However, he left many drafters feeling burnt after seeing the highest ADP ever for a rookie wideout. He is currently being drafted as the WR15, but he could easily turn in a WR1 season if he can earn the same year two trust from Murray that we saw from teammate Trey McBride in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Pitts Aug 19 8:40am CT
Kyle Pitts

Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Hugh Douglas was a guest on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, and he is bullish on the 2025 Falcons offense. He boldly predicted fireworks, and he believes second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the key to unlocking fifth-year tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. Pitts exploded onto the scene with a 1,000 yard rookie campaign after being the highest drafted tight end in NFL history, but he has yet to top 55 receptions or 700 yards in any of his three seasons since, and his four touchdowns in 2024 were a career high. His raw talent and intriguing physical profile will keep him on many a draft radar, despite the scars of the past. His current Yahoo Fantasy ADP of TE17 is the lowest of his career, and if his connection with Penix can match what he had with Matt Ryan in 2021, he may finally reward drafters willing to take another shot on him.

From RotoBaller

Joe Burrow Aug 19 6:40am CT
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow completed nine of 14 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. Burrow led a nine-play, 58-yard scoring drive, where running back Chase Brown punched it in on fourth-and-goal. After going three-and-out on his second drive, Burrow drove the backups down the field for another touchdown, this time to wide receiver Charlie Jones. The Bengals advocated that the starters would see more reps in the preseason, believing that's part of the reason for the team's slow starts in the past. For the first time in his six-year career, Burrow played into the second quarter in a preseason game, playing more snaps than he did last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2024 league-leader in passing yards has now led the team to touchdowns on four of his five drives during this preseason. Burrow and the starters will have one more chance to get preseason reps next week against the Indianapolis Colts before they face the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.

From RotoBaller