After a year that saw Anthony Richardson lose his starting QB job and request a trade from the Colts, HC Shane Steichen made it clear that Richardson will be the team’s backup behind Daniel Jones, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Rushing upside on standby
This news might fly under the radar in early September, but it could matter later in the 2026 season.
In Richardson’s second season, he started 11 games and produced 7.8 fantasy rushing points per game (PPG). That mark was the third-highest among QBs, trailing only Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen, while ranking ahead of Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson.
Richardson has had trouble as a passer, throwing for under 6.0 adjusted yards per attempt in his lone season with at least 100 pass attempts. That ultimately led to him becoming the backup QB he is today.
But with Jones missing a total of 22 games over the past three seasons and ranking in the top 10 among all quarterbacks in injuries per season, there is a strong possibility Richardson is needed this season.
If Richardson is thrust into one start or multiple, he’d instantly become one of the top streaming options, if not the top one.
