For most teams, the answer to this question is easy. Not so much for the 2020 Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts have a lot of talent at a lot of positions. But most of that talent hasn’t been fully realized yet. That makes it hard to determine who the best players on the roster are for this team, especially when there are as many new faces as this Colts team has.
For most teams, the best player is the quarterback. Philip Rivers is an upgrade from Jacoby Brissett for sure but isn’t a top-tier quarterback anymore. He doesn’t get consideration for being the best player on the team, especially coming off a 20 interception season.
T.Y. Hilton gets some consideration. He has been the most consistent receiving threat the Colts have had for the past 6 years or so. He was robbed of a great season in 2019 because of injuries and poor quarterback play, but his talent is still there.
Quenton Nelson might be the answer on offense. He is already one of the best offensive linemen in the league and he has only played for two years. Being selected First-Team All-Pro both of those seasons shows just how talented Nelson already is.
What about the Colts defense?
Darius Leonard has similar credentials on the defensive side of the ball. He was selected as a First-Team All-Pro his rookie season and then was Second-Team All-Pro last year. Leonard did this while missing games both years. He is a star in the making already.
New addition DeForest Buckner has a good case as the best player on this team as well. He has already made an All-Pro team as well and is a disrupter on the defensive line. Buckner has all the talent in the world and should make an immediate impact on this team.
Personally, I think the best player based on talent alone is Nelson. He has changed the way the offensive line is perceived around the league. He is an absolute monster in the run game and is a big reason why the Colts are now a run-first team.
If you argued for Leonard or Bucker, I’d definitely hear you out. Those are both good choices as well. Maybe it’s a good thing that this argument is so tough. It means that this roster is more talented than it has been in the past.