The Indianapolis Colts begin their 2026 campaign on Sunday against the tough Baltimore Ravens, and while Indy knows who its high-end contributors should be, those stars still need help. Unsung heroes, like those that follow, also need to emerge.
Last season, Indianapolis's brilliant 7-1 start turned into a dismal finish. Some of that was due to a lack of quality depth. If key injuries happen again this year, and they almost always do, then those players not expected to be Jonathan Taylor or Sauce Gardner need to become close replicas.
Teams often win or lose based on the next-man-up approach. Even if players like Taylor and Gardner don't get hurt, they might still underperform at times. Others must pick up the slack to get the Colts to their first playoff appearance since 2020.
These three Indianapolis Colts could turn into breakout stars against the Baltimore Ravens
Safety AJ Haulcy
Haulcy was a third-round draft pick this year and has only recently returned to being a full participant in practice. He hasn't been ruled out for Week 1 (no player has), so he should be expected to make an impact. Will he start besides Cam Bynum, or will Hunter Wohler do that? Ultimately, it doesn't matter, as Haulcy should get his chance to be great.
In college, he was the kind of ball hawk that Nick Cross, Indy's starting safety next to Bynum in the previous two years, wasn't. Haulcy can also play the run well, which will be key against the Ravens and Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
In Week 1, Haulcy might not simply have the opportunity to help stop Baltimore's rushing attack, but he could make a game-changing play or three. The rookie safety might turn into an immediate star.
Edge rusher Jaylahn (JT) Tuimoloau
Few expect Tuimoloau to do much at this point, even though he has only played in the league for one season. He played well on special teams in spots during the preseason, but that can't be his sole role moving forward. He was a second-round choice in 2025, and that means he needs to develop into a good edge rusher.
General manager Chris Ballard does have a history of choosing poorly in the higher rounds of the draft relative to edge rushers (Laiatu Latu might be the outlier in that regard), but Tuimoloau has plenty of time to prove he isn't a bust. Why not start in Week 1?
Tuimoloau doesn't appear to possess great strength or speed, but he does have some quickness. If he could manage to get two sacks on Lamar Jackson, that would not only change the trending narrative about where Tuimoloau's career is heading, but also give the player enough confidence to possibly transform Indy's defense overall.
Running back Seth McGowan
McGowan is Jonathan Taylor's clear backup at this point, but that is a good place to be, especially if the Indianapolis Colts move forward with a plan to have Taylor get more time off in games. McGowan was a training camp star and might be productive in spells behind Indy's starting offensive line.
If Taylor's reps truly are slightly diminished, that means the rookie running back will have plenty of opportunities to produce against the Ravens. McGowan has power and surprising speed. The Ravens might not know what is about to hit them in Week 1.
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