Anderson Castle has had an odd football life. The Indianapolis Colts rookie who was signed as an undrafted free agent didn't get a lot of rushes in college at either Appalachian State or Duke, but he knew what to do once he had the ball. In 2025, for instance, he scored 12 touchdowns on just 115 carries.
In training camp with Indy so far, the 6-foot and 215-pound running back has been a standout. The issue for him is that as a UDFA, he is buried on the depth chart, so the reps he has gotten haven't been against players expected to make an impact on the team. To make a real run at a roster spot, Castle needs to be good against first-teamers and in the preseason.
In the latter aspect, so far so good. Castle got the most carries of any Indianapolis running back (9). Yes, they came against backups for the New England Patriots, but Castle can only succeed against those players he is facing. He needs chances against starters, too.
Anderson Castle continues to impress with the Indianapolis Colts
Against New England, Castle had nine rushes for 47 yards, an average of 5.2 yards per carry. He didn't have a chance to catch a pass, but maybe that will come in preseason Weeks 2 or 3. After all, the running back isn't just auditioning for the Colts, but any other team that might want him should he be part of the final roster cuts on August 30.
The Indianapolis Colts have one of the better running backs in the league, of course, in the person of Jonathan Taylor. His immediate backup is still being worked out. That could be rookie Seth McGowan or second-year player DJ Giddens. If Indy only keeps three tailbacks, Castle would probably be one of the odd men out.
He might be forcing Indianapolis into a move that requires tougher roster decisions elsewhere, but for all the best reasons. While the running back was underused in college, he could be a brilliant fit in head coach Shane Steichen's system.
In short-yardage situations, he could be the kind of back who finds his way to the end zone, even though he isn't the biggest back in the NFL. Some players simply have an uncanny knack for finding ways to score. That was Anderson Castle in college, and he has been good at that in training camp too.
The hope is that in the next two preseason games, Castle once again gets lots of reps. He will likely turn that into good production. On August 30, if the Colts no longer use his services, another team probably can.
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