It is too early to call Indianapolis Colts rookie running back DJ Giddens a closer, yet that is exactly how the team used him in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. Some obvious reasons exist for that, though. The game was a blowout.
Indy won the game 33-8, and Miami looked awful. But one reason they did was because the Colts made them look that way. Indianapolis dominated on both sides of the ball, quarterback Daniel Jones was terrific, and the running game was impressive.
Starter Jonathan Taylor was strong and quick, as he always is. The team led so much that Indy didn't need Taylor to get much work in the second half. He wasn't hurt. He simply wasn't being risked to injury.
DJ Giddens proves to be a draft steal in Week 1 for the Indianapolis Colts
The team also chose to see what Giddens could do. The fifth-round 2025 draft pick was questionable entering the game with an elbow injury, but he appeared to be perfectly healthy. He also seemingly proved that should something happen to Taylor (and, obviously, we don't want to jinx anything here), Giddens would be a productive substitute.
More importantly, a running back that head coach Shane Steichen trusts.
The rookie finished with 41 yards on 12 carries with a long of 12, but it was the number of rushes that mattered. He was the workhorse in the second half when all Indy needed to do was control the clock. Indianapolis did even better than that, however. The team continued to score on every drive.
Giddens helped the training keep rolling. He picked up the tough yards to pick up first downs. While he didn't have a truly explosive run, he ran with power. His style is a perfect fit for what the Indianapolis Colts want to do on offense. Keep drives going, finish with points, and tire the opposing defense.
One aspect to watch is if Indianapolis gets Giddens involved in the passing game, too. While Jonathan Taylor had three catches for 27 yards, Giddens was not targeted. In college at Kansas State, he wasn't targeted much either, but he did average more than 10 yards a reception. That is a solid number for a running back.
What is clear is that general manager Chris Ballard was a winner in the 2025 draft by getting DJ Giddens so late. He should be the perfect complement to Taylor for the foreseeable future.