If the Indianapolis Colts are going to be successful this year, rookie Tyler Warren almost certainly has to be a major part of that success. It’s hard to imagine Indy’s offense being truly dangerous without a Brock Bowers-type performance from their first-round pick.
But in Sunday’s opener against the Miami Dolphins, a different rookie may play almost as big a role on offense. DJ Giddens, chosen in the fifth round this past April, may find himself thrust into the spotlight a little bit ahead of schedule.
Giddens isn’t going to start, and there’s a game script under which he actually doesn’t have a very big impact. But there’s an alternate game script, and it’s reasonably likely. It is dependent on three factors. One of them will be universal throughout the season. The other two are specific to this game.
Why DJ Giddens is flying under the radar heading into Week 1 for the Indianapolis Colts
The universal aspect is simple. It doesn’t matter how good or bad Daniel Jones turns out to be. It doesn’t matter whether the potentially dangerous receiving corps triumphs or falters. It doesn’t even matter how quickly Tyler Warren excels.
In 2025, the Indianapolis Colts' offense is all about Jonathan Taylor. If he plays to his ceiling, the Colts’ offense will be decent, even if those other elements come up short. If he plays to his ceiling and gets any help at all, the Colts’ offense will shock people.
But Taylor can’t be ridden into the ground. In his five-year career, he has had more than 1,300 touches. 274 touches per season. More than 20 per game. And he has missed significant time in two of those five seasons.
There are backs who can survive that kind of usage. Well, there’s one back. It’s Derrick Henry. He is a physical marvel who is 25 pounds bigger than Taylor. Taylor is tough and very productive, but Shane Steichen has to think about keeping Taylor in peak form throughout a very long season.
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It is hard to pull a back like Taylor off the field when he is going good. You only do it if you know his backup can produce. Giddens is probably going to get the first crack at showing he can be the one to help preserve Taylor.
That is the first of the two factors specific to this game. We don’t know Tyler Goodson’s injury status right now, but there is a good chance he either won’t play on Sunday, or, if he does, it will be in a limited role.
Khalil Herbert could be pulled up from the practice squad to fill in, but Giddens has already claimed a roster spot over Herbert. The rookie from Kansas State will likely get a shot.
And the defense he will be running against has a lot of questions. That is the third factor. A few years back, when Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis were in middle, the Dolphins’ run defense was pretty stout. They have been struggling to redefine that defense over the past year.
On Sunday, likely, a couple of Miami rookies – Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips – will be playing major minutes in the middle of the defensive line. They are part of a rebuilding process that is going on down in southern Florida.
Though the Dolphins have a couple of decent defenders in their front seven, there is nothing that should scare the Colts’ offense. If those rookies don’t have big games, both Taylor and Giddens should get a lot of chances to carry the ball.
The more effective they can be, the better Indy will be able to control the clock and keep Tua, Tyreek, and Jaylen off the field.
So, the Indianapolis Colts are going to run the ball. Miami could be susceptible to the run. Jonathan Taylor will get a lot of work, but he will need help. And that all sets up perfectly for DJ Giddens to have a very nice introduction to the NFL