The Indianapolis Colts could be staring at a brutal stretch to open the 2026 season. This doesn't mean Indy won't find a way to be successful, though. The hope is that the roster overall is better than last year. The issue is that starting quarterback Daniel Jones might not be ready in Week 1.
According to FanSided NFL analyst Rucker Haringey, Colts fans should brace themselves for a reality that doesn't include Danny Dimes for the first few weeks of the season. Rushing back from tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 14 last season does no one any good, of course.
Haringey writes, "The more conservative path for the Colts would be to start the season with Riley Leonard or Anthony Richardson as their starter. That would buy Jones a few extra weeks to strengthen his ankle ligaments. Even if that happens, fans in Indianapolis should be cautiously optimistic about how Jones' rehab is progressing."
Indianapolis Colts fans should brace for Daniel Jones not to return by Week 1
The article traces the returns of three QBs who were injured relatively late last season. Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, who Indy will face in Week 2, is rehabbing from a torn ACL. He's reportedly working seven hours a day to try to get back on the field and is aiming for a Week 1 return.
Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos, who broke his ankle in the playoffs, is also trying to get back by Week 1 and appears on track to do so. Denver is one of the favorites in the AFC, but having the efficient Nix is a must.
Oddly, of the three teams, the Colts might be in the best position for relative success. Jones was excellent in the first half of last season when the team was 7-1 and operating at historic levels offensively. The quarterback began to digress even before he tore his Achilles, though, and maybe partly because he was trying to play with a fractured fibula.
In the first eight games, Jones had three total turnovers, all interceptions. In the last five games he played, he had eight turnovers (five interceptions and three lost fumbles). The problem for the team that would lose its final seven games was that numerous players were hurt, not just Jones.
Plus, the Indianapolis Colts have two quarterbacks who were in head coach Shane Steichen's system last season, Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson. Leonard was quite good in Week 18 when given a chance to start, and he was good against one of the best defenses in the league, the Houston Texans.
Maybe Daniel Jones won't be back until Week 4 or later, but Indianapolis might still have some success if other players stay healthy. That's the hope anyway.
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