It's no secret that Anthony Richardson has struggled in his first two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Though Richardson is clearly an elite athlete with sky-high potential, he had massive problems with his accuracy and consistency, particularly in the 2024 season. It only got worse after Daniel Jones was signed, and the Colts announced Richardson would have to fight to keep his job as QB1.
Many have heavily criticized Richardson for his performance so far in the NFL, with some even going so far as to label him as a bust already. But analysts are still cautiously optimistic about his potential, and one new stat could renew other hopes for his future - especially when compared to Patrick Mahomes, by far the best quarterback in the NFL right now.
Fantasy Points data analyzed every quarterback's accuracy for 20+ yard passes out of a clean pocket - and Richardson came in second place.
Anthony Richardson delivered a 76% catchable ball rate on throws of 20+ air yards from a clean pocket in 2024.
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) May 18, 2025
QB2 👀
(out of 33 qualifiers)
(Source: @FantasyPtsData)
Richardson's pass-catchers dropped a league-high 18% of these targets. Josh Allen and Bryce Young (11%) were… https://t.co/GflzSz8Uhs pic.twitter.com/EY8QtyZCiy
In this ranking, Mahomes came in 25th out of 33, giving Richardson fans a little bit more to cheer about. Of course, this in no way means Richardson is a better quarterback than Mahomes is; to argue that would be laughable. After all, Richardson falls to the back of the pack in most other ratings, and there's no denying how serious his problems are.
But it does prove that Richardson has some latent talent that hopefully can be developed quickly. He has been working hard, staying healthy, and by all accounts, doing everything he can to keep his place as QB1. It was also pointed out that Richardson was dealing with a league-high drop rate from his receivers, and it's not as if the Colts would be a Super Bowl-caliber team if they just got rid of Anthony Richardson. There are serious problems with the Indianapolis roster on multiple fronts, which thankfully, the team seems to be addressing.
From the beginning, Richardson's rocket arm has been a thing of awe. Combine that with his ability to run, and he has the potential to be a dynamic, explosive quarterback.