3 Colts that should see more action in the second-half of the season

The Indianapolis Colts bounced back from a three game losing streak with a strong defensive performance against 2023 number one overall pick Bryce Young. The win improved the Colts record to one game under .500, making the second half of the season crucial to playoff hopes.

Unfortunately, injuries have plagued the Indianapolis locker room with rookies Anthony Richardson, JuJu Brents, and Josh Downs all missing playing time throughout the season. While big playmakers are left on the injury report, hidden gems will need to shine to keep the Colts' playoff chances alive as the season arrives at the halfway point.

Thankfully, general manger Chris Ballard has a golden eye for talent. The defense has only two players who were drafted in the first round of an NFL draft, and both are on the defensive line. Late-round picks and undrafted free agents such as Zaire Franklin and Kenny Moore II make up the remaining spots, displaying Ballard's ability to find overlooked talent to fill the starting roster.

As each game gets more meaningful, the Colts will need big plays to come from anyone on the field. From a defense that has struggled thus far to an offense that has given the ball away far too much, here are some hidden talent that deserve more opportunities heading into Week 10.

3. TE Andrew Ogletree deserves more targets

The 6-foot-5 tight end Andrew Ogletree has only nine catches on the year but still has 147 yards, giving him an average of over 16 yards per catch. Eight of Ogletree's nine catches have resulted in first downs, with two of those being a touchdown.

The former Youngstown State player missed out on the entire 2022 season for the Colts last year due to a knee injury. For his first season healthy, Ogletree finds himself as the Colts' fifth-highest receiving yards leader on the year. Outside of the passing game, Ogletree has been an efficient blocker for the quarterback as he is ranked seventh in pass blocking by PFF.

Head coach Shane Steichen should look to give Ogletree's playmaking a bigger role in the Gardner Minshew offense. The two have connected for plenty of big plays already, including a huge touchdown against the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago.

2. LB Shaq Leonard needs to play big snaps

Discourse between the former All-Pro linebacker and his defensive coordinator has gone viral over the past few weeks. Shaq Leonard wants to see more playing time, but has not seen an increase in snaps from DC Gus Bradley despite steady improvement throughout the season.

The Indianapolis defense has put up a number of poor performances this season, and Bradley's defensive coaching abilities are starting to be questioned by fans. Leonard's numbers weren't the greatest to the start the season, but in only 39 snaps in Week 9, the heart of this defensive unit put up ten combined tackles.

Bradley needs to be looking Shaq's way in crucial moments this season and it starts by letting him play on third down. Even with the NFL's tackle leader in Zaire Franklin missing out on last week's game, Leonard saw little action. "It's very heartbreaking," said Leonard. "It is is what it is. I gotta continue to get better, I gotta continue to play harder, I gotta continue to be the best guy that I can possibly be for this team."

This week's matchup against a weak New England Patriots squad is the perfect opportunity for Leonard to bounce back into form. Patriots QB Mac Jones has been a turnover machine this season, and the All-Pro linebacker known for his punch-out ability needs to capitalize on this weakness for his first forced turnover on the year.

3. DE Dayo Odeyingbo's pass rushing needs to be unleashed

The third-year player out of Vanderbilt is having his best NFL season to date, with three sacks and two forced fumbles at the halfway point of the year. With a deep defensive line, players are constantly rotating in-and-out of drives to try and keep a full tank of energy. While rotations are important, Gus Bradley should have his best players on the field in the biggest moments.

As the season approaches its climax, Dayo Odeyingbo needs to be on the field for big moments. The 24-year-old defensive end is showing improvement every game and has a turnover-forcing ability that the Colts should rely on to be a key factor against a weak remaining schedule.

At 6-foot-6 and 286 pounds, Dayo has freakishly good measureables that could give room to a fully developed beast on the defensive line. Over the summer, PFF predicted Dayo Odeyingbo to take that next step with a full season of healthy reps for the rusher.

With Indianapolis fighting for a playoff spot, the defensive line needs to create good pressure against weaker quarterbacks to take the pressure off of a weak, injury-riddled secondary. Gus Bradley has a lot of pressure on his shoulders to put up a good defensive performance, and sending Odeyingbo after the quarterback more often could prove to pay dividends for Indianapolis.

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