Through four weeks, the Indianapolis Colts’ first-round investment in Tyler Warren is already paying off in ways that go beyond box score scouting, quickly becoming one of the most reliable pieces in a suddenly explosive offense.
It's only been a month, but he leads all rookie pass catchers in receptions (19) and tops all first-year tight ends in both targets (27) and receiving yards (263), production that underscores just how much trust he’s earned in a short time.
Even without a touchdown yet, Warren has been instrumental to the Colts’ rhythm and spacing.
How Indianapolis Colts' Tyler Warren is doing after four games
He’s operated as a security blanket underneath, a matchup manipulator down the seam, and a formation tool Steichen can move around to create structural advantages. For a team leaning into tempo, spacing, and adaptability, Warren has shown the exact versatility that made him a first-round pick.
A big reason for his early success is how seamlessly he’s toggled between alignments. When the Colts keep him in line, he’s sturdy enough in his technique to sell run looks or stay in protection before slipping into routes.
When he’s flexed into the slot or motioned out wide, his unique blend of size and speed forces defenses to declare coverage or adjust personnel. That position flex opens Steichen’s playbook and allows Indianapolis to stay unpredictable without swapping bodies on and off the field.
Quarterback rhythm has also been a beneficiary. Whether it’s timing throws off play-action or quick-game concepts designed to get the ball out of Daniel Jones' hands early, Warren’s understanding of spacing and leverage has shown up repeatedly.
His ability to sit in soft spots or win across the face of linebackers has kept drives alive and relieved pressure on the rest of the passing attack. He’s already been targeted on key downs and in pivotal situational stretches, which speaks to how quickly he’s been integrated into the install.
What the stat line doesn’t fully capture is how he’s balanced opportunity with consistency. Rookie tight ends often need time to acclimate to the physicality of NFL fronts and the nuances of route adjustments against hybrid coverages.
Warren, instead, looks like he’s been in the system for years.
His hands have been dependable, he’s finishing through contact, and he’s rarely out of sync with Jones when plays break down. With it being so early, that type of chemistry is rare, and it gives Steichen a foundational piece to build around in both the short and long term.
Eventually, the touchdown column will catch up. For now, his role as a volume option and layout-changer is more important than red zone box checking.
Indianapolis has been able to stay in rhythm and expand its vertical and horizontal dimensions because Warren can function as both a traditional tight end and a flexed weapon. If the first month is any indication, his presence is going to keep widening the scope of what Steichen can call -- and how defenses are forced to respond.