A team’s best player and a team’s most indispensable player are not always the same. Usually, this comes down to a question of depth. Sometimes, it may be the value the club places on a particular position.
In the Indianapolis Colts’ case, as they prepare for the 2026 season, you could make the case that their single best player is cornerback Sauce Gardner. Owing to depth, he may not be their most essential player.
Were Gardner to miss time this year, Indianapolis would still have Charvarius Ward, Justin Walley, and Cameron Taylor-Britt to handle both perimeter and slot corner responsibilities. They would have Mekhi Black and Cameron Mitchell, both of whom saw a lot of action last year, in reserve. Cornerback is one of the few positions where general manager Chris Ballard has built decent depth.
The Indianapolis Colts’ five most important players for 2026
The most indispensable players have nothing certain behind them. Such shallowness applies to several vital spots on the Colts roster. It is one of Ballard’s major failings. He has a top-heavy roster with a number of excellent players. He has very little quality depth.
Like at cornerback, the Colts have some depth on the offensive line. There are questions to be sure, but in Jalen Farmer and Blake Freeland, Shane Steichen hopes he has linemen who can step into the fray on the inside or the outside and keep the offense afloat. So Quenton Nelson and Bernhard Raimann - two of the better linemen in the league – do not make my top five most important.
Tyler Warren would be a huge loss at tight end were he to get hurt, but he does not make my top five either. At least there is some reliable veteran experience playing behind him.
So who does make the list?
5. Alec Pierce, wide receiver
Last March, Ballard signed Pierce to a contract making him one of the 15 highest-paid wide receivers in the league. The GM promptly traded away WR1 Michael Pittman, Jr., leaving the job to Pierce. He has to perform. He must expand his route tree to run more intermediate, possession routes.
The Colts have Josh Downs as well as some talent at tight end, but that is not enough to make this offense go. Perhaps rookie Deion Burks can help this season, but that remains up in the air.
4. Laiatu Latu, Edge
Lou Anarumo had one borderline elite pass rusher last year. Latu lived up to billing, posting an excellent second season. There was almost nothing behind him. Ballard retooled the supporting cast this year with the likes of Arden Key, Michael Clemons, and a couple of mid-round rookie draft picks.
On paper, this is slightly better than last year. But that does not diminish the pressure on Latu to be a tone setter. If either of the rookies steps up, or if 2025 second-round pick Jaylahn Tuimoloau catches fire, the pressure on Latu won’t be quite as high. But Latu will still be the Colts' best pass rusher, so their reliance on him is not going away.
3. CJ Allen, Linebacker
Anarumo did not like his personnel at linebacker last season. He dropped one starter (journeyman Joe Bachie) one month into the season. Neither of the other two players who took the bulk of Indy’s defensive snaps is back this season. And it wasn’t as if Ballard had a bunch of ascendent young talent ready to step into bigger roles. He had virtually no one reliable at this position.
That changed during the draft. Allen, who came in Round 2 with Ballard’s first pick (Indy did not have a first-round pick this year), will be asked to do a great deal. He will probably be running the unit from his middle linebacker perch.
He will need to be a tackling machine and will also have to be efficient in coverage and perhaps occasionally rush the passer as well. Akeem Davis-Gaither and fellow rookie Bryce Boettcher should help. But a lot of the onus for the Colts’ defense this year will fall directly on Allen.
2. Daniel Jones, Quarterback
I’d venture a guess that on more than half the teams in the league, the starting quarterback is considered the most essential player. The places where this may not be true are on teams where the starter isn’t especially good, or else the depth behind him is excellent. Neither is true in Indianapolis.
Daniel Jones had an excellent first half of 2025. If the Colts are to thrive this season, he almost certainly has to replicate that success. There is virtually nothing behind him. It is hard to envision Anthony Richardson playing again for this team.
Riley Leonard is wholly unproven. Easton Stick has thrown three touchdown passes in seven seasons. Jones has to play well, but I don’t have him at number one because of …
1. Jonathan Taylor, Running Back
Jonathan Taylor is the Colts' most indispensable player. It has been that way since Andrew Luck called it a day. Inverting what I said about Daniel Jones, there may be just one or two other clubs where a running back is this important. Bijan Robinson in Atlanta - yes. Maybe Christian McCaffrey in San Fran, though age may be inserting itself there.
Without Taylor, the Colds offense simply doesn’t operate. And there is nothing behind him should he get hurt. DJ Giddens left no mark last year. There is some hope for Sean McGowan this year, but he lasted into the seventh round of the 2026 draft for a reason.
Ideally, he will at least be able to provide quality relief so that JT can stay fresh for the entire season. With no support, he wore down last year, and the Colts' entire club wore down right along with him. Â
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