The Indianapolis Colts have already watched starting quarterback Anthony Richardson miss time with an injury this season. On Sunday, he went down again.
What happened to Richardson in Week 8, and what’s his current injury status?
What Happened to Colts QB Anthony Richardson in Week 8?
Richardson went down after being sacked by Houston Texans linebacker Jake Hansen with roughly 3:30 remaining in the third quarter. He took a knee before leaving the field, while Colts QB Joe Flacco handled the next snap.
Richardson never entered the blue medical tent or received any attention from the Colts’ medical staff. CBS’ broadcast indicated that Richardson couldn’t catch his breath, which he confirmed after Indy’s loss, according to The Athletic’s James Boyd.
“Tired, I ain’t gonna lie,” Richardson said. “That was a lot of running right there that I did, and I didn’t think I was gonna be able to go that next play. So, I just told (Colts head coach Shane Steichen) I needed a break right there.”
#Colts QB Anthony Richardson on leaving the game for one play in the 3Q:
“Tired, I ain’t gonna lie. That was a lot of running right there that I did, and I didn’t think I was gonna be able to go that next play. So, I just told (HC Shane Steichen) I needed a break right there.” pic.twitter.com/EMUtiSLIvm
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) October 27, 2024
The 2023 first-round pick had struggled immensely before briefly leaving Sunday’s game, completing just five of 19 passes for 97 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while taking three sacks. Richardson hit wide receiver Josh Downs on a Texas coverage bust for a 69-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
After suffering an oblique injury, Richardson missed most of Week 4 and sat out the subsequent two games. He returned in Week 7 to complete 10 of 24 attempts for 129 scoreless yards in a 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins.
To this point, injuries have defined Richardson’s NFL career. In 2023, he missed most of Week 2 and all of Week 3 because of a concussion. In Week 5, Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Gardner Minshew II took over as the Colts’ starting quarterback and nearly guided the club to the postseason.
Fantasy Implications of Richardson’s Injury
Richardson has been a boom-or-bust quarterback for fantasy football this season, with the latter occurring far more than the former. Downs hauled in a 69-yard score early in Week 8, but there’s no denying that his skill set is a better match for Flacco.
The same can be said for Michael Pittman Jr., while Alec Pierce’s ceiling loses some shine should Richardson miss time. Jonathan Taylor looked strong in his return to action, and he should be the most QB-proof of the assets in Indianapolis’ offense — he’s a weekly starter in all formats without question.
— PFN Analyst Kyle Soppe
PFN+ Metrics on Richardson’s Injury
It hasn’t been a good season for Richardson, who is, in essence, a rookie this year after missing the majority of the 2023 season. His QB+ for the season is currently a D- (34.6). That grades as the sixth-worst QB+ this season out of 32 qualified quarterbacks (minimum 100 pass attempts).
Richardson’s best single-game performance was a B- in Week 1. Since then, he hasn’t posted a better QB+ grade than a C in Week 7. In Richardson’s absence earlier in the season, Flacco posted two B grades and a C+ grade.
The Colts’ best Offense+ grades this year have both been when Flacco was quarterback for the majority of the game. They had a C+ grade in both the victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers when Flacco stepped in for Richardson and the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars the following week.
— PFN Analyst Ben Rolfe
