ESPN’s Ben Solak just dropped his watchability rankings for the 2026 NFL season, and the Indianapolis Colts are sitting at a head-scratching No. 19 overall. That’s next-to-last in the AFC South, which, after their wild 2025, feels like a real gut punch for a squad that showed so much promise.
The Wildest Ride of 2025
Last year, the Colts were an absolute rollercoaster. Before their bye week, they were electric, rocking an 8-2 record, looking super watchable, and clearly poised to make the playoffs and snatch their division title. Their offense was historically productive through those first ten weeks, just putting up insane numbers. But then? The bye week hit, and it was like a totally different team showed up. They never won another game, and suddenly, they were incredibly difficult to watch. Solak himself admits he whiffed on his 2025 preseason call, where he had penalized them for starting Daniel Jones, calling him a “cautious, unexplosive thrower” over Anthony Richardson Sr. He was dead wrong on Jones for the first half, but that backslide must have left a lasting impression.
Slow Start Looming for 2026?
So, with that insane finish to 2025, why is Solak putting the Colts so low this year? He says the 2026 Colts “demand your time simply to see whether they can do it again.” But then he drops the hammer, saying they almost certainly can’t, citing regression as a “cruel inevitability.” On top of that, Jones is still working back from a right Achilles tear. And if that wasn’t enough, wide receivers Jonathan Pierce and Josh Downs are still not practicing. With key players like that sidelined, it looks like it might take a few weeks for the Colts to pick up any real steam, if they can even find it.
Always Watchable: Taylor and the Secondary
Despite the overall ranking, the Colts still have some serious firepower that’s always worth a look. Running back Jonathan Taylor is a straight-up joy to watch. He’s been impressing fans around the NFL since he was drafted back in 2020, and he’s coming off a monster 2025 season where he led the entire league in rushing attempts, rushing touchdowns, and first downs. That’s ridiculous! Plus, Tyler Warren, who absolutely balled out as a productive tight end in his rookie year last season, is back. And while watchability often leans offense, don’t sleep on their secondary. Guys like Sauce Gardner, Cam Bynum, and Charvarius Ward are primed to generate some highlight-reel plays.
With the 2026 season right around the corner, everyone will be watching to see if the Colts can avoid a repeat of last year’s collapse, especially with Jones and other key players trying to get healthy. Can Taylor carry them through the early weeks? It’s going to be a fascinating start to the season for Indianapolis.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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