Why Did The Colts Bench Anthony Richardson? Week 9 Fantasy Football Analysis

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson was (somewhat) surprisingly benched after his team's Week 8 loss to the Houston Texans. He had been on a rough stretch, struggling to complete even half his passes and turning the ball over too many times.

He'll now be replaced with veteran QB Joe Flacco for presumably at least a few games. It's unclear how much the longtime pro will be the starter, but it's expected to be an extended time.

So why was Richardson benched? Will he regain the starting job? What are the outlooks for the relevant Colts players now?

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Why Did The Colts Bench Anthony Richardson?

He was far too inconsistent and was often the reason they lost games. He's completed just 44.4% of his passes for 958 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He's also rushed for one score and lost two fumbles. Turning the ball over nearly twice as often as you score while failing to complete over half your passes as a QB is a recipe for disaster.

Absolutely terrible decision here by Richardson

You cannot do this, Anthony, with the time running out at the end of the half, backed up against your goal line.

Ever.

pic.twitter.com/qYsR41MxTD

— Peyton2Luck™️ (@Peyton2L) October 27, 2024

These issues have to be cleaned up. It may not be easy, though. He's had consistency issues throughout his college career as well. He was regarded as a project QB for a reason. The immense athleticism and rocket-launcher arm give him a high ceiling, but often, it's what's between the ears that's most important for a QB.

Making good decisions is vitally important for an NFL quarterback. ARich's decisions cost the team some wins this year.

Will Richardson Regain The Starting Job In 2024?

He may at some point. Flacco could always have a string of poor games -- in 2023 with the Cleveland Browns, he became extremely turnover-prone in his final games with the team. Richardson has taken his benching in stride and will work to regain his job. He had shown signs of improvement in play anyway.

Quick Anthony Richardson thread...

First: His reaction to the news that the Colts were benching him.

"As a competitor, you don't want to be told you're not the guy anymore." pic.twitter.com/NdAoIzd5Rs

— Dave Griffiths (@DaveG_Sports) October 30, 2024

He is likely still the future of the franchise, but head coach Shane Steichen has a good squad and wants to win now.

What Are The New Fantasy Football Outlooks For Colts Offensive Players?

Colts wide receiver Josh Downs gets an immediate boost to league-winner status. Seriously. When Flacco starts for Indy, Downs becomes one of the best fantasy receivers in the NFL, especially in PPR scoring formats.

Josh Downs with an NFL-best @FantasyPtsData separation score and a massive 35% route 'win rate' in Week 8🔥🔥🔥

As a reminder:

Josh Downs was WR5 in Fantasy during the weeks Joe Flacco was in at QB pic.twitter.com/enHqcRj3op

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) October 29, 2024

The second-year pro is already absolutely elite at winning consistently on his routes and plays an extremely valuable role as the main slot receiver, giving him easier matchups than those against outside cornerbacks. He scored 22.2 PPR fantasy points last week even with Richardson, and could have had more.

Josh Downs was a problem against the Texans man coverage in Week 8, both on plays he got the ball and plays he didn't. Downs is a legit downfield weapon from the slot, and the type of WR a healthy passing game can feed 100 catches in a season.

Some in-season… pic.twitter.com/mocJi5NIze

— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) October 28, 2024

WR Michael Pittman Jr. goes from being completely irrelevant and one of the biggest busts of the fantasy draft this season to pretty relevant and a decent WR3/flex option. He can be plugged back into lineups in most leagues.

The change probably won't have much of an effect on RB Jonathan Taylor. He's elite anyway and doesn't rely on catching passes to have massive fantasy value.

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