DanielJones

News: 20 hours agoJones is unlikely to play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Patriots, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Spin: Boyd adds that Jones will only participate in Tuesday's joint session against New England, and the veteran quarterback may not any preseason games while in the final stages of his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon that he suffered in December. Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson will be the Colts quarterbacks for Thursday's exhibition contest, the first opportunity for the duo to compete for the backup role behind Jones.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Jones re-signed with the Colts during the offseason and will return as the team's starter. The 2019 No. 6 draft pick made a big leap in 2025 -- his first season with Indianapolis -- finishing no lower than seventh in completion percentage and yards per attempt. Despite the strong play, Jones was inconsistent as a fantasy option, averaging 18.8 fantasy points during 12 full games and posting three top-five weeks but no additional finishes better than ninth. Jones was effective through the air and scored five rushing TDs, but he didn't run the ball as much as in years past and might do even less of that in 2026 after tearing an Achilles in Week 14. He's likely to be ready for Week 1, but effectiveness is a concern, so he's best viewed as a midrange QB2.