SethMcGowan

News: 11 hours agoMcGowan rushed five times for 29 yards and returned four kickoffs for 103 yards Sunday in a loss to the Jaguars.

Spin: McGowan's best run was a 16-yarder up the middle midway through the third quarter to take the ball to Jacksonville's three-yard line. That set up Indianapolis' only touchdown in the blowout loss. McGowan logged a modest 15 offensive snaps to starter Jonathan Taylor's 38, but the former outgained Taylor on the ground, 29-23. Meanwhile, DJ Giddens paced the Colts with 43 rushing yards on six totes. The big story, of course, is that the Colts are entertaining trade offers on Taylor, and if the star RB is ultimately dealt, McGowan and Giddens both figure to take on significantly larger roles, though it's unclear which of the two would become the starter. With that in mind, it's worth noting that Giddens didn't enter until the fourth quarter and racked up all of his yardage in garbage time.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: McGowan was selected by the Colts in the seventh round of April's draft. McGowan is an older prospect (25), having bounced around five schools due to an off-field issue in 2021 that led to jail time and a dismissal from Oklahoma. He slowly rebuilt his career and peaked with 1,100 yards and six TDs at New Mexico State in 2024 prior to delivering 851 yards and 12 TDs at Kentucky last season. His efficiency is hit or miss, as his career 2.65 YAC is very poor, but his 4.2 forced missed tackle rate is strong. He's been effective in the passing game, as well, so there's some hope for a pro level impact. McGowan impressed at the combine, posting the top vertical and broad jump in this RB rookie class and running a solid 4.49 40-yard dash at 223 pounds. McGowan will battle DJ Giddens for primary backup duties behind Jonathan Taylor, so it's possible he finds his way to some value as an insurance hold.