QB · IND
Riley Leonard
QB · IND · 23 yrs · exp 1 · Notre Dame
Status
- Game status
- Active
Keep Trade Cut (SF TEP)
From latest snapshot · trend vs ~7d prior when data allows.
Value
1,618
Rank
#336
Pos rank
#47
7d trend
-3.3% (7d vs prior)
Value history (90d)
One snapshot point per calendar day (shown in your timezone).
Latest: Jul 24, 2026 · 1,618
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
general
2026 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Preview: All eyes on Daniel Jones
This time last year, we were debating Anthony Richardson vs. Daniel Jones . Now we’re debating whether or not Jones is worth $50 million per year. Coming off a breakout season, Jones would be a safe bet to stay hot in 2026, but a torn Achilles muddies the waters for his second season in Indianapolis . 2026 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Team Previews Hub Get ready for 2026 fantasy football drafts with in-depth previews for all 32 teams throughout the summer. Rotoworld Staff , Points per game: 27.4 (8th) Total yards per game: 345.9 (9th) Plays per game: 59.9 (19th) Dropbacks per game: 37.9 (19th) Dropback EPA per play: 0.1 (11th) Designed rush attempts per game: 25.4 (20th) Rush EPA per play: 0.05 (1st) Shane Steichen and the Colts entered the 2025 season at a crossroads. The team desperately wanted Richardson to be a thing, but Jones had different plans. He decisively won that camp battle and never looked back. Jones was putting up career efficiency numbers midway through the season and Steichen looked like a lock to make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons as the Colts’ boss. The Colts were at 8-0, but even before Jones suffered his season-ending Achilles injury, cracks in the facade were beginning to form. His efficiency dropped in his final five games and the Colts lost four of those contests. Things got so bad after Jones went down that Phillip Rivers was drawn out of retirement for “one last job” that went as well as it does in the movies. The late-season collapse left Steichen out of the playoffs for the third time in three tries. The Colts bet the house on this iteration of the roster when they brought back Jones and Alec Pierce on pricey deals. It’s now or never for Steichen and his staff. QB: Daniel Jones, Riley Leonard , Anthony Richardson WR: Alec Pierce, Ashton Dulin WR: Josh Downs , Anthony Gould WR: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine , Deion Burks TE: Tyler Warren , Mo Alie-Cox We’ll get to Jones’ midseason slump in a minute, but viewing his Colts debut as a whole, he was wildly impressive. Jones ranked top-10 in both EPA per play and completion percent over expected. Pro Football Focus charted him with top-10 rates of both accurate and accurate plus throws. Add in five rushing touchdowns and Jones was on pace to finish as the QB8 by points per game before exiting Week 14 early. This, however, isn’t the complete story. Jones turned the ball over a staggering five times in Week 9 versus the Steelers . He stemmed the bleeding on bad plays over the next few weeks but still struggled in most efficiency metrics. Four of his five worst games by EPA per play came from Week 9 to Week 14. Jones went from averaging .344 EPA per play over his first eight games to -.03 over his final five. The big shift was his inability to handle pressure. Jones threw six touchdowns and had a 9.8 percent pressure-to-sack rate in his early-season split. Those numbers dropped to one score and a 22 percent P2S when defenses got to him from Week 9 onward. Jones has never been particularly good under pressure, so maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise that his numbers came crashing back to earth. Even if that aspect of his game is here to stay, it’s also hard to deny how efficient he was to start the season. All signs point to Jones being ready for Week 1, and fantasy managers are only being asked to pay a QB25 pricetag to find out who the real Daniel Jones is. As long as Jones retains his deep ball, Alec Pierce will be happy. The veteran wideout posted a breakout season in 2025 with 1,007 yards on a paltry 47 grabs. He scored seven times and led the league in yards per reception for the second season in a row. Despite the career year, Pierce’s role as a modest-volume deep threat didn’t change. He simply hit more home runs than the previous season. It was the first 1,000-yard season for a player with an aDOT over 20 since the turn of the century. There have only been five 20+ aDOT seasons accompanied by even 700 yards over that timeframe. Naturall [... truncated ...]
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Colts Reacts Survey Results
Colts fans are most interested in the QB2 battle between Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard, with Daniel Jones returning from injury and Philip Rivers' past unretirement adding intrigue to the backup situation
QB · IND
RB · MIN
trade
Trade: Riley Leonard, Jack Bech, Aaron Jones
sleeper-tx-trade+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
Chicago/MSU League trade — Xs N Os received: Jack Bech and Riley Leonard. 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets received: Aaron Jones
general
Colts Reacts Survey Results: Offseason Blues
With the team’s veteran minicamp recently behind us, it’s now a countdown to Indianapolis Colts training camp in late July, meaning it’s officially the slow part of the NFL offseason. Still among the burning questions for Colts fans right now, starts at the league’s most important position. That’s the starting quarterback position with Indy’s new ‘100 million man’ (with earned incentives of course), Daniel Jones , still recovering from a season-ending torn Achilles injury suffered last year. While Jones has been progressing well in his ongoing recovery, even throwing in 7-on-7 on-field drills during the team’s recent veteran mini-camp and reportedly running full sprints after practice, that’s still a whole lot different than a 300 pound defensive lineman hunting you in the pocket and having to stop and plant on a dime to deliver an accurate throw, or perhaps even take a big hit in the process. That being said, the expectation is that Jones will progress to 11-on-11 drills when training camp kicks off in a few weeks, and 70% of Colts fans believe he’ll be ready for the team’s regular season opener on September 13th when Indianapolis hosts the Baltimore Ravens : Now, whether “ready”, means fully physically ready probably isn’t one-in-the-same. Specifically, it may take Jones at least a full year to fully recover from the significant lower leg injury—if he does at all in his career. Having suffered the injury late during Week 14 of last year, Week 1 is still way early for that timeline. Of concern for the Colts is also who will be backing up Jones, as both 4th-year quarterback Anthony Richardson and 2nd-year passer Riley Leonard are battling for the primary quarterback job behind him. Richardson has formally requested a trade earlier this offseason, while Leonard is coming off an impressive start during the regular season finale last year. Colts head coach Shane Steichen has indicated that it’s a ‘50-50 split’ in reps between the two quarterbacks during team workouts and practices, and that neither quarterback is ahead of the other right now. If Richardson actually remains with the team, that should change during training camp and preseason—as one quarterback should separate form the other—at least in Steichen’s eyes. However, whether that’s because they don’t anticipate Richardson still being with the team, is unclear, but 61% of Colts fans believe that Leonard will ultimately win Indy’s QB2 job outright:
QB · IND
outlook
2026 Season Outlook
sleeper-outlook+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
Leonard started the Colts' 2025 season finale after the team was eliminated from playoff contention, and the 2025 sixth-round pick delivered a respectable performance, throwing for 270 yards and generating three total TDs along with three turnovers. Daniel Jones is recovering from a Dec. 7 Achilles tear, while Anthony Richardson has submitted a trade request and didn't play after Week 5 last season due to an eye injury, so there's a realistic path to Leonard being the Colts' top healthy QB at the start of the season. Jones is expected to reclaim the starting role whenever he's healthy enough to play
QB · IND
transaction
FA: Riley Leonard dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agent+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
Drops: Riley Leonard
general
Could the Colts really bench Daniel Jones?
Anything is possible. Let’s get that out of the way. Daniel Jones isn’t the second coming of Peyton Manning . Let’s get that out of the way too. With that said, a recent take on Bleacher Report has Jones listed as one of eight quarterbacks most likely to be benched in 2026. This isn’t to say Jones will for sure ride the pine for the Indianapolis Colts at some point this season, but he is saying there is a chance. Is he right? Anything is possible. Did I already say that? Jones has had his share of ups and downs. The New York Giants grew tired of his inconsistent play, the turnovers, and the injuries. He didn’t have enough appeal for the Vikings to truly get into the bidding war for his services last year either. One playoff appearance and quite a few losing seasons mar his name. Jones is far from perfect, but the Colts rewarded him handsomely for his efforts with a contract that could be up to $100 million over the next two years. There is an out, but would they eat the money and sit him midseason if things go sideways? Shane Steichen isn’t afraid to send a message. Anthony Richardson and Adonai Mitchell were both benched and never got back into good favor. They are both younger than Jones, who appears to have a more refined professionalism about him, but that doesn’t mean he is safe. If his play is truly deplorable, his saving grace is that there is no one behind him to take his spot. Past confidence from Steichen in both Richardson and Riley Leonard is tepid at best. That could change with a good offseason, but that is Jones’ best route at keeping his job, regardless of performance. Once again, he is expensive. Teams hate to put the most expensive person on the roster on the sidelines, but check with Kirk Cousins to see if a team would do that. The NFL is a cutthroat business. Jobs are on the line. If Jones starts the year out losing five or six of the first seven games and looks totally lost, the heat from up top might be enough for Steichen to pull the trigger if he lasts that long himself. Anything is possible. Daniel Jones’ career indicates he isn’t a lock even if the Colts are paying him like one. The depth behind him is shallow, and he may be too expensive to fail. Many hopes and dreams are riding on his repaired Achilles. Just because he holds the keys, that doesn’t mean he gets to drive this bus into a wall without Shane Steichen grabbing the wheel. Anything is possible though, especially with the Colts
general
Betting the Colts in 2026: See how Indianapolis' win total, Super Bowl odds are trending and our best bets
The Colts were one of the best teams in the NFL over the first half of last season and entered their Week 11 bye with an 8-2 record. But that's when the schedule turned brutal, with both games against the Texans and Jaguars down the stretch along with road trips to Kansas City and Seattle plus a home game against the 49ers. To make matters worse, starting QB Daniel Jones suffered an Achilles injury that left the team scrambling at quarterback. Jones' recovery will likely dictate how 2026 goes for Indianapolis, as the Colts seem likely to head into the season with Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson again behind him on the depth chart. We're taking a look at everything you need to know before making Indianapolis Colts futures bets below, including odds, trends, 2026 schedule, offseason changes and more before sharing our preseason betting strategy for the team. Odds are via DraftKings. Fans interested in betting on NFL and Super Bowl futures should check out the latest DraftKings promo code . The market hasn't been impressed with the Colts' offseason, as their win total market projection has dropped from just shy of 8.5 to slightly better than 7.5. However, if Jones continues to receive positive health updates after participating in drills at OTAs, that could change as Shane Steichen has managed to win at least eight games in each of his three seasons coaching the team while juggling quarterbacks. Since last winning the division title in 2014, the Colts have managed fewer than seven wins twice and more than nine wins twice, with six seasons at eight or nine wins. The defining trait of that period has been instability at quarterback, as the team has finished with seven different leading passers in seven seasons since Andrew Luck's surprise retirement. If you want to wager on NFL futures, you have to check out the latest FanDuel promo code . The Colts ranking fifth in DVOA suggests their first half shouldn't just be written off as solely due to their schedule, and Pythagorean wins (based on point differential) put them closer to a 10-win team than an 8-9 team. Not only did Indy rank top 10 in yards per pass and run play on offense, the Colts played strong situational football and led the league in goal to go situations. The defense finished second in yards allowed per rush but struggled more against the pass and ranked just 26th in sack rate. Most of the Colts' focus this offseason was on defense, including bringing in two potential new starters with their first two picks in linebacker C.J. Allen and safety A.J. Cauley. Not as much was done to address the mediocre pass rush with Arden Key the primary new face. On offense, the sole move of note involves bringing in Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to replace Michael Pittman in the offense, with the team's loss at right tackle expected to be addressed internally after Jalen Travis played well in limited action as a rookie. Before you wager on NFL or Super Bowl futures, head over to our BetMGM promo code to see a great offer. The Colts have a brutal three-game start to the season with facing the Ravens, Chiefs and Texans before a trip to London, so things could get ugly early, particularly if Jones isn't ready for Week 1. They'll get to scrap a road game for international play, and the schedule gets more manageable after that, with plenty of winnable home games on tap. If you want to tail R.J. White and other SportsLine and CBS experts, check out the latest Caesars Sportsbook promo code . Steichen has worked wonders with what he's been given during his tenure as quarterbacks have come and gone, but this team appears to be a house of cards ready to fall. I can't expect the offense to look anything like it did last year with Jones coming off a major injury plus questionable receiving depth, and this team could be one or two key injuries away from focusing on the pursuit of the No. 1 overall pick, particularly with a tough opening two months on the schedule. Those looking to take a li [... truncated ...]
QB · IND
transaction
FA: Riley Leonard dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agent+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
Drops: Riley Leonard
general
What to expect from EVERY second-year QB + A.J. Brown traded to the Patriots
Nate Tice & Matt Harmon break down what to expect from every second-year quarterback heading into the 2026 NFL season. The duo start with the big trade news from around the NFL, including their thoughts on Myles Garrett heading to the Los Angeles Rams and A.J. Brown ’s fit with the New England Patriots . Next, Nate & Matt break down expectations for every sophomore NFL quarterback: Cam Ward , Jaxson Dart , Tyler Shough , Shedeur Sanders and Riley Leonard . The duo wrap things up with Breakout Watch, as they shout out a player who could be primed for a big season in 2026. (3:10) - NFL news roundup: Myles Garrett to Rams, A.J. Brown to Patriots (37:10) - Second-year QB expectations: Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough (1:16:30) - Second-year QB expectations: Shedeur Sanders, Riley Leonard (1:25:30) - Breakout Watch 🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube Check out all episodes of Football 301 with Nate Tice and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv
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Colts made QB roster moves on Monday, but it’s not what some may have anticipated
The Indianapolis Colts signed backup quarterback Easton Stick and waived Seth Henigan. The team also added offensive lineman Josh Kreutz and cornerback Jai'Onte' Milligan, while releasing cornerback Wyett Ekeler and offensive guard LaDarius Henderson. Anthony Richardson Sr. remains on the trade block
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Colts’ QB Daniel Jones takes another step forward in Achilles recovery during OTAs
On Monday, Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones participated in 7-on-7 drills for the first time in the second week of OTAs—almost six months after tearing his Achilles (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder): It marks another step forward in Jones’s ongoing recovery and rehabilitation from the devastating season-ending Achilles injury he suffered during Week 14 of last year in Jacksonville —in the midst of a breakout season in Indianapolis during his debut Colts campaign. Last week, while Jones was throwing in the first week of OTAs—which was encouraging in itself, he was limited to individual on-the-field drills, but was seen running full sprints with Colts trainers after practice. This week; however, he’s ramping it up even further, with the current expectation that he’ll be ready to participate in 11-on-11 drills by the start of training camp (via The Athletic’s James Boyd): While Steichen reiterated that both Anthony Richardson Sr. and Riley Leonard are competing for the primary backup quarterback job behind Jones by ‘splitting reps,’ it was Richardson Sr. who got the initial look with the first-team offense again in 11-on-11 drills , despite still being readily available for a potential trade. Per Steichen, the plan remains to rotate the two backup quarterbacks regarding first-team reps depending on the practice days. At any rate, it has to be encouraging for the Colts that Jones only continues to progress in his Achilles recovery, and it looks like that initial hopeful expectation by Jones and his camp that he’d be ready by the start of team training camp will actually come to fruition in mid-July—at least on his current track, barring no unforeseen setbacks
general
Colts sign QB Easton Stick, two others
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
The Colts added another quarterback to the roster on Monday. They announced the signing of Easton Stick and he will join Daniel Jones , Anthony Richardson, and Riley Leonard on the depth chart in Indianapolis . Stick spent last season with the Falcons and did not play in any regular season games. He started four games for the Chargers in 2023 and spent five years as a backup in Los Angeles overall. Stick will take the place of Seth Henigan , who was waived in a corresponding move. The Colts also signed center Josh Kreutz and cornerback Jai'Onte' McMillan. Both players went undrafted earlier this year. Cornerback Wyett Ekeler and guard LaDarius Henderson were waived to round out all of the day's moves
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Colts sign QB Easton Stick, two others
Pro Football TalkSource ↗
The Colts added another quarterback to the roster on Monday. They announced the signing of Easton Stick and he will join Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, and Riley Leonard on the depth chart in Indianapolis. Stick spent last season with the Falcons and did not play in any regular season games. He started four games for the Chargers in 2023 and spent five years as a backup in Los Angeles overall. Stick will take the place of Seth Henigan, who was waived in a corresponding move. The Colts also signed center Josh Kreutz and cornerback Jai’Onte’ McMillan. Both players went undrafted earlier this year. Cornerback Wyett Ekeler and guard LaDarius Henderson were waived to round out all of the day’s moves
QB · IND
trade
Trade: Riley Leonard
sleeper-tx-trade+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
Chicago/MSU League trade — Chase Calebs Bijan TeeTee received: Riley Leonard, 2027 4th round pick, and 2028 4th round pick (orig Dont Mean A Thing 💍). Dont Mean A Thing 💍 received: 2026 3rd round pick (orig Saint Loveland Luther-an)
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Are the Colts more likely to finish first or last in the AFC South in 2026? (part 2)
Could the Indianapolis Colts really win the division in 2026? It’s easier said than done, but it could certainly happen. There is another path the Colts could take in 2026, however. It’s dark and would have lasting repercussions, but it too is possible. Things could go sideways, and the Colts could find themselves at the bottom of the barrel in the AFC South. Would it take a ton to go belly up this year? Well, it would be disappointing if the Colts spiraled to the bottom of the division, but it wouldn’t be the craziest thing to ever happen. The NFL is all about parity; worst to first is commonplace. Seeing the Titans do that would be shocking, but it doesn’t mean Cam Ward can’t move the needle in year two. There are plenty of changes starting at the top to indicate things in Tennessee could be different this year. Remember too that the Colts finished third last year. There was a sizable gap between third and fourth record-wise, but it wouldn’t be a dramatic drop. Much of what is needed to win an AFC South divisional crown comes down to health. If those defensive players who missed substantial time continue that trend, it will be another long season. Defensive health will be an afterthought, though, if the Colts don’t get competent quarterback play. Daniel Jones ’ status is still up in the air. Even if he is ready by Week 1, how much preparation time will he have missed? Carrying too much rust into a season is a recipe for disaster. Riley Leonard or Anthony Richardson starting for even a handful of games could put the Colts behind the eight-ball early. Throw in a bumpy start to the schedule and the Colts could be several games back after the first few weeks. Watching last year, it is difficult to see the Colts dropping past the Titans, but 2026 is a new year. Anything can happen in the NFL as teams come out of nowhere regularly. A tough start to the year with a question mark at the game’s most important position spells trouble. If the worst case scenario happens, expect more changes than just the Colts’ standing in the division
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Anthony Richardson, Riley Leonard to compete for Colts backup quarterback job
Colts head coach Shane Steichen made it clear this week that the Colts’ backup quarterback job is not locked in. Steichen said Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard will compete for the No. 2 job behind Daniel Jones . When asked if it will be a 50/50 competition, Steichen said, “Yeah, I would say right now. We’ll see how it all plays out.” He also noted that Richardson is “back in the fold” and working with the team. That creates the most interesting depth-chart battle on the roster. Richardson, the former No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, enters the final year of his rookie contract after the Colts declined his fifth-year option. His time in Indianapolis has been defined by flashes, injuries and inconsistency. The physical talent is still obvious, but he has not developed into the long-term starter the Colts hoped he would become when they drafted him out of Florida. Leonard, meanwhile, enters the competition from a different place. He does not carry the same expectations or disappointment. The former Notre Dame and Duke quarterback was drafted later, has a developmental profile and gives the Colts another young option behind Jones. His job is to prove he can command the offense, protect the football and be reliable enough if called upon. On paper, Richardson still has the higher ceiling. He has rare size, athleticism and arm strength, and he has starting experience in the league. But this battle is not just about upside as the backup quarterback job is about trust, preparation and whether the coaching staff believes a player can keep the offense functioning if the starter misses time. Richardson has more talent and experience. Leonard has a clean slate, one fantastic game under his belt and an opportunity to earn more trust quickly. The preseason will likely decide it, but every rep through minicamps, training camp and the preseason will be crucial. For Richardson, the stakes are obvious. Losing the backup job would be another major blow to his standing with the organization. For Leonard, winning it would be a significant step early in his NFL career. Either way, the Colts have made it clear that the job behind Jones is open
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Ranking the 10 worst QB rooms in NFL entering 2026; starting predictions for Week 1
This article analyzes the NFL's worst quarterback rooms entering the 2026 season, providing Week 1 starting predictions. It highlights players like Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, Riley Leonard, and Seth Henigan as examples of teams with potentially weaker QB situations, contrasting them with top-tier talent like Patrick Mahomes and Drake Maye
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Anthony Richardson sees ‘blessing in disguise’ as he waits for possible Colts trade
Anthony Richardson hasn’t played enough football to play hardball. Despite requesting a trade from the Colts earlier this offseason, Richardson is attending voluntary OTAs as he awaits more clarity on his NFL future. There doesn’t appear to be much of a trade market for Richardson, who has made just 15 starts since he was the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft. “The Colts are still giving me a chance to go out there and work, work hard and potentially get on the field,” Richardson told the Indianapolis Star during his jersey retirement ceremony at Gainesville (Fla.) Eastside High School. “Glad to be able to stay in the NFL and put the work in. Just showing up at OTAs, it was a blessing in disguise for me because I just wanted to work and they allowed me to do that so I’m thankful for that.” Richardson was seen by scouts as a high-upside, low-ceiling developmental project after one year as the starter at Florida. But the Colts threw him into the fire as a rookie and he suffered a season-ending injury after four starts. He was benched during an inconsistent 2024 and then lost his starting job to free-agent signing Daniel Jones in 2025. To compound matters, Richardson suffered a fractured orbital bone in a freak pregame accident last season. He was limited to two pass attempts and missed a chance to prove himself while Jones was sidelined with a torn Achilles, forcing the Colts to lure Philip Rivers out of a four-year retirement. “If I don’t put that work in to be a better player then I won’t be in the NFL,” Richardson said. “I just want to work hard and constantly think about my opportunity that I have now and try to take advantage of it.” Jones has been medically cleared to participate in 7-on-7 during OTAs but any first-team 11-on-11 snaps could go to Richardson or Riley Leonard
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.