Quarterback – Florida
6’4” 231 lbs
1st Round – 4th Pick (4th Overall) – Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis finally goes all in and gets their quarterback of the future by drafting Anthony Richardson out of Florida. Last year, in 12 games he threw for 2,549 yards and 17 touchdowns. Additionally, he rushed for 654 yards and had 9 touchdowns on the ground.
Richardson’s player comp is Cam Newton. Standing at 6’4 and 244 pounds, he ran an insanely fast 4.44 40-yard dash. Additionally, he is a gifted athlete with elite size, elite arm strength, elite pocket presence, and elite speed for his size. Richardson might as well have a Ferrari engine inside a tank.
Between the teams at the top of the draft who need a quarterback, Indianapolis is the best suited to set Richardson up for success. The only thing that goes against him is his accuracy and lack of playing time. Overall, he is not a raw prospect, more so just inexperienced.
Fantasy Football Outlook
Brand new head coach Shane Steichen has coached many different types of quarterbacks, ranging from pocket passers like Philip Rivers to elite runners like Jalen Hurts. Personally, I believe this will help maximize Richardson’s strengths and minimize his weaknesses. We saw Steichen fix Jalen Hurts’ accuracy issues in 2022, I believe he has the ability to do the same with Richardson. Not to mention, he also has been very candid about his philosophy of throwing to score points and running the ball to win.
As far as weapons go, there are some pieces to work with on offense. Jonathan Taylor is a top-five running back in the league and will help in the play-action and RPO game when defenses are focused on stopping the run. Furthermore, the dual threat of Richardson and Taylor running wild in the backfield is frightening for defenses.
Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce are both big receivers who have shown flashes when they have had good quarterback play. The Colts could use some more help at receiver but they have some guys to work with. As for the tight end group, they have a lot of talent between Mo-Allie Cox, Kylen Granson, Jelani Woods, and Andrew Ogletree.
For Richardson, the situation in Indianapolis is a good one compared to where other rookies end up. To start his career with a proven offensive coach who has been one of the best in recent years is huge. He will have every chance to succeed and flourish in Indianapolis.
As far as 2023 goes, Richardson should be considered a back-end QB2 to start out. In redraft leagues, he will likely go late in drafts or undrafted depending on roster size. As far as 2QB leagues are concerned, he will be a late flyer for someone who has held out on their second quarterback. Furthermore, his rushing ability could get him into the top 20 quarterback range before the end of year one, similar to Justin Fields.
There is a good chance Richardson starts and Gardner Minshew ends up being the backup. No, he does not need to sit and learn anything behind Minshew, rather he needs the playing time and reps in the NFL.
Dynasty Outlook
For dynasty fantasy football rookie drafts, Richardson will still be behind Bijan Robinson. However, I believe he should be the first quarterback taken in your rookie drafts.
Overall, the payoff won’t be immediate but could easily be one of the better picks in the long haul for your dynasty team. The sky is the limit and he has the upside to be a top-five fantasy football quarterback down the road for years to come. That’s the type of ceiling a player
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