Colts QB Richardson set to play; RB Taylor out

INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts are facing mixed injury news regarding three of their key offensive players as they prepare for Sunday’s game against the Titans.

Quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) is set to return to the lineup, while receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) is unexpectedly listed as questionable, and running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) has been officially ruled out.

Richardson, who missed last Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, is on track to play after participating in the last three practices. Coach Shane Steichen mentioned that Richardson “had huge strides this week, for sure.”

Throughout the week, Richardson was observed throwing on the run and making aggressive movements during practice, a notable change from his previous week when media had access to limited portions of practice. He also took the majority of snaps with the first-team offense, in contrast to backup Joe Flacco, who handled all the starter’s reps last week.

In an unexpected turn, Pittman participated in practice on Friday despite the earlier news indicating he might face a multi-game absence due to a back injury. He has been battling an unspecified back issue for several weeks, but it worsened during the Jacksonville game.

A team source had mentioned earlier in the week that placing Pittman on injured reserve was discussed but not finalized. Just two days later, he was seen catching passes and running routes during individual drills in practice. As of now, he has not been ruled out for Sunday’s game.

“I want to be out there for everybody in [the locker room],” Pittman said. “So, we’ll see what happens. But nothing’s guaranteed. Everything is kind of still on the table.”

Coach Steichen commented, “He’s feeling really good, so we’ll see where that goes.”

Pittman has been the team’s leading receiver for the past three seasons, recording a career-high of 1,152 receiving yards in 2023. However, he seems to be impacted by his current back injury, reflected in his lowest receptions per game statistic (4.4) since his rookie season in 2020.

In contrast, Taylor, who was the NFL’s rushing champion in 2021, will miss his second consecutive game due to an ankle sprain, having not practiced for two straight weeks. Trey Sermon, the backup, is expected to start in Taylor’s absence.