Should I drop Anthony Richardson? Week 11 Fantasy projection for Colts QB after winning starter role

The Indianapolis Colts reversed course. Anthony Richardson is back in the starter spot, two weeks after losing the job to veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who threw five picks in just two games. The decision was announced on Wednesday, with head coach Shane Steichen announcing that it was his own decision.

The decision to bench Richardson wasn't all related to his performance. The quarterback was under fire for what seemed to be an innocuous play at first. After a long scramble late in the third quarter against the Houston Texans in Week 8, Richardson went to the sideline, with backup quarterback Joe Flacco entering the field.

It lasted one play only. After the game, when asked whether there was any injury, Richardson said that he left the game because he felt tired and needed a break. He was publicly criticized by fans, analysts and people inside the Colts organization as well, including Steichen and center Ryan Kelly.

Now that he's back, his play style and could help him earn a starter spot in your team as well. There are no current injury concerns for Anthony Richardson, and our Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer projects him for 14.1 points against the New York Jets, a fair number for a developing quarterback who can add points with his running.

Sportskeeda Start/Sit Optimizer Projection

Anthony Richardson's 2024 stats also contributed to his benching

Lots of analysts were critical of the Colts' process, as Richardson has just 10 NFL games under his belt and is still inexperienced. With Joe Flacco at 39 years of age, their long-term thinking did not seem smart.

But Shane Steichen pointed out that, apart from Richardson leaving the field due to being tired, his performance, with just 10 completed passes out of 32 attempts against the Texans, also played a part in his benching.

In 2024, the young quarterback has completed 44.4% of his passes for 958 yards, along with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. Curiously, even though Flacco threw five interceptions in two games, Steichen said that the veteran quarterback's play was not a factor in the decision to return Anthony Richardson to the starter spot.