According to NFL.com’s Nick Shook, Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback Anthony Richardson is among his ‘way too early’ top 10 NFL MVP candidates ahead of the 2024 campaign:
Rank 7
Anthony Richardson
Indianapolis Colts · MVP odds: +3000
Here’s where it gets fun. Remember Richardson? You know, the pillar of a human with freakish athleticism who carried question marks into the 2023 draft, then promptly dunked on them in his first month of play? I sure do. Richardson’s abrupt end to his rookie season may have made you forget about him, but I’m gearing up for a big year for the kid, who is playing for the right coach in Shane Steichen and has the chance to team up with rookie receiver Adonai Mitchell for plenty of alley-oops on the haters. Yes, I’m putting my stock in Richardson, Mitchell and the Colts, who also locked up the team’s No. 1 receiver in Michael Pittman Jr. And if I profit, you’ll hear Richardson mentioned among the top players in the league at his position.
Having only made 4 starts last season due to a season-ending throwing shoulder injury, this speaks to just how tantalizing Richardson’s initial pro debut with the Colts was last year—even if it was cut entirely too short.
Richardson completed 50 of 84 pass attempts (59.5%) for 577 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, an interception, as well as amassed 136 rushing yards on 25 carries (5.4 ypc. avg.) and 4 rushing touchdowns. There’s some things to work on going forward, but Richardson’s initial scoring output was impressive.
The Colts’ 21-year-old rookie sensation showcased his arm strength, athleticism, pocket presence and poise (both well beyond his early years), and of course, his legs—as a speedy, big-bodied dynamic dual-threat quarterback. While labeled a passing ‘project’ by some, Richardson is much further along than many NFL pundits initially anticipated.
While his AFC South quarterback rival, C.J. Stroud is ranked higher at #4, it’s easy to forget that the Richardson led Colts actually bested Stroud’s Houston Texans during Week 2 on the road last year.
Had Richardson not gotten hurt, there’s no question in my mind that Indianapolis was the superior team (I mean, they were arguably a 4th down drop [with their backup quarterback making 12 starts] from toppling the Texans in the regular season finale), and it would’ve been the Colts’ rookie quarterback winning the AFC South and making some serious noise in the playoffs—not Stroud.
That doesn’t matter anymore though.
What does matter though is that the Colts have continued to support Richardson this offseason, drafting wideout AD Mitchell and two offensive linemen early in the NFL Draft (Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini), as well as re-signed lead target Michael Pittman Jr.
For what it’s worth too, Richardson looks like he’s all the way back from surgery too.
With another NFL offseason and training camp under his belt, Richardson should only continue to improve and get better under head coach Shane Steichen. While he doesn’t have the full rookie season of experience to rely upon, it wasn’t a complete redshirt year either—as Richardson made some meaningful initial starts. That counts for something, and it may ultimately show in the league MVP ballot by year-end, depending on who you ask.
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