The Indianapolis Colts are scrambling at quarterback as they head into a crucial Week 15 trip to face the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 14. A run of injuries has forced the team to look backward in order to move forward, bringing longtime NFL starter Philip Rivers out of retirement and back to Indianapolis for Round 2.
Rivers, 44, has not played in the league since 2020, when he threw for 4,169 yards and 24 touchdowns while guiding the Colts to an 11-5 record in what looked like a one-year farewell tour. Now, he returns as an emergency option after Daniel Jones ruptured his right Achilles on Sunday and rookie QB Riley Leonard banged up his right knee while finishing the Week 14 loss at Jacksonville.
When it comes to fake football, managers want to know whether Rivers will actually see the field in the fantasy football playoffs and how his presence might alter the outlooks for Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Warren, Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce over the final month.
Rivers’ Return and Fantasy Outlook
Indianapolis worked Rivers out on Monday night and came away impressed enough with his throwing session to sign him to the practice squad rather than immediately to the 53-man roster. There will be a ramp-up period, even though he is intimately familiar with the system.
The current depth chart explains why the Colts made this move. Jones is out for the season, Leonard is working through the aforementioned knee injury, Anthony Richardson remains on IR with an orbital bone injury, and Brett Rypien has been parked on the practice squad as depth.
Given that setup, the early expectation should be that Leonard gets the first shot to start in Week 15 if his knee responds well in practice, with Rivers functioning as an experienced insurance policy rather than an immediate plug-in starter. The Colts could still choose to elevate him quickly if Leonard suffers a setback or struggles, but there has been no public indication yet that Rivers is being lined up to start in Seattle.
From a fantasy standpoint, treat Rivers as a wait-and-see option right now. Ideally, in shallow, one-quarterback leagues, he should remain on waivers until there is confirmation he is on the 53-man roster and in serious contention to start. However, we know that’s not how fantasy owners tend to operate. Someone will add Rivers right now.
In the event his first game action in five years comes against a strong Seahawks defense this week, Rivers should be left in reserve.
Managers in two-QB superflex formats can justify a more aggressive stance. If your league starts 24 or more quarterbacks and bench spots are deep, Rivers is a viable desperation play. The Colts have been one of the league’s more productive offenses when healthy, and the remaining schedule features potential high-scoring environments against the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively, before facing a damning matchup against Houston in Week 18, should your league operate that late.
Fantasy Impact on Indy’s Offense
For Taylor, it is this simple: You keep starting him. The loss of Jones and the uncertainty around Leonard invite more stacked boxes, but Taylor’s touch count and goal-line role remain secure. The offense is still committed to running through him regardless of who is under center.
Pass catchers feel the ripple effects more acutely. Leonard profiles as a functional but low-ceiling game manager rather than a downfield gunslinger. That kind of play narrows the weekly ceiling for Warren, Pittman and Pierce, but it does not erase their value, because the Colts still throw enough to keep their primary options involved.
Warren has emerged as Indianapolis’ leading receiver in yardage, with Pierce carving out a role downfield and Josh Downs operating as the short-area option. In all likelihood, only Pittman and Warren should be counted on should Leonard be the starter.
If/when Rivers eventually takes over, his history suggests a willingness to lean heavily on running backs and tight ends in the quick-passing game, which could modestly boost PPR usage for Warren, Downs and Taylor. At the same time, Rivers’ age and rust could limit the deep-ball efficiency that has fueled Pierce’s big-play profile, making him more volatile if Rivers is forced into action.
Fantasy managers should treat the situation this way:
- Rivers is a speculative stash, not a Week 15 starter outside of superflex formats.
- Taylor remains a locked-in RB1.
- Pittman and Pierce profile as WR2/No. 3 options with some added volatility due to quarterback concerns.
- Downs is no better than a matchup-based flex in deep PPR leagues.
- Warren is still a strong every-week starter.
- Indy’s defense should stay fresher later into games, but the remaining matchups are sketchy.
Colts’ Remaining Schedule
Week 15: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 16: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 17: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 18: at Houston Texans