Daniel Jones

NFL player. Position: QB. Team: IND.

Quick Facts

Position: QB
Team: IND (Indianapolis Colts)
Bye week (2026): 13
FantasyPros PPR rank (pulled 2026-05-21): 159

2026 Outlook

Colts locked up Daniel Jones as their starter for 2026 after his injury recovery. Has cleared to throw and participates in OTAs. Faces Week 2 SNF matchup against Kansas City after recovering from ACL/fibula injuries. Behind him, Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson compete for the backup role, with neither currently holding an edge per HC Shane Steichen (per 2026 NFL Offseason Buzz: Colts' Backup QB Battle Even Behind Daniel Jones).

The Colts project Jones returning for Week 1 of 2026 despite his Achilles tear. USA Today predicts a challenging season: 8-9 record with critical matchups including a Week 2 SNF "must-win" against Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs (both recovering from QB injuries) and a highly anticipated Week 12 "grudge match" against his former team, the Giants, with new HC John Harbaugh and successor Jaxson Dart at QB (per Colts 2026 schedule: Way-too-early record prediction, picks).

Week 12 home game against the Giants will be an emotional rematch: Jones was drafted 6th overall by New York in 2019 but posted a 24-44-1 record over six seasons and parted ways with the team in late 2024. After signing a 1-year deal with Indianapolis for 2025 and recovering from injury, he signed a 2-year, $88M contract to be the Colts' franchise QB, setting up a classic revenge game scenario. (per 3 Most Intriguing Indianapolis Colts Matchups in 2026)

Role / Depth Chart

Backup QB competing in the Colts QB room alongside Riley Leonard. Currently on track for participation in team activities.

Injury Status

Achilles tear and fractured fibula from late 2025 season. Fractured fibula suffered during Week 2 matchup vs Chiefs, but continued playing. Achilles tear ended season in Week 15 matchup vs Jaguars. Cleared to throw as of late May 2026. Target for regular season readiness, though history of injuries raises durability concerns (per Every Colts Primetime Game in 2026: TV Schedule, Dates, & Matchups and Daniel Jones is throwing for the first time since injury. See more photos).

Recent News

2026-05-28 — Eagles 2026 schedule: Game-by-game predictions for Philadelphia (Eagles 2026 schedule: Game-by-game predictions for Philadelphia)
2026-05-29 — 2026 NFL Offseason Buzz: Giants WR Carted Off At OTA's (2026 NFL Offseason Buzz: Giants WR Carted Off At OTA's)
2026-05-27 — NFL trade offers for Coleman, Kmet, Richardson, Thibodeaux (NFL trade offers for Coleman, Kmet, Richardson, Thibodeaux)
2026-05-28 — 2026 NFL offseason: NFC teams' best and worst deals, picks (2026 NFL offseason: NFC teams' best and worst deals, picks)
2026-05-28 — SI's 2026 Ranking of the NFL’s Coach-QB Duos (SI's 2026 Ranking of the NFL’s Coach-QB Duos)
2026-05-29 — Colts 2026 schedule: Way-too-early record prediction, picks (Colts 2026 schedule: Way-too-early record prediction, picks)
2026-05-08 — Former Eagles OC enters 2026 NFL season firmly on the hot seat (Former Eagles OC enters 2026 NFL season firmly on the hot seat)
2026-05-29 — Indianapolis Colts 2026 Training Camp Preview: Daniel Jones’ Redemption (Indianapolis Colts 2026 Training Camp Preview: Daniel Jones’ Redemption)
2026-05-15 — Bold Predictions for Every Outcome of Colts' Crucial 2026 Campaign (Bold Predictions for Every Outcome of Colts' Crucial 2026 Campaign)
2026-05-30 — 3 Most Intriguing Indianapolis Colts Matchups in 2026 (3 Most Intriguing Indianapolis Colts Matchups in 2026)

Open Questions

(scoped to this player — pulled from Fantasy Football Open Questions)

Sources

(receipts — every claim above should link to a source here)