How much rope does Chris Ballard have left as the Colts’ GM? (Zach Bolinger/Associated Press)
This week, a warrant has been issued for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk because of a video he posted in which he’s speeding; we learned that Packers’ star edge rusher Micah Parsons will miss at least the first month of the season; and Jared Verse says he is not going to replace Myles Garrett in Cleveland. Other Fantasy football stories we’re tracking include…
How Much Rope Does Chris Ballard Have?
In mid-November, the Indianapolis Colts were in charge of the AFC South and seemed headed for their first playoff appearance since 2020. After all, at 8-2 and heading into their bye week, what could go wrong?
Apparently, plenty.
The Colts proceeded to lose all of their remaining games to finish a disappointing 8-9 for the second straight year and once again miss out on postseason play. Indy really struggled to win close games (five of the losses were by a single score), leading to the embarrassment of becoming the first team to ever start 8-2 or better and finish with a losing record.
In his 10-year run as GM of the team, Chris Ballard has drafted very well while building some strong foundations, other than being able to find a quarterback who can help this team win (since Andrew Luck’s retirement). But under his helm, the team has only made the playoffs twice and hasn’t won a single division title. You have to wonder how long the leash is at this point.
The big question about whether Indianapolis can get back to the playoffs will be the health of quarterback Daniel Jones. We saw what he can do in leading the Colts to that amazing start, but after tearing his Achilles’ in early December, the shit show really ensued.
Jones is making progress and says he’ll be good to go for Week One, but will he be as mobile after the Achilles’ injury and a broken fibula? That’s the big worry, but certainly by Week 11 – when the Colts have a huge Thursday Night Football matchup in Houston against their division rival – we’ll have a clear idea of how he’s progressed.
Redemption Time for the Ravens
Another eight-win AFC team that missed the playoffs last year is the Baltimore Ravens. We’re not sure what the FanDuel odds were that they could dig their way out of that 1-5 start last season, but they impressively did rhyme off a big winning streak to get back over .500 before mustering just two victories over their final six games to miss the postseason for the first time since 2021.
While it was a disappointing season that led to the shocking firing of long time coach John Harbaugh, there were some positives, not the least of which was the continued development of young wide receiver Zay Flowers.
When the Ravens drafted him in the first round in 2023, we were bullish about the pick and that’s proved to be the right outlook as he’s gotten better each season.
Last season, Flowers set new career bests in receptions (86) and yards (1,211) while matching his personal high with five TDs. If there’s one thing holding him back from being a WR1 at this point it’s the lack of touchdowns; he has just 14 over his three-year career during which he’s missed just one game.
You can bet there’s a team or two that regrets passing on Flowers in 2023. For 2026, consider him a very strong WR2, and if those touchdowns start coming with greater frequency, he has WR1 upside (and will soon need to be paid like one).
RotoRob Tune of the Day
Einstürzende Neubauten is known for combining noises, standard instruments and custom-built instruments, usually comprised from scrap metal and building tools. In 2001, they released the compilation album Strategies Against Architecture III, which featured the track “Scampi Alla Carlina.”