3 Pass-Catching Running Backs the Colts Can Target to Pair With Philip Rivers

Jason Schandl
Pass-catching running backs the Colts should target in free agency to pair with Philip Rivers.
Pass-catching running backs the Colts should target in free agency to pair with Philip Rivers. / Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
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The Indianapolis Colts' offense is likely to look a lot different with Philip Rivers at the helm in 2020. He's less mobile than Jacoby Brissett, or even Andrew Luck, but he's a high-accuracy passer who likes working underneath.

One trademark for Rivers over the year has been throwing to running backs, be it Darren Sproles, Danny Woodhead, Melvin Gordon or Austin Ekeler.

Nyheim Hines isn't the most exciting option, and Marlon Mack has never managed to branch out to be a receiving threat like he is on the ground. So with that in mind, here are three receiving backs that the Colts should target in free agency.

1. Chris Thompson

Chris Thompson during a 2019 game with Washington.
Chris Thompson during a 2019 game with Washington. / Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Chris Thompson has long shown himself to be a bigger threat as a receiver than a rusher. He has 250 career rush attempts to go with 284 targets in the passing game. He's caught at least 35 passes in each of the last five years with the Washington Redskins. Injuries have limited him to just 31 games over the last three, but he's still turned in an average of 37.3 receiving yards per game in that sample. He's the most accomplished receiving back still on the market.

2. Theo Riddick

Theo Riddick during a 2018 game with the Lions.
Theo Riddick during a 2018 game with the Lions. / Quinn Harris/Getty Images

Theo Riddick missed the entire 2091 season with a fractured shoulder, but he has some Thompson-esque numbers over his career. He also has more targets (369) than rushes (288) over his career, and he caught at least 53 balls in each of his last four years with the Detroit Lions, averaging 6.1 yards per target and 33.9 yards per game in that stretch.

3. Bilal Powell

Bilal Powell during a 2019 game against the Bills.
Bilal Powell during a 2019 game against the Bills. / Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images

The 31-year-old Bilal Powell hit free agency to little fanfare. Once a contender for the New York Jets' lead back role, his workload has fallen off significantly in recent years. He caught 105 passes between the 2015 and 2016 seasons, though, and then had 942 yards from scrimmage in 2017. He's likely going to be available at a low cost, and it could be worth seeing if he's still got anything left in the tank in 2020.


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Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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