Trent Richardson should get full-time carries, but fantasy owners might hold off

Colts coach Chuck Pagano said Richardson will get all he can handle against San Francisco, but he might not be able to handle a lot. We break down the fantasy implications.

by Daniel Kelley

Sep 19, 2013, 4:53 PM UTC

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Running back Trent Richardson will play "as much as he can handle" Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said Thursday, according to colts.com writer Kevin Bowen

Richardson, who came over to the Colts in a trade with the Browns Wednesday afternoon, has rushed 31 times for 105 total yards in two games with the Browns this season. He joined the Colts and met with Pagano Thursday. After some speculation that Richardson, with only a short time to work out with his new time, might not get full-time play in his first week on Indianapolis, Pagano said "We didn't bring him to be the water boy," stressing that Richardson would be the guy Sunday.

Fantasy impact: It’s hard to see any way Richardson has a big game Sunday. Running the ball is running the ball, to be sure, but there is a whole slate of block assignments that have to be learned in a short time, especially considering the Colts are facing a top-flight defense in the San Francisco 49ers.

Richardson is still an ex-first-round NFL draft pick, is still the guy who went in the first round of fantasy drafts this season. It's always possible he goes out Sunday and runs roughshod over San Francisco. But if fantasy owners are judging on what is most likely to happen, Richardson might not be worth a Week 3 start. It's just hard to see him doing much in this game, 72 hours after joining a new team.

The other side effect of Richardson joining the Colts is that Ahmad Bradshaw, the team's top running back almost by default after Vick Ballard went down with injury, sees his fantasy value almost completely evaporate. If Richardson comes even close to the amount of time Pagano said he would, there won't be touches or space for Bradshaw to get anything. He's a fine handcuff, but no longer a starting option in standard leagues. Donald Brown, meanwhile, is droppable in basically any format.