The Indianapolis Colts open their 2026 season on Sunday against Baltimore, and the spotlight naturally lands on the names everyone already knows. Jonathan Taylor.
Sauce Gardner. The headliners are there.
But this kind of opener often turns on the players a team doesn’t spend all week talking about. If Indianapolis is going to survive a tough Ravens team and avoid the kind of depth collapse that helped sink last year’s 7-1 start, it needs someone else to jump out fast.
That’s where the breakout candidates come in.
Safety AJ Haulcy is the one who could make the loudest first impression. A third-round pick this year, he has only recently gotten back to full participation in practice, but he hasn’t been ruled out for Week 1. Whether he starts next to Cam Bynum or Hunter Wohler gets that spot instead, Haulcy should still have a real chance to influence the game.
He brings something the Colts have wanted at safety: ball production. In college, he was the kind of playmaker Nick Cross, who started next to Bynum over the previous two seasons, was not.
Haulcy also fits the matchup because he can handle the run, and that matters against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. If he’s going to announce himself, Sunday is the kind of stage where one big read can turn into a momentum swing.
Or three.
Then there’s edge rusher Jaylahn (JT) Tuimoloau, a player who still has a lot to prove after one season in the league. He showed up in spots on special teams during the preseason, but that can’t be the ceiling for a second-round pick from 2025. The Colts need him to grow into a real pass rusher.
The upside is there for a breakthrough if he can hit Jackson early. Tuimoloau doesn’t look like a guy built on elite strength or top-end speed, but he does have quickness. A two-sack game would change the conversation around him in a hurry and could give Indianapolis’s defense a jolt.
The last name on the list is running back Seth McGowan, who sits behind Jonathan Taylor and could matter more than expected if the Colts follow through on giving Taylor more rest during games. McGowan had a strong camp and has the kind of profile that can work behind Indy’s starting offensive line.
If Taylor’s workload does come down even a little, McGowan should get his chances against Baltimore. He brings power and surprising speed, and the Ravens may not be ready for what he can do in Week 1.
In Other News...
Colts Opening Day Letdown Raises Questions They Werent Supposed To Face
The Colts walked into Week 1 expecting a clean opening statement and instead left with a reminder of how quickly a season can tilt when both sides of the ball go sideways. Baltimore took control early in a 41-23 loss, with Indianapolis struggling to slow the Ravens passing game and failing to generate much rhythm on offense, even as Daniel Jones early interception helped fuel the first surge.
Zay Flowers did most of his damage before leaving with an injury, and the Colts never found a comfortable answer for the matchup that had already become a problem. Indy also needed more from its playmakers, with Alec Pierce quiet in the first half, and the kind of opening-day performance that was supposed to settle things only added to the questions this group was trying to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Owens' Colts Debut Had A Simone Biles Touch Fans Loved
Simone Biles showed up at Lucas Oil Stadium for a first look at Jonathan Owens in a Colts uniform, and she made sure the moment had a personal touch. Before kickoff in Week 1, Biles wore a custom blue-and-white dress with Owens name and number on it, then shared a handshake and a kiss with her husband on the sideline as he prepared for his first regular-season game with Indianapolis.
Owens arrived in Indianapolis after two seasons with the Chicago Bears and signed a one-year deal with the Colts, so his debut carried a little extra attention beyond the usual opening-week nerves. Having Biles in the building only added to the spotlight, and for Colts fans, the sideline scene was one of the more memorable details from a day built around fresh starts. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Suddenly Face A Huge Problem Against The Colts
Zay Flowers turned a promising opening for Baltimore into an immediate concern for the Ravens on Sunday, leaving their Week 1 matchup with the Colts because of a hamstring injury. Before heading to the sideline, the second-year receiver was doing serious damage, piling up five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown as Baltimore tried to set the tone early.
Flowers was listed as questionable to return, and the Ravens said they were continuing to evaluate his status during the game. For Indianapolis, the injury changes the feel of a matchup that had already featured one of Baltimores most dangerous playmakers making a big early impact, and now the Colts are waiting to see whether they have to deal with him again or whether the Ravens have to adjust without one of their top targets. [Read more 🡒]