There are plenty of questions surrounding Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, and some of them are now reflected in recent rankings from CBS Sports.
In his first edition of quarterback power rankings, Cody Benjamin ranked all 32 starters in the NFL. Richardson came in at No. 24 after missing most of his rookie season.
It's not all that surprising to see Richardson ranked in the 20s considering the lack of sample size we have. But fans will probably take exception to the fact that he was ranked behind the likes of Will Levis and the ghost of Russell Wilson.
Richardson was the lowest-ranked quarterback in the AFC South and the only players behind him were three rookies, and a handful of retread veterans like Derek Carr, Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew.
When healthy, he was a supersized fireworks show as a rookie, showcasing steady mobility and a huge arm. But he was banged up multiple times in just four games, rendering him a big unknown.
What Richardson showed during his small sample size was the upside of being a difference-maker at the game's most important position. He showed a lot of promise with his arm, and his rushing ability makes the Colts offense even more dangerous when paired with Jonathan Taylor.
He won't provide that kind of value every week, and he's still developing a large part of his game. But it's easy to see he was making improvements every time he stepped on the field.
If Richardson stays healthy, there's a good chance this ranking becomes a freezing cold take by the end of the 2024 season.
For more Colts coverage, check out Kevin Hickey's work on Sporting News.
