The NFL recently released its power rankings based on ESPN’s FPI. FPI stands for Football Power Index, and it is a measure of strength meant to be the best indicator of a team’s performance for the season. It is composed of offensive, defensive and special teams efficiency predictions, and those predictions determine overall rankings. The rankings, most recently updated on June 2, have the Colts in the bottom half of the 32 teams, listed as No.20.

These rankings mean nothing but as a fan, not what most were hoping for. The Colts have not made the playoffs since the 2020 season where they lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card game. The city and fans are desperate for a change and thought they had it last year when the team got off to a hot start, going 8-2 before losing the remaining seven games.

The Colts ultimately fell short of the playoffs again and lost multiple players to injury. Most notably, quarterback Daniel Jones went out with an Achilles tear. There were other injuries to the team, including cornerback Sauce Gardner, who the team had traded for earlier in the season. With major players being out, the Colts signed quarterback Phillip Rivers to the team to play out the rest of the season. This did not aid in the Colts effort to make the playoffs, and instead they ended the season 8-9, so the ranking makes sense.

The Colts were not one of the top teams in the league or even in their conference toward the end of the season. They ended the season with a string of losses that gave fans little hope for a postseason run. Now, the fans are again on the edge of their seats, awaiting a possibly good season.

For supporters, this seems like an endless cycle. Every year, the Colts are supposed to get better, and every year, they plateau. It is easy to place blame on the injuries, especially when those injuries occur at the arguably most important position on the field, but it's deeper than that.

Even with Jones at full strength this year, there is no guarantee that he will be one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Jones has been injured before, suffering a non-contact ACL tear while with the Giants. Coming off a major injury like an Achilles tear can be unsure and there is no way to predict how he recovers or if he stays healthy the whole season.

The Colts are lacking the depth needed to be a strong contender. They appear to have the talent, but there are a lot of questions within their roster. Jonathan Taylor is a game-changer, but what would the Colts do if he got hurt? If Alec Pierce gets injured, are they confident in their secondary options to carry the team?

There is a lot to be worried about when it comes to the Colts, so it is hard to disagree with a ranking in the 20s. Even with the work and money put in, there are a lot of unknowns. It is hard to justify a higher ranking without knowing what the offense will look like at the start of the season.