Seth McGowan
Running Back
Seth McGowan News
Seth McGowan a Dynasty Stash Until Colts' RB2 Role is Settled
When the Indianapolis Colts took running back Seth McGowan in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, they added to a room in serious need of depth behind three-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor. With Taylor playing in all 17 games and leading the NFL with 323 carries in 2025, there was little work to be split up behind him, and the next three backs on the roster combined for fewer than 50 attempts. Two of those backs, veterans Ameer Abdullah and Tyler Goodson, are no longer on the roster, leaving McGowan to battle it out with 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens for the team's primary backup role. In a disappointing rookie season, Giddens was held out of several games as a healthy scratch while averaging only 3.7 yards per carry. With quarterback Daniel Jones potentially facing a ramp-up period to begin the year as he recovers from the Achilles injury sustained in December, the Colts' running game becomes all the more important, and a balance will need to be struck in preserving Taylor after 2025 marked his first full season since his 2021 breakout. A big, physical back, McGowan will have his chance to make an impression when the pads come on for training camp in late July. Whoever ultimately wins the job between McGowan and Giddens will have little standalone value behind Taylor, but in a run-heavy offense behind a running back with a history of missing time, the role comes with some of the highest insurance upside in the league.
Jun 18, 2026 5:34 AM EST
Seth McGowan a Dynasty Stash with a Path to an Important Insurance Role
Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan was a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after an up-and-down collegiate career that saw him make stops at four different schools, but if he can beat out 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens for the team's primary backup role behind Jonathan Taylor, he could soon be viewed as one of fantasy's most valuable insurance backs. While Giddens has the better draft capital and a more complete collegiate profile, he dealt with minor injuries as a rookie and was held out of several contests as a healthy scratch, only averaging 3.7 yards per carry on his limited opportunities. Like Giddens, McGowan is a big-bodied back and capable pass-catcher, meaning whoever earns the job could render the other a non-factor on gamedays. With pads yet to be donned, any competition between the two is purely speculative at this point, but their battle bears monitoring when training camps open in summer, and at RotoBaller's rookie RB11, McGowan is worthy of a bottom-of-the-roster spot in deep dynasty leagues, at least until depth charts are sorted.
Jun 9, 2026 7:02 AM EST
Seth McGowan "Right in the Thick" of RB2 Battle in Indianapolis
Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan is "right in the thick" of his team's RB2 battle after a productive showing at OTAs, per Andrew Moore of Sports Illustrated. A seventh-round pick out of the University of Kentucky, McGowan recorded 851 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns on 184 touches across 12 games in his final collegiate season. Superstar running back Jonathan Taylor is locked in atop the Colts depth chart at the position and should dominate backfield touches when healthy in 2026. However, the team is currently without an obvious favorite to win the backup role behind Taylor. McGowan's primary competition currently appears to be 2025 fifth-rounder DJ Giddens, who recorded just 26 carries for 96 yards across nine games as a rookie. If McGowan can establish himself as the RB2 in Indianapolis, he would immediately carry handcuff appeal for fantasy managers looking for an insurance policy on Taylor.
Jun 8, 2026 8:19 AM EST
Seth McGowan Likely to be RB3 to Begin his Rookie Season
The Indianapolis Colts added depth for their running back room by taking former Kentucky RB Seth McGowan in the seventh round (No. 237 overall) of this year's NFL draft. The 24-year-old comes with plenty of off-the-field questions and maturity issues, as he was dismissed from Oklahoma's program after he was arrested in 2021. The 5-foot-11, 211-pounder spent a year at New Mexico State before finishing his collegiate career with Kentucky in 2025, where he had 165 carries for 725 yards and a career-high 12 rushing touchdowns in 11 games. He also added 19 catches for 126 yards as a receiver. McGowan is going to need to put his character concerns in the past if he wants to stick around in the NFL as a power back out of the backfield. Going into his first season in the NFL in 2026, McGowan figures to compete with DJ Giddens and Ulysses Bentley for playing time in Indy's backfield behind Pro Bowl starter Jonathan Taylor. McGowan has plenty to prove before fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues use a roster spot on him.
May 2, 2026 8:25 AM EST
Colts Select Seth McGowan with Pick No. 237
The Indianapolis Colts have selected Kentucky running back Seth McGowan with the 237th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Following stints with Oklahoma and New Mexico State, McGowan scored 12 rushing touchdowns in his lone season with the Wildcats. He profiles as an early-down, between-the-tackles runner who could struggle to find the field without a major injury in front of him. Jonathan Taylor was able to play in all 17 games in 2025, and the Colts spent a fifth-round pick on DJ Giddens in last year's draft, so without much of a receiving profile in his background, McGowan is unlikely to show up on many fantasy radars.
Apr 25, 2026 3:12 PM EST
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