Seth McGowan

Seth McGowan News

Seth McGowan is Unlikely to See Consistent Role

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan has barely seen the field over the first two games of the regular season. Heading into Week 3, McGowan has registered two carries for zero yards and one reception for zero yards. The 24-year-old is unlikely to have standalone value while Jonathan Taylor is healthy. Taylor is the workhorse back, and McGowan only saw the field for six percent of the offensive snaps last week. He remains worth stashing because he could see a significant role if Taylor ever goes down with an injury. Fantasy managers shouldn't bother starting McGowan in any formats ahead of the Week 3 matchup against the Houston Texans.

Sep 26, 2026 5:46 PM EST

Seth McGowan Is a Pure Contingency Play

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan has barely touched the ball through two games, but his spot on the depth chart is what keeps him interesting. McGowan caught one pass for no gain in Week 1, then had two carries for no yards against Kansas City. Jonathan Taylor has handled 43 carries and seven receptions over that same stretch, so there is no standalone role to chase. McGowan is still listed directly behind Taylor, though, and DJ Giddens has been inactive for both games. The rookie has played just 11.1% of the offensive snaps, which makes this a pure contingency bet. RotoBaller includes McGowan among its high-upside handcuffs and ranks him 52nd overall on the Week 3 waiver board, with an add recommendation in 14-team leagues. He is not worth forcing onto a shallow roster, but deeper-league managers looking for a direct backup to one of the league's busiest backs can justify stashing him now.

Sep 22, 2026 12:20 PM EST

Seth McGowan Remains a Worthy Deep-League Handcuff Running Back

A seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan has begun his first NFL season in a reserve role behind superstar Colts back Jonathan Taylor. As long as Taylor remains healthy, McGowan is highly unlikely to see a fantasy-relevant workload. In the Colts' 41-23 Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the 23-year-old recorded zero carries and one catch for zero yards on one target. Still, McGowan cemented his status as the Colts' RB2, as he was the only back besides Taylor to see the field against Baltimore. Taylor has recorded over 700 touches since the start of the 2024 season, and he appears to be on his way to another massive workload in 2026. If he were to go down with an injury at any point, McGowan could immediately vault into fantasy relevance. In deeper leagues, McGowan could be worth targeting on the waiver wire for his handcuff appeal.

Sep 15, 2026 12:17 PM EST

Seth McGowan's Long Road Leads to the Colts' RB2 Job

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan took a long route to his current spot behind Jonathan Taylor. Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star detailed the difficult road McGowan traveled after his career at Oklahoma ended following a 2021 arrest, with stops at Texas College, Butler Community College, New Mexico State and Kentucky before the Colts drafted him in the seventh round this spring. The football climb continued once he arrived. McGowan impressed Indianapolis with his physical running and receiving ability during camp, and he has now moved ahead of DJ Giddens on the current depth chart after opening the preseason behind him. That makes the rookie considerably more interesting for fantasy. Taylor still dominates this backfield, so there isn't much standalone value to chase right now. McGowan has nevertheless gone from a seventh-round flier to the Colts' No. 2 back, giving him real handcuff value if his role is ever forced to grow.

Sep 10, 2026 8:22 AM EST

Seth McGowan Requires Patience in Deeper Fantasy Leagues

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan is more of a bench swing than somebody fantasy managers should expect to use anytime soon. The seventh-round rookie made the 53-man roster after rushing for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns at Kentucky last season, and the Colts liked the physicality he showed throughout the preseason. There is still somebody in his way before Jonathan Taylor, though. Indianapolis currently lists DJ Giddens second on the depth chart and McGowan third, leaving the rookie without much of a standalone role heading into Week 1. The good news is that the Colts kept only three running backs on the active roster, so an injury could change things quickly. McGowan is rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues and sits in the 14-team range on the current waiver list. That's where he belongs for now. Deep benches can take the shot, but managers in standard leagues do not need to force it.

Sep 8, 2026 11:56 AM EST

Seth McGowan Likely Does Enough to Win the Backup Job

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan rushed for 20 yards on five carries during Saturday's preseason contest against the Detroit Lions. He also had a five-yard reception in the loss. McGowan finished the preseason with 74 scrimmage yards across three games, and he might have done enough to win the backup job behind Jonathan Taylor. Entering the summer, the backup competition was between McGowan and DJ Giddens, a 2025 fifth-round pick who had 96 rushing yards last year. In addition to out-producing Giddens this preseason, McGowan is younger, although he has slightly lower draft capital as a seventh-round pick. It's important to note that both running backs are merely competing for a handcuff role here, as Jonathan Taylor is the undisputed every-down back in Indianapolis. Taylor was responsible for a whopping 86.6% of the Colts' running back carries last year, and he figures to achieve a similar mark in 2026. If McGowan is confirmed as Taylor's backup, he'll still be avoidable in shallower redraft leagues, and he'll be a mere stash in dynasty and deeper redraft formats.

Aug 29, 2026 5:19 PM EST

Seth McGowan Poised to Claim RB2 Role in Indianapolis

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan appears to be the favorite for the backup role behind star Jonathan Taylor. McGowan had eight carries for 27 yards and added five yards on one catch in the 34-6 preseason loss to the Atlanta Falcons. With quarterback Riley Leonard and the backups, McGowan played 27 of 27 snaps and has done a good job in training camp. With second-year back DJ Giddens (hamstring) struggling at camp and expected to miss time, McGowan appears locked into the handcuff role behind Taylor, who has missed 16 games over the last four seasons. Currently ranked as the RB63 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, McGowan could be in a great situation behind an elite offensive line if Taylor is banged up during the season.

Aug 22, 2026 7:30 PM EST

Seth McGowan Quiet in First Opportunity as a Preseason Starter

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan started in Thursday's 13-13 preseason opening tie against the New England Patriots. With lead running back Jonathan Taylor held out, McGowan only racked up 17 yards on his five carries and lost a fumble. McGowan was unable to capitalize on this early opportunity to solidify himself as the team's RB2, as fellow running back DJ Giddens (hamstring) was held out of the game due to injury. Deep Dynasty managers should continue to hold out hope for McGowan as the young rookie develops and gains more experience next week against the Atlanta Falcons. If McGowan can earn that RB2 role, he could also be a valuable handcuff for Taylor managers in redraft leagues.

Aug 14, 2026 1:08 PM EST

Seth McGowan Taking Advantage of RB2 Duties

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan came into training camp competing with second-year runner DJ Giddens for the primary backup role behind the newly extended Jonathan Taylor, and with Giddens recently missing time with a hamstring injury, Colts beat reporter Zach Hicks has been impressed by what he's seen from McGowan in the RB2 role. Taylor recently praised the seventh-round pick, telling reporters, "Everybody thinks he's just like a big power back, but Seth has some moves... If you look at his feet, he reminds me of like a David Montgomery." While unlikely to force the type of committee role Montgomery has been part of in recent seasons in Detroit, McGowan has the opportunity to seize the all-important handcuff role to Taylor, raising his value as a dynasty stash and making him a player to at least keep tabs on in deep redraft leagues.

Aug 7, 2026 5:41 AM EST

Seth McGowan has Been Impressive in Training Camp

Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan continues to be impressed with Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan in training camp. When he was asked about McGowan on Tuesday, starting RB Jonathan Taylor compared McGowan's style to veteran RB David Montgomery. The 24-year-old seventh-rounder from the University of Kentucky is competing for change-of-pace touches with DJ Giddens behind Taylor in his first NFL season with the Colts in 2026. The RB2 role in Indy hasn't been fruitful for fantasy purposes as long as Taylor has been healthy, which means both McGowan and Giddens will probably go undrafted in most standard-sized 12-team leagues this fall. In his final collegiate season with Kentucky in 2025, McGowan ran for 725 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns on 165 rushing attempts, adding 19 receptions for 126 yards through the air in 11 games played. McGowan isn't much of a third-down back, so his best path to fantasy value will probably be as a goal-line vulture in Indy as he looks to earn more work behind Taylor.

Aug 4, 2026 10:48 AM EST

Seth McGowan Needs the RB2 Job to Matter

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan has a simple path to fantasy relevance: beat DJ Giddens for the job behind Jonathan Taylor. The seventh-round rookie ran for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns at Kentucky, with another 126 yards on 19 catches. There is some appeal here. McGowan has the size for short-yardage work, and Taylor handled 323 carries last season. The problem is that Indianapolis has not promised meaningful weekly touches to its backup, and Giddens owns better draft capital after going in the fifth round a year earlier. RotoBaller still has McGowan at rookie RB11, but neither Colts reserve is being drafted inside the top 70 backs. That makes McGowan a deep dynasty stash, not a redraft sleeper. Until he wins the RB2 job, he is mostly an insurance bet with no standalone value.

Jul 24, 2026 11:59 AM EST

Seth McGowan in Position to Battle for an Important Insurance Role

Seventh-round rookie running back Seth McGowan will have a chance to earn an important role for the Indianapolis Colts when the pads come on for training camp at the end of the month. McGowan will be competing with 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens for the primary backup duties behind three-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor, and the job has garnered added attention with rumblings that the team could be looking to limit Taylor's touches after he carried the ball a league-leading 323 times last season. Head coach Shane Steichen has pointed out the difficulty in taking his star running back off the field, and with Giddens coming off an uninspiring rookie season and the team spending only late Day 3 capital at the position, he could see another massive workload in 2026. Neither McGowan nor Giddens is being drafted within the top 70 running backs, and neither is expected to hold any standalone value in 2026 redraft leagues. However, any sign that one or the other has taken a lead in their battle to sit closer to Taylor on the depth chart would put them in position to hold down one of the league's most important insurance roles, and as such, reports out of Indianapolis' training camp should be followed closely.

Jul 14, 2026 5:13 AM EST

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