Colts escaped a dramatic gut-check in Denver after a controversial leverage penalty on Dondrea Tillman extended the late drive. Tillman’s leap onto Dalton Tucker and a push-off were ruled illegal, setting up Spencer Shrader’s 45-yard game-winner after an initial 60-yard miss. Denver squandered chances—Will Lutz’s miss and Bo Nix’s late turnover—while Indianapolis improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2009.

Colts' Week 1 win over the Dolphins showcased a small group of players who graded out exceptionally well in PFF's metrics, led by Laiatu Latu and Tyler Warren. Latu posted a dominant 91.5, Warren followed at 90.4, with Cam Bynum and Ashton Dulin also registering top marks. Xavien Howard squeezed into the top five at 80.0, highlighting a game where Indianapolis disrupted Tua Tagovailoa and leaned on young playmakers. The flip side exposed coverage lapses from linebackers Cameron McGrone and Zaire Franklin, plus limited run-blocks from Dalton Tucker, underscoring both promise and growing pains.

The grading snapshot informs fantasy angles: Latu’s pass rush and Warren’s versatility scream breakout potential, while Dulin’s involvement signals a floor for PPR and red-zone looks. Tagovailoa’s night under pressure and the Colts’ defensive backs’ balance set up early-season talking points for Week 2 lineups and DFS stacks around Indy.

Carolina’s 2024 passing attack stumbled to 30th in yards per game, but the slate shifts with a big-body rookie target in Tetairoa McMillan and a potentially breakout TE in Ja’Tavion Sanders. Adam Thielen provided the lone steady production (615 yards, 5 TD) while Bryce Young navigated a thin pass-game corps. The Panthers’ 2025 plan leans on a healthier Young, a revamped receiving group, and an understated TE corps led by Sanders, with McMillan giving Young a red-zone threat and divisor of defensive coverages.

Sanders’ 33 receptions and 76.7% catch rate hint at a floor with upside as a reliable underneath option. McMillan’s size and draft pedigree offer a high-ceiling target, while Legette could become the clear WR2/3 depending on usage. Hubbard and Tremble provide complementary pieces behind Young, with Evans as a late-round upside lottery ticket at tight end. Fantasy managers should monitor depth and how 2025 OTAs reshape the Panthers’ aerial attack.

Indianapolis is counting on a younger, less experienced offensive line this season. Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves step into starting roles at center and right guard, while rookie Jalen Travis serves as the swing tackle. Second-year Dalton Tucker and Luke Tenuta provide interior and edge depth, with Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Braden Smith, and Danny Pinter anchoring the group. Ballard lauds Travis’s rapid development and Tenuta’s versatility as the unit forges cohesion to open the run game and buy time for the quarterback.

ESPN’s Solak highlighted Bortolini’s preseason film, and Ballard emphasized that the staff is pleased with Travis and Tucker. The Colts aim to balance youth with veteran steadiness to create sustainable run production and pocket time, accepting some tradeoffs in consistency as they grow together in camp and preseason work.