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The 2024 Indianapolis Colts roster is a quality group that should be able to fight for a playoff spot despite being in the increasingly competitive AFC South.

While the team’s ultimate success or failure is likely to fall on quarterback Anthony Richardson’s (hopefully fully healed) shoulders, there are some hidden gems on the 2024 Colts roster who will help get the most out of the young quarterback. Players to watch include Anthony Gould and Jelani Woods, as well as the honorable mention hidden gem at the end.

Anthony Gould is the sleeper rookie to watch

Former Oregon State wideout Anthony Gould, the fifth-round pick in 2024, was a little less well-known.

Gould was selected in Round 5 because he is small in comparison to other NFL players. The Kansas native is 5-foot-8 and weighs 174 pounds. That places him among the league’s smallest players (though he towers over Deontae Harty and Deuce Vaughn, both 5-foot-6).

What Gould lacks in stature, he compensates for with scorching wheels.

The former Beaver ran a 4.39-second 40 at the combine, and that speed is evident on tape, along with elite shiftiness and change-of-direction. That’s how he piled up 95 offensive touches for 1,442 yards and seven touchdowns at Oregon State.

And, while Gould has a legitimate opportunity to make the Colts squad as a slot receiver/gadget player, his true value may be on special teams. Gould returned 26 punts for 423 yards and two scores in college. He did not return kicks, but given the new NFL kickoff rules, he could be useful there as well.

Anthony Gould, unlike his 6-foot-2, 205-pound rookie counterpart Mitchell, may not catch your attention when he steps off the bus, but he could turn some heads on the field.

Jelani Woods is the player on the 2024 Colts roster who will make the leap

From one of the smallest players on offense to one of the biggest, let’s take a closer look at 6-foot-7, 253-pound tight end Jelani Woods.

Woods, a third-round pick in 2022, had a strong rookie season with 25 receptions for 312 yards and three touchdowns. However, nagging problems to both hamstrings cost him the whole 2023 season.

If Woods can get healthy this season, he has a good chance of being Anthony Richardson’s favorite target.

The Georgia native was a top quarterback prospect out of high school and attended Oklahoma State as a signal-caller. A shift to tight end was followed by a transfer to Virginia. With the Cavaliers, he had a breakout season, catching 44 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns.

Woods possesses all of the tools to be a top tight end in the NFL and, at worst, a dominant red zone target. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to make a significant improvement this season.

Missing time due to multiple hamstring problems is difficult, especially for someone his size, but if he and the Colts medical team can manage it, watch out for Jelani Woods this season.

Honorable mention: Joe Flacco

Finally, the NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and if a team’s starter is injured, it usually has little chance of winning. Unless the backup quarterback is Joe Flacco.

Last season, Flacco went from throwing balls to his brother and father in a park in his hometown to leading the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs after Deshaun Watson was injured. However, because the Browns are paying Watson $140 million guaranteed, they chose not to retain Flacco around to safeguard their vulnerable star.

The Browns’ loss benefited the Colts, who now have one of the strongest backup quarterback situations in the NFL. And, let’s face it, they could need it.

It’s still a small sample size, but there’s little proof that Richardson can stay healthy for a whole NFL season as the 2024 Colts season approaches. By Week 6 of last season, he had missed a game and a half due to a concussion and was out for the season due to a shoulder ailment.