2025 Indianapolis Colts roster preview: RB DJ Giddens

With offseason programs now behind us, we will be getting a jump start on our training camp preview by going player-by-player through the Indianapolis Colts' 91-man roster.

Going alphabetically, up next is rookie running back DJ Giddens.

DJ Giddens' profile

• Height: 6-1

• Weight: 212

• Age: 21

• NFL experience: Rookie

• College: Kansas State

   

• No. 21

2024 Snap count totals

• Offense: 573

• Special teams: 0

2024 PFF grades

• Rushing: 85.0

• Receiving: 33.6

2024 Season Review

Last season, Giddens averaged a whopping 6.5 yards per rush. This included ranking sixth in average yards after contact, 20th in missed tackles forced, and resulted in him generating the 15th most rushes of 10 or more yards, per PFF.

Along with his contributions as a ball carrier, Giddens also saw opportunities as a pass catcher. Over the previous two seasons, he was targeted 72 times and averaged 12.9 yards per catch in 2024, which ranked 11th among all running backs.

“He’s got to improve a little bit in the pass pro, but he’s only 21 years old," area scout Tyler Hughes said via the Indy Star. "He played through that wrist injury this year, so you can give him a slight advantage where it’s going to get better, but he's tough enough, he’s strong enough and he knows the game well enough where you see his character come into effect there.

"He’s going to hit his ceiling in the passing game. He’s shown enough on tape, as far as a receiver, where he can make guys miss in the open field and run some routes and catch the ball reliably."

Looking ahead to the 2025 season

As GM Chris Ballard said during the NFL combine, the Colts need more production from the backup running back role this season. Jonathan Taylor will, of course, continue to shoulder the workload here, but last season, Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson combined for just 88 carries the entire year and combined averaged under 4.0 yards per attempt.

While Taylor can certainly handle a heavy workload, there's value in the Colts having a secondary back to lean on to help lighten what's on Taylor's plate over the course of a long 17-game season. Not to mention that, ideally, there isn't such a steep dropoff in play when Taylor isn't on the field.

The Colts' offense could also benefit from having a pass-catching element out of the backfield as well. This was something that wasn't much of a factor last season, but having it would provide defenses with another dimension to contend with and expand the playbook for Shane Steichen.

Giddens will be competing for this No. 2 role with free agent signee Khalil Herbert as well as Goodson.

"It's competition, for sure," Giddens said. "Everybody coming in -- I'm coming in to start -- that's what everybody's mindset is. But whatever it is, I'm gonna keep working, so I'm not trippin'.

"That's just how I am. I just ain't scared of competition. I'll play my role, and as long as I'm making an impact on the team, that's all that matters."