DeForest

Buckner

Latu’s chances of suiting up this week are unfortunately decreasing. The Colts pass rush also lost DL DeForest Buckner (back/ankle) to injured reserve this week, notably weakening the unit. The news bodes positively for Bears QB Caleb Williams.

Buckner suffered an ankle injury Week 2 against the Packers and though X-rays came back negative, he will need at least four games off to heal. With Buckner being one of the Colts’ best defensive players, their defensive front has gotten weaker. He had 1.5 of the Colts’ four sacks this season and anchored a defense that was already allowing over 150 rushing yards per game. Taven Bryan and Grover Stewart will need to step up to replace Buckner’s production. DE Genard Avery was signed to the 53-man roster in a corresponding move.

Buckner was helped off the field Sunday against the Packers after sustaining what appeared to be a serious lower leg injury. X-rays on the ankle came back negative and Buckner will undergo more testing in the coming days. Rapoport said it does not appear to be a long-term injury for Buckner, the Colts’ best defensive player. Without Buckner, the Colts have one of the worst front sevens in the NFL.

Buckner’s X-ray imaging promisingly showed he avoided a fracture, though his Week 3 availability remains to be determined by the MRI. Buckner has totaled four quarterback pressures and 1.5 NFL sacks thus far this season.

Buckner was down on the turf in significant pain before being helped off the field by the team’s training staff. He came into Week 2 with a back injury that held him out of practice for much of last week. Without Buckner, the Colts could be one of the league’s most exploitable defenses. Even with him, they’re quite bad, as evidenced by Green Bay’s 255 rushing yards in the first half.

Blackmon didn’t practice this week, so his absence doesn’t come as a surprise. Per head coach Shane Steichen, DT DeForest Buckner (back) has a chance to play. Both he and EDGE Kwity Paye (hamstring) are questionable for Week 2. Even with a weakened pass-rush, the Colts should be able to get home on Malik Willis more than a few times.

Buckner tends to play through injuries, having yet to miss a game since signing with the Colts in 2020, and has experience managing a back injury in the past. Regarding this issue, Buckner said it is “pretty much the same thing” he dealt with last season, referencing his Week 4, 2023 appearance on the injury report. If active, Buckner fortuitously frequently lines up over the Packers’ weak point at right guard which bodes positively for the Colts’ fantasy D/ST unit. S Julian Blackmon (shoulder) and DE Kwity Paye (hamstring) were likewise unable to practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

Buckner, a three-time Pro Bowler, is now under contract through the 2026 season. He’s one of 10 Colts players to sign new deals with the team this offseason, as the team has been very intentional about retaining key talent that nearly helped them reach the playoffs last season. Buckner was acquired from the 49ers in exchange for the No. 13 overall pick in 2020 and has totaled 281 tackles and 32.5 sacks over his last four seasons. He was also given First-team All-Pro honors in the 2020 season. Buckner, 29, is one of the top interior linemen in the league and will now be paid as such over the next three years.

The Colts were also without three defensive linemen, Tyquan Lewis, DeForest Buckner, and Kwity Paye. All three plus Leonard played last week. Indy’s injuries on defense will be worth monitoring throughout the week. Ryan Tannehill, who is looking less mobile by the week, would benefit greatly from a weakened Indy pass-rush.

Buckner didn’t practice at any point this week and would be a big loss for Indianapolis if he didn’t play. It would make Derrick Henry a much more palatable fantasy option on Sunday. Buckner played through a hip injury in Week 2 despite little practice that week so he should probably be regarded as truly questionable.