News: 7 hours agoMcGowan churned out a "handful of big gains" on the ground during the Colts' joint practice session with the Patriots on Tuesday, Joel Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.
Spin: Erickson notes that the New England defense stymied both Jonathan Taylor and McGowan throughout the first half of practice, but the Colts' ground game was more effective when the session shifted to the red-zone portion after a special-teams period. McGowan, a seventh-round rookie out of Kentucky, has been serving as the Colts' No. 2 back behind Taylor for most of camp while DJ Giddens has been sidelined by a hamstring injury, has drawn positive reviews for his physical running style. McGowan could still have the early edge for the top backup role even if Giddens is able to get back on the field in the near future, though the performance of both players over one more joint practice and three preseason games will carry the most weight when it comes to depth-chart slotting.
ESPN Fantasy Projection: McGowan was selected by the Colts in the seventh round of April's draft. McGowan is an older prospect (25), having bounced around five schools due to an off-field issue in 2021 that led to jail time and a dismissal from Oklahoma. He slowly rebuilt his career and peaked with 1,100 yards and six TDs at New Mexico State in 2024 prior to delivering 851 yards and 12 TDs at Kentucky last season. His efficiency is hit or miss, as his career 2.65 YAC is very poor, but his 4.2 forced missed tackle rate is strong. He's been effective in the passing game, as well, so there's some hope for a pro level impact. McGowan impressed at the combine, posting the top vertical and broad jump in this RB rookie class and running a solid 4.49 40-yard dash at 223 pounds. McGowan will battle DJ Giddens for primary backup duties behind Jonathan Taylor, so it's possible he finds his way to some value as an insurance hold.