​The Colts entered this season as a playoff contender with no Plan B if Daniel Jones faltered. Here’s why the season-long fantasy values of Jonathan Taylor, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, and Tyler Warren could plummet after tonight’s matchup against the Chiefs.Sometimes Week 1 signals a team’s outlook — and by extension, its fantasy outlook — for the rest of the year. In last season’s opener, the Dolphins suffered an embarrassing 33-8 defeat to the Colts, fueling fears that Tua Tagovailoa couldn’t elevate the offense.The Giants suffered a similar wake-up call in Week 1 of 2023, falling 40-0 at home to the Cowboys. A year earlier, Daniel Jones helped lead this team to a surprisingly respectable 9-7-1 record while playing some of the best football of his career. But by December, Jones was out with a torn ACL, the team was firmly out of postseason contention, and the offense limped to the finish line. For example, Saquon Barkley averaged only 10.6 points during the fantasy playoffs. That’s the risk of sticking with startable fantasy players on teams going nowhere.This year, the Colts struggled in Week 1, losing 41-23 at home to the Ravens. On the one hand, it’s only one game. Their fantasy-relevant players shouldn’t be affected. But all eyes should be on Daniel Jones entering tonight. Recovering from a torn Achilles that cut short a promising 2025 campaign, Jones threw for 59 yards and a TD on the opening drive… and 107 scoreless yards the rest of the game.Again, we could view this as an anomaly. Maybe he’ll turn things around against the Chiefs. But this team’s talented skill players’ fantasy value hinges not only on his health, but also on his ability. Before getting knocked out for the season in 2023, Jones played the worst football of his career. It also hurt the rest of the team’s fantasy production.After tonight, the Colts will face a tough Texans defense at home. Then four of their next five games will be on the road against the Commanders, Steelers, Vikings, and Jaguars. This team could be 3-5 or even 2-6 heading into the NFL trade deadline. Worse, it could signal that Jones cannot elevate this offense, which could make most of the team’s skill players unstartable. If the team is firmly out of playoff contention by December, Taylor — who missed three games in 2024, seven in 2023, and six in 2022 — could be at risk during the fantasy playoffs.One game doesn’t make a season. But sometimes it prepares us for what’s coming. Jones must be healthy and at/near the top of his game to help drive this offense. If Week 1 is any indication, fantasy managers should be concerned.For a deeper dive into the fantasy implications of Week 2 Sunday Night Football, listen to this recent podcast episode.This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: How a bad Colts loss tonight could signal a fantasy implosion