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Colts: Bradshaw is the true top back

PFF-headlinesThe Colts seem intent on preserving Trent Richardson‘s spot as the team's top running back. Through three games of the season, though, that simply isn’t the case.

With Ahmad Bradshaw back and healthy, he has taken over this Colts backfield as the top runner on the team. While Bradshaw has been on the field more (118 snaps compared to Richardson’s 101), a majority of the carries have still gone to Richardson.

With 41 attempts this year, Richardson has produced a very mediocre 156 yards while Bradshaw's 150 have taken him just 25 attempts to accumulate, giving him an impressive 6.0 yards per carry. Despite Richardson being the bigger back, Bradshaw has the better Yards after Contact average (3.5 to 2.6) and is excelling in the passing game where he already has 12 catches and three touchdowns. Neither back has surrendered any pressure while held in to pass block, but Bradshaw's mark (no pressures over 26 pass-blocking snaps) is the league's best.

Maybe things will even out the deeper we get into the season, but right now Bradshaw is near the top of our running back ranks with a +3.7 overall grade compared to Richardson’s -3.0 that has him in the position's Bottom 10.

So, while the Colts might still be holding on to the hope of Richardson being “the guy”, it seems that for now they already have their guy in Bradshaw.

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