Texans Get Clarity on Colts’ Starting QB for Week 18

It looks like the Houston Texans won't get a chance to face off against 44-year-old Philip Rivers in Week 18 vs. the Indianapolis Colts after all.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Colts are expected to start rookie quarterback Riley Leonard against the Texans for Week 18, allowing Indianapolis to have a look at their rookie signal caller in the final game of the season, while Rivers heads to the bench after three games.

The Colts are expected to start rookie Riley Leonard on Sunday against the Texans, sources told @HolderStephen and me.

After three games with Philip Rivers and the Colts falling out of the playoffs, Indy will get a look at the rookie. pic.twitter.com/vuBP9Y7YUO
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 30, 2025

It makes sense for the Colts to roll out their first-year quarterback without many stakes in play for Week 18. Rather than one final look at the fresh-out-of-retirement Rivers as playoffs are out of reach, Leonard gets his chance to shine in an opportunity he's waited all season for.

And for the Texans, that means they'll be facing a rookie quarterback for just the third time this season.

Texans Set to Face Riley Leonard in Week 18

The only other time Houston's been up against a first-year signal caller this season has been during their two meetings against their division rival Tennessee Titans and Cam Ward, as they came out with a win versus the number-one overall pick both in Week 6 and in Week 11.

Fast forward to the last week of the regular season, and they now get one final opportunity to feast on a first-year talent, this time against the 189th-overall pick.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Riley Leonard (15) delivers a pass Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, during practice at the Colts training facility in Indianapolis. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Leonard has had four regular-season appearances for the Colts so far this season, getting significant playing time in only one of those showings against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14 when Daniel Jones went down with his season-ending knee injury. In that game, he completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards with one interception.

Now, he'll be tasked with the challenging assignment of preparing for Houston's league-best defense; a unit that's ranked atop most important metrics on that side of the ball, having just four games this season in which they've allowed 20 points or more from opponents.

And for the Texans, DeMeco Ryans has already made it clear that he'll be playing his starters in the final game of the season despite locking up a playoff berth, as Houston will still have a glimmer of hope to steal the AFC South away from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

So that means for Leonard, he certainly won't have things easy this weekend, as the Texans will have their eyes set on win number nine in a row after having not lost a game since the beginning of November.

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