The Indianapolis Colts elevated 25-year-old wide receiver Anthony Gould from the practice squad Saturday ahead of Sunday Night Football against the Kansas City Chief, via the NFL transaction wire.
The move puts Gould on the active roster for the Week 2 matchup at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. Indianapolis enters 0-1 after a Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Kansas City is 1-0.
Gould fills a gap created by the absence of Ashton Dulin, who was ruled out Friday with an ankle injury that kept him out of practice all week. Dulin had been a trusted option on punt returns.
Rookie running back Seth McGowan handled most kickoff returns in the opener. Gould is expected to take on a significant special-teams role, particularly on punts.
The 5-foot-8, 174-pound receiver was a fifth-round pick (142nd overall) out of Oregon State in 2024. He has appeared in 19 career games with one start for the Colts.
His receiving production remains modest: three catches for 29 yards. His value has come as a returner—32 kickoff returns for 853 yards (26.7 average) and 23 punt returns for 226 yards (9.8 average).
In 2025, he played 11 games (one start), catching two passes for six yards while posting 25 kickoff returns for 647 yards (25.9 average) and 13 punt returns for 131 yards (10.1 average).
Gould’s 2025 season ended on injured reserve after a foot injury in Week 14. The Colts waived him during final roster cuts on Aug. 30, 2026; he went unclaimed and was signed to the practice squad the next day.
Teams may elevate a practice-squad player three times in a regular season. This is Gould’s first elevation of 2026.
His speed—he ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash—has been a consistent asset. He made an immediate impression as a rookie with 109 punt-return yards on four returns in his NFL debut.
Offensive snaps have been limited, and that is likely to remain the case Sunday unless injuries or game script open extra opportunities in the slot.
The Colts face a difficult environment: a prime-time road game against Patrick Mahomes and a Chiefs team that showed a stronger commitment to the run in Week 1.
Indianapolis is also working through defensive communication issues after allowing 506 yards in the opener. Adding a familiar, proven return specialist gives special-teams coordinator Brian Mason another reliable option while the offense and defense look to rebound.
Gould’s elevation is a standard, low-risk roster move that addresses a specific need. Whether it leads to a larger role later in the season will depend on his performance Sunday and the health of the receivers ahead of him.
