Indiana in the NFL | Aug. 9–15, 2026
The most compelling story for Hoosier fans this week comes out of East Rutherford, where linebacker Micah McFadden is set to take the field in the New York Giants' preseason opener — a moment he's approaching with undisguised excitement. When asked to choose between two emotions heading into the Saturday kickoff, McFadden reportedly just laughed. That kind of levity makes sense for a player savoring a return to game action, but it only tells half the story.
The other half is harder to sit with: McFadden's path to a roster spot is genuinely uncertain. The Giants' linebacker depth chart heading into camp leaves him fighting for his place on the team, not simply reclaiming it. A preseason appearance is meaningful, but it's also exactly the kind of audition that determines whether a player sticks or gets cut before the regular season begins. For an Indiana alum who has worked his way through the league, the stakes in this opener are real.
McFadden isn't the only Hoosier to suit up for New York. The Giants also have Cam Jones (LB) and Raheem Layne (FS) in camp alongside him, giving Indiana an unusual three-player cluster on one roster. Ryder Anderson (DT) rounds out the Giants' Hoosier contingent, making New York quietly one of the most Indiana-heavy rosters in the league this summer.
Elsewhere around the NFL, Indiana's footprint is wide if not always headline-grabbing. Peyton Hendershot continues to work as a depth tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, while Zach Horton is in the mix for the Detroit Lions at the same position. Nate Sudfeld, a familiar face for Hoosier fans who watched him develop in Bloomington, remains on Detroit's roster as a veteran backup QB. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is back home in Indiana, on the roster of the Colts, giving the state's flagship program a direct presence on the home-state franchise.
On the offensive line, Caleb Jones is working at tackle for the Green Bay Packers, Dan Feeney and Luke Haggard are both with Tampa Bay, and Wes Martin is in New Orleans. The Bengals have perhaps the most intriguing group of Hoosiers in one place outside of the Giants — Andre Carter (DE), Aaron Casey (LB), and Ke'Shawn Williams (WR) are all in Cincinnati's camp.
But the week belongs to McFadden. His preseason debut is the clearest window into what Indiana produces at linebacker — tough, technically sound players who don't always get marquee attention but find ways to stick. Whether he clears the bar this August is the question Hoosier fans should be watching most closely.
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