Refreshed after the late week 14 bye, the Colt’s bell-cow running back will be looking to hit 1000 rushing yards for the first time since 2021.
Its been a very up and down season so far for Jonathan Taylor, featuring a 23 carry game with 135 all purpose yards and 2 touchdowns in week 3 vs Chicago as well as a 11 carry 35 yard performance against Detroit week 12. Not to mention the 4 week injury absence mid season, multiple QB changes and Colts general offensive struggles. And while its been tough for the ‘All-American Stud’ to produce this year, sometimes you just have to trust the talent and let it rip.
Taylor kicks off the fantasy playoff season with a very tough Broncos defense which ranks 6th in the league against the run. Denver has only let 1 ball carrier top 100 rushing yards, Kenneth Walker – Week 1. If you make it past week 15, or if you have a first round bye, the schedule softens up. Week 16 Taylor will face off against the 13th ranked Titans run defense. However, the aforementioned Titans have been struggling recently, ranking 23rd against the run in the past 3 games. The icing on the cake comes to those of us in the fantasy finals with a sweet, sweet matchup against the 29th ranked Giants run defense.
Lukasz Stec, @Lukasz_FF01
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor received 25...
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been ...
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that the ...
Taylor’s practice participation leading into week 8 is listed as limited, full, full and he carries no injury designation.
Jonathan Taylor has been sidelined for 3 weeks nursing a “mild” high ankle sprain. With no injury designation heading into Sunday, it looks like the Colts talisman RB is likely to suit up for the divisional showdown against the Texans.
When healthy, Taylor has been a must play at RB 1, averaging 18.15 ppr points per game. While some caution is always advised when players return from injury, Taylor produced at a high level coming back from a similar high ankle sprain in 2022. Taylor scored 15.5 ppr fantasy points on only a 56% snap share after a 2 week absence that year.
Lukasz Stec, @Lukasz_FF01
Michael Pittman was cleared from concussion protocol, but had a relapse in symptoms and will miss week 16 against the Falcons.
The Colts Offense will look different this week with Jonathan Taylor returning from Thumb surgery and Michael Pittman and Zack Moss both being ruled out from injuries suffered in last weeks win against the Steelers.
Without Moss, Taylor will return to a featured role in the Colts offense and be leaned on more than usual without Pittman in the passing game. Expectations for Taylor should still be tempered against a Falcons Defense that is yet to allow a rushing touchdown to a running back this season. Taylor will be backed up by Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson, who can be left out of fantasy lineups this week.
Alec Pierce will be the leader in snaps at wide receiver without Pittman, but D.J. Montgomery looks to be the biggest beneficiary after dropping a would-be touchdown early last week before hauling one in later in the game.
Jonathan Taylor is undergoing thumb surgery for an injury he suffered in week 12 against the Buccaneers.
Not too long ago, Zack Moss was a top 5 fantasy Running Back while Jonathan Taylor sat out the beginning of the season with a contract dispute. Those days seem to be set to make a return as soon as this weekend with the latest news that Taylor will miss at least the next 2 weeks after undergoing thumb surgery. Fantasy managers who held on to Moss as a handcuff are set to be rewarded as he immediately regains his status as the fringe RB1 he was at the beginning of the year as the Colts’ bell cow.
Colts owner, Jim Irsay, told reporters there isn’t confidence in Taylor’s hand strength or ability to control the ball, leading to the decision to have his thumb surgically repaired. While the hope is that it will only be a 2 week absence for Taylor, it’s clear there is potential for Taylor to be sidelined longer.
Contending fantasy managers rostering Taylor should make immediate plans to replace Taylor’s production. For those rostering Moss, he becomes a near “must-start” from now until Taylor returns, including this Sunday against a stout Tennessee run defense. Trey Sermon is expected to assume backup duties until Taylor returns, but only warrants being added in deep leagues based on his limited usage this season.
Jonathan Taylor has been activated from Indy’s PUP list and is ready to play in week 5 after agreeing to a contract extension with the Colts.
Fantasy Managers who took a chance on Jonathan Taylor can now breathe a massive sigh of relief. Not only is Taylor set to play in week 5 after being activated from Indy’s PUP list, but it also appears the drama between him and the Colts will soon become a distant memory with the news of him receiving a massive contract extension that puts him among the highest paid running backs in the NFL. Taylor now slots in as an RB1 you can confidently start the rest of the season.
While some expect Taylor to be eased into action in week 5, it’s worth emphasizing that he should be in your lineups this weekend if he’s on your roster, even in a tough matchup against the Titans. It’s apparent that the Colts have been keeping their cards close to their chest and have immediate plans for Taylor, as the contract extension comes as a surprise to most who have been closely monitoring situation. It should be expected that Taylor immediately returns as a focal point of the Colts offense, as the Colts have made it clear they want their star running back on the field.
For Fantasy Managers who are rostering Zack Moss, this isn’t what you were hoping for. While you can’t drop Moss quite yet, he shouldn’t be in lineups for week 5. It will become clear soon that Moss will be nothing more than a handcuff to Taylor, at which point Moss will be safe to drop.
The Jonathan Taylor situation remains unsettled, even with the star running back expected to return to practice Wednesday.
It looks like the buying window for Jonathan Taylor could be slammed shut before we know it. Taylor is expected to return to practice for the Colts Wednesday, and could return to game action as soon as Sunday’s game versus the Tennessee Titans. While there has been nothing but positive sentiment around the topic conveyed from the Colts, it’s still unclear if Taylor wants to play another down for Indianapolis.
This situation was one of the most intriguing stories of the off-season, and you should keep your popcorn handy for what happens next. If Taylor returns to action, he immediately regains his status as a Fantasy RB1 in a Colts offense that has been a pleasant surprise, ranking middle of the pack in most key offensive metrics in 2023. This would immediately render Zack Moss useless for Fantasy purposes as anything more than a handcuff.
Fantasy Managers with Moss should have a plan for Taylor’s return, but shouldn’t drop him quite yet. There are multiple scenarios (a trade, Taylor continuing to hold out, etc..) that could keep Moss as an RB2 for the foreseeable future. Trey Sermon and any other Colts running back you may be rostering besides Moss is safe to drop at this time.
