Running Back · Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
Analysis by Shawn Childs, from his 2026 guide — his words, unedited.
The case
- · Over the first 10 games of 2025, the Colts scored 321 points, highlighted by 39 touchdowns and 17 field goals over 100 possessions.
- · Taylor was the best fantasy running back over his first 10 starts (1,399 combined yards, 17 touchdowns, and 30 catches on 219 touches), gaining 6.0 yards per rush and 8.7 yards per catch.
- · He finished with a career high in touches (369), with no missed games for the second time in his six-year career.
- · 12 plays gained 20 yards or more, with five reaching the 40-yard mark.
- · Taylor had the best passing-catching opportunity of his career (46/378/2 on 55 targets).
Question marks
- · Is Indy’s offensive success early repeatable in 2026? Was Daniel Jones the key to the Colts high scoring ceiling? Is he healthy?
- · How does the loss of Michael Pittman affect their passing game? Great opportunity for Tyler Warren, but can Alec Pierce beat WR1 coverage?
- · Did the Colts overpay for Daniel Jones ($88 million for two seasons) and Alec Pierce ($116 million for four years) in the offseason?
Shawn's conclusion
Taylor is a special running back who gets overlooked in the fantasy market due to the team he plays on and 16 missed starts from 2022 to 2024. He’s scored 12 touchdowns or more in four (12, 20, 12, and 20) of his six years in the NFL, giving him 57 TDs over 84 games. Great frontrunner back as Taylor can wear down defenses in the fourth quarter. Indy scored 466 points last year, compared to 377 in 2024. On the downside, I’m not confident that the Colts will replicate their early scoring success from 2024.
More on Taylor
Taylor announced his presence in 2022 with a dominant Week 1 (175 combined yards, a touchdown, and four catches on 35 touches) before a toe issue in late September gave way to an ankle injury requiring surgery. He missed six games and was largely a non-factor in the contests surrounding his absence, with one bright spot in Week 10 (22 carries, 147 yards, a touchdown, and two catches for 16 yards). In his 10 full starts, Indianapolis gave him 21.9 touches per game.
His ankle surgery lingered into 2023, costing Taylor the first four games. The Colts eased him back over the following two weeks (99 combined yards and six catches on 20 touches), before he found his rhythm over his next five starts (377 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and 10 catches for 75 yards and a score, averaging 16.04 PPR fantasy points per game). A broken left thumb then cost him three more games. Taylor closed the season on a strong note, rushing 69 times for 327 yards and three touchdowns over his final three contests, but his passing game involvement was minimal (three catches for 16 yards).
Taylor carried his 2023 late-season momentum into 2024, though injuries remained a constant companion. He missed three games with an ankle issue but opened the season with four productive starts (72 carries, 349 yards, four touchdowns, and six catches for 77 yards). After returning from injury, Indianapolis kept him at just over 20 touches per game, but his effectiveness dipped, averaging only 11.60 PPR fantasy points during that stretch. He closed the year on a tear, topping 100 rushing yards in each of his final four games with a combined 580 yards and six touchdowns on 117 carries, with repeated weakness with his receiving chances (four catches for 18 yards on eight targets).
Last season, Taylor shook the injury-risk tag by suiting up for 17 games for only the second time in his career. He dominated the Broncos’ defense in Week 2 (25/165 with two catches for 50 yards and one score), setting up a monumental scoring run over his next eight starts (146/903/15 – 6.2 yards per carry with 25 catches for 183 yards and another touchdown). The Colts’ stud back averaged 28.70 PPR fantasy points over this span.
The lack of a trusted starting quarterback, after the Daniel Jones injury, led to tighter run lanes for Taylor (134/446/3 – 3.3 yards per carry) and a sharp decline in fantasy value (12.91 FPPG) over his final six matchups. Despite his regression, he averaged 21.4 touches per game over this span.
The Colts have given 321 and 379 touches over the past two seasons, and he showcased the same level of workload in 2022 (372 touches). Taylor has the tools and opportunity to be a fantasy beast if he makes another 17 starts in 2026. Indianapolis will ride him hard in his contract season while still having the power to franchise Taylor after 2026. I can’t dismiss 2,000 combined yards with 20 touchdowns and four catches this year.
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