Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is right in the middle of his prime as he enters a crucial campaign in his NFL career.
Still just 24 years old, Taylor won’t hit the age-25 mark until the middle of January. And even though the league often sees an influx of young talented running backs, Taylor remained on NFL.com’s All-Under 25 team as the 2023 season approaches.
Yes, I’m aware Taylor had a difficult 2022 season. Injuries and the Colts’ offensive dysfunction contributed to the worst campaign of Taylor’s three-year career. That didn’t discourage me from including him here, though. Let’s not forget what he accomplished prior to last season. He’s rushed for 1,100-plus yards twice (including a league-leading 1,811 yards in 2021) and posted 29 rushing touchdowns over his first two seasons. A down year shouldn’t wipe all of that away.
It’s easy to forget just how dominant Taylor was during the 2021 season and down the stretch of his rookie season in 2020. An argument can be made that Taylor was the best running back in the NFL during that span.
However, the nagging ankle injury and the porous production from the offense as a whole limited Taylor’s impact during the tumultuous 2022 season.
With rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson expected to take over early in the season, the dual-threat ability should give Taylor more open lanes to run through.
As he seeks a new contract, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a healthy Taylor regained his form as one of the best running backs in the NFL this season.
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