There are few things that destroy fantasy teams like using the first overall pick on a player who is either injured or has a steep decline in production. In the case of Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, you had both.
Taylor came into 2022 as the consensus No. 1 overall fantasy pick due to one of the greatest running back seasons of recent history in 2021. He made a case to be the league MVP, rushing for 1,811 yards, catching 40 passes for 360 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns. However, injuries, a struggling offensive line, and poor quarterback play resulted in Taylor’s production dropping considerably – by his standards.
In his first two seasons, Taylor averaged 5.3 yards a carry. That number dropped to 4.5 yards last season – a solid average for most backs, but a step backward for Taylor. Most telling was that his touchdown total dropped from 20 to four, which left fantasy players empty-handed more weeks than not. However, the blame can’t be pinned solely on Taylor, who missed games in October, November, December and January due to ankle injuries. There were other contributing factors that led to his decline.
