Can Colts RB Jonathan Taylor Continue His Fantasy Football Dominance?
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The Indianapolis Colts have gotten out to one of the best starts of any team in the NFL this season, thanks to the efforts of star running back Jonathan Taylor. Through eight games, Taylor has carved out legitimate MVP consideration, given his production to start the season.
Entering a Week 9 matchup versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, Taylor leads the NFL in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, managing an uber-efficient 5.9 yards per carry to open the year. In fantasy, his production has translated, as he comes into the new week ranked among the best backs in the league.
The Colts’ offensive anchor has racked up 850 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns over 143 carries, and is on pace for the second 1,800-yard campaign of his career, trending towards a 26-touchdown season on the ground, which would set the third-highest mark in league history.
In fantasy, Taylor is coming off his best performance of the season in Week 8, racking up 37.4 points among PPR leagues, earning his third RB1 finish of the fantasy season thus far. Taylor carved out 153 yards and two touchdowns on the ground over 12 carries, adding two catches for 21 yards in the passing game.
His Week 8 performance marked the second-highest scoring outing from a running back this season, trailing only Christian McCaffrey’s Week 7 performance. Given Taylor’s league-leading production, fantasy owners may be wondering how sustainable his output is going forward.
Jonathan Taylor Projects To Continue Significant Trend Of Fantasy Football Production
Given his cemented role in Indianapolis’ offense, efficient performance on the season, and notable weekly volume, Taylor projects to continue his string of fantasy output going forward. A Week 9 matchup versus the Pittsburgh Steelers presents an ideal opportunity for Taylor to continue his rise. The Steelers’ defense ranks 18th in the NFL in rushing amid an inconsistent start to the season.
Following Week 9, the Colts will endure the 11th-toughest remaining schedule, but will see plenty of favorable matchups down the stretch of the season. It’s no surprise Taylor is likely to sustain his legendary fantasy run, given his output already this year.
His 27.1 PPR points per game rank first among all running backs in fantasy, which projects to continue behind an efficient offensive line. Taylor has played a direct role in the Colts’ 7-1 start to the season and will maintain a large role in the offense down the stretch of the year.
Going forward, fantasy owners can depend on Taylor’s production and should continue to expect high-end RB1 output in the second half of the season.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.