Jonathan

Taylor

Taylor and GM Chris Ballard both talked about their desire to get a deal done earlier in training camp, and it didn’t take long for the two sides to reach an agreement. The deal includes $39 million guaranteed and has another $3 million for Taylor to earn via incentives. He was set to be a free agent next offseason but is now signed through the 2028 season. Taylor slowed down once Daniel Jones got injured last year. Even with the quiet finish, his season-long numbers look incredible. He ran for 1,585 yards and 18 touchdowns while setting career-highs in receptions (46) and receiving yards (378). Taylor is rightfully the fourth running back to be taken in most fantasy drafts this summer.

Taylor, who had been a rumored hold-in, has actually participated in camp — though he did take a rest day on Friday — and Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said she would love it if Taylor “would be a Colt for life.” It seems like there’s positive momentum on an extension here, though it isn’t done just yet. Taylor is currently going off draft boards as RB4 and a top-10 pick.

Indianapolis Star’s Joel A. Erickson puts it this way: “the Colts also find themselves at a crossroads. Ballard is headed into the final year of his contract; if Indianapolis does not win, the Colts could be headed for organizational change. A superstar running back might not fit in a rebuild.” It will be very interesting to see if Taylor holds in without a new contract. Ballard spent a lot of his press conference saying his own contract status — he’s a lame duck GM — won’t affect his ability to make long-term decisions. In his own words: We’ll see.

To be clear, the headline of this article said Taylor “could — and should — hold in” and the article itself mostly focuses on why he should and would have a lot of leverage if he attempted to. There’s not exactly a pull quote here from Taylor that suggests he’s leaning one way or the other. But Boyd has been on the beat in Indianapolis for a bit and we believe there’s a real chance this happens. Taylor didn’t technically hold in during an acrimonious contract dispute ahead of the 2023 season so much as he dealt with a right ankle injury that suddenly healed after he got a contract before Week 5. Boyd believes Taylor “despite being three years older, has more leverage now than he did in 2023.” The Colts certainly don’t have a real backup plan for him at running back based on how last season and this offseason went.

“If I can find another guy or two that can take some of those carries off, he’s just going to be that much better,” Smith continued. We’re not that concerned about this from a fantasy perspective because the Colts haven’t exactly invested in finding that player. “Obviously, he’s a hell of a player,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “It’s hard to take him off the field when he’s running so good.” Taylor should remain in the RB1 conversation this year, though it’s going to be harder to believe in him posting his early-season numbers if Daniel Jones’ Achilles injury limits him.

Taylor, 27, has totaled more than 320 offensive touches in each of the last two seasons. His current $14 million annual salary makes him the seventh-highest-paid running back in the league. Taylor has set multiple Colts records, operating as the centerpiece of Indianapolis’ offense for years. FOX 59’s Mike Chappell writes that it is “uncertain whether there’s a mutual desire to keep Taylor in Indy beyond 2025.” Multiple Colts stars, including DTs DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, OG Quenton Nelson and WR Josh Downs, are also entering the final year of their deal. Chappell believes owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon “might believe it’s more prudent to allow the upcoming season to run its course rather than reinvest in lucrative contracts.” Time will tell.

That can change if the Colts select a ballyhooed running back in the 2026 NFL Draft, but at this time, Taylor looks like he should handle another RB1-worthy workload next season. Taylor’s 369 offensive touches in 2025 rank second at the position and he is one among just 10 NFL running backs to clear 300 offensive touches during the regular season. He logged 321 in 2024. No. 2 RB DJ Giddens touched the ball 18 times last season and therefore enters 2026 as an unknown. If Taylor can again remain largely healthy next season, he has decent odds of surpassing 300 touches again.

Every Colts player suffered from a tale of two halves because of Daniel Jones’ knee and torn Achilles injuries. Taylor rushed for 1139 yards and 15 touchdowns in the first 10 games of the season. He didn’t crack 100 yards in any single game afterwards, adding just three more touchdowns to the total ledger. He was the PPR RB3 overall through 17 weeks, but there is some uncertainty about how he’ll hold on to that with Jones’ mobility likely compromised in 2026 -- not to mention Jones’ impending free agency, or the idea that the Colts might move on from their coaching staff. The talent has always been there for Taylor to play like this. If the Colts can give him solid quarterback play again, he should be in the top-5 RB mix in 2026.

He lost a second score to a holding penalty, the Colts ended that drive with a Philip Rivers touchdown pass to Mo-Alie Cox. The Jaguars were essentially sitting on Taylor carries the entire game — it’s not like Rivers could threaten them over the top — and they’ve got a good enough rushing defense that Taylor was left trying to bounce plays outside for big plays. Taylor managed just nine carries for 19 yards in the second half. The Colts don’t have a major reason to play him in Week 18 against the Texans, but it isn’t completely out of the question that he tries to catch James Cook for the rushing crown after coming into today trailing by 43 yards. Colts will be tough plays against a Texans defense with something to play for in Week 18.

Taylor struggled throughout behind an injury-ravaged offensive line against a defense many before him had found success against. He salvaged his fantasy outing with a touchdown plunge from one yard out in the fourth quarter to bring the team within seven points, a deficit they ultimately fell short of overcoming. The Colts could also be turning back to rookie Riley Leonard under center moving forward now that they are eliminated from the playoffs, something that could dent his fantasy upside over the final two weeks of the regular season.