Jonathan Taylor was the most talked-about rookie running back entering the 2020 NFL season. He certainly lived up to the hype, as he finished as a top-10 running back in 2020 fantasy football leagues. The question at hand is, can he replicate this production in 2021? Let’s take a look at Jonathan Taylor‘s 2020 season and project where he could end up in the overall rankings in 2021.
Fantasy Football Player Previews: Jonathan Taylor
| PPR Finish in 2020 | Half-PPR Finish in 2020 | Standard Finish in 2020 |
| RB #6 | RB #6 | RB #4 |
| PPR PPG Finish in 2020 | Half-PPR PPG Finish in 2020 | Standard PPG Finish in 2020 |
| RB #10 | RB #10 | RB #8 |
Understanding the Colts Backfield in 2020
The Colts were a confusing backfield entering 2020. This narrative changed very quickly during the season once Marlon Mack went down Week 1 with a torn Achilles. His injury left a two-headed backfield for the remainder of the season with Taylor and Nyheim Hines. Jordan Wilkins was there as well, but he was clearly the third-stringer. Without Mack getting hurt it would have been much harder for Taylor to finish No. 1 in snap count for the Colts by the end of the season.
Taylor’s Production in 2020
Once Taylor became the lead back, he took the NFL by storm. He ran 232 times (15.5 per game) for 1,169 yards (77.9 per game), finishing third. He added 36 receptions (2.4 per game) on 41 targets (2.7 per game) for 299 yards (19.9 per game). He blew expectations of the water — not because he was a better running back than perceived, but because he got the lead role quicker.
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In short, the answer to this question is 100%. Taylor had the second-highest number of breakaway runs in 2020 with 14 (0.9 per game). He was also solid at evading tackles, with his 64 (4.3 per game) ranking 10th among running backs. Some of these tackles evaded come thanks to Taylor’s 23.9% juke rate, which ranked 21st. He also averaged a highly efficient 5 yards per carry.
Indianapolis Colts Offseason
One of the biggest splashes in offseason news came with Carson Wentz getting leaving Philadelphia. He found his new home in Indianapolis to fix a downward spiral of a career. That said, this should be an upward move for the Colts. Sure Philip Rivers was solid last season, but under Frank Reich Wentz could return to his productive form. On the other side of things, bad news came when left tackle Anthony Castonzo retired in January. While Castonzo was not the best left tackle in the NFL, his departure is a huge blow to the offensive line.
Taylor’s 2021 Outlook
When it comes to drafting a running back in the first round, Taylor fits that bill. There is not too much hype centering around a top-five finish for Taylor, but it would not be surprising if that were to happen. Even with the departure of Castonzo, the Colts still have a top offensive line in the NFL, which should let Taylor make easy work of defenses. Match that with a passing attack that still is not up to par despite improvements, and there should be plenty of opportunities for Taylor. Mack returning to the team could cut into workload a bit, but he will only see meaningful volume if Taylor is injured. Expect a hefty workload for Taylor in 2021, which will put him firmly in top-five conversation.
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