The Indianapolis Colts are without star running back Jonathan Taylor for at least the first four games of the season due to an ankle injury, and Zack Moss is being counted on to fill in as the potential primary back in his absence.
However, Moss suffered a broken right forearm in a July 31 practice and has been working to recover since. What is the chance Moss suits up in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars as kickoff approaches?
Editor’s Note: Moss is inactive for Indy’s Week 1 contest.
Latest News Surrounding Zack Moss
Moss was able to practice in limited fashion throughout Week 1 prep, lending credence to the notion he would be able to see some action versus Jacksonville. Accordingly, he went into the weekend listed as questionable, but he was downgraded to doubtful on Saturday evening.
Will Moss Play This Week?
A Saturday downgrade in injury status is always ominous, and it therefore appears Moss is likely to sit out at least one more week unless there’s a significant reversal of course during pregame warmups.
In his likely absence, Deon Jackson, who put together multiple solid performances as a fill-in last season, is expected to helm Indianapolis’ backfield.
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Rookie fifth-round pick Evan Hull, who proved to be an efficient runner and excellent receiver out of the backfield during his college days at Northwestern, will serve as his primary backup, with former Rams back Jake Funk projecting as a distant third in the pecking order.
What Does This Mean For Moss’ Fantasy Ranking?
Moss’ fantasy outlook remains solid in the short term, since it appears he was very close to garnering active status this week.
Assuming the downgrade on Saturday was simply due to precaution and not any worsening of the injury, Moss would seem to have a good chance of suiting up in Week 2 in what could be a favorable matchup against the Texans.
However, a Sunday morning report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Taylor, who currently resides on the PUP list while completing his recovery from offseason ankle surgery, is very close to passing a physical and intends to play when first eligible Week 5 certainly clouds Moss’ longer-term fantasy prospects.