After being the first overall pick in most fantasy football drafts this offseason, Jonathan Taylor has been a massive disappointment for managers. He missed two games with an ankle injury and reaggravated the ankle this past Sunday.
We have the latest injury update on Taylor and a breakdown of whether you should put him into your lineup if he’s active in Week 9.
Update: Jonathan Taylor has been ruled out for Week 9.
Jonathan Taylor Injury Update
We didn’t expect to see Taylor on the injury report Wednesday, especially not as a complete non-participant. It’s a positive that head coach Frank Reich said the injury was merely a tweak, but he also made it clear the team is monitoring his progress since he’s not 100%. Traumatized owners can feel the anxiety building in the pit of their stomachs.
The toughest factor for Taylor’s injury is he was rounding into the bellcow managers were counting on while shaping their roster. He had 26 carries and seven receptions between Weeks 7 and 8. It was fair to expect those numbers to increase as his snap share increased from 55% in Week 7 and 69% in Week 8 to his usual high-70s rate.
MORE: Week 9 Fantasy PPR Rankings
With 107 carries for 462 yards and one touchdown, plus 16 receptions for 71 yards, fantasy managers are hoping Taylor is ramping up to RB1 status. However, playing against the Patriots when potentially hobbled means Tayor could be a better sit option for managers. This is a nightmarish scenario.
The Patriots have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs, giving up only 89.8 rushing yards and 37.5 receiving yards per game. They have allowed 4.8 yards per carry but run hot and cold. Few would have expected this defense to surrender 199 rushing yards to the Packers but only 70 to the Browns, for example.
There’s no question that the Colts’ offensive line is less dominant than the Ravens, Packers, and Bears, who ripped the Patriots for a combined 630 yards. If Taylor is healthy, he may be stifled, as it’s unlikely Bill Belichick will feel threatened by quarterback Sam Ehlinger. I’d expect Taylor to see a loaded back all game long.
With six teams on a bye week, it’s possible your fantasy team has no other choice than to start Taylor if he’s healthy. There are worse options, but we’re worried he’ll split carries or be prone to re-injury. The best case for his value is he can find the end zone as the offense puts the Patriots’ defense on their heels with an attack built around RPO looks to help Ehlinger succeed.
MORE: Week 9 Fantasy RB Start/Sit
The Colts’ trade of Nyheim Hines isn’t significant in terms of replacing Taylor, but it could mean we’d see more Phillip Lindsay or newly-acquired Zack Moss in some situations if Taylor is inactive.
Deon Jackson still figures to be the centerpiece of an offense without Taylor. But if Taylor is active, you’d only want to start Jackson if you’re truly hurting with depth and have no other viable option since he could see very little action.
This is a tough spot for fantasy managers to be in. Don’t be afraid to bench your first-round pick if he’s not in the best position to succeed on your roster. All that matters is you win, not that Taylor justifies his draft spot.
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