Through the first three weeks, Jonathan Taylor has had an interesting start to the 2021 fantasy football season. The roller coaster continues in Week 4 as Taylor’s questionable designation is causing his fantasy managers nervousness on how to set their lineups. Can you trust Taylor as a player to start in Week 4, or should you be looking to sit him?
Update (10/3/21): Taylor is active for Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins
Jonathan Taylor has had mixed fantasy returns in 2021
Taylor ranks 32nd in fantasy points per game with 9.4 in half-PPR formats through three weeks. He has yet to find the end zone, and while there were positives in the running game in Week 3, his role in the receiving game is frustrating.
During the Week 1 contest, Taylor had a total of 23 touches, with 6 of them coming via receptions. In PPR formats, those receptions are incredibly valuable. They bring returns directly in fantasy points as well as in terms of yards. In total, Taylor had 14.6 fantasy points in Week 1 without finding the end zone. That is a more-than-adequate return for an RB1 when he doesn’t score a touchdown.
Unfortunately, things only went downhill from there. In the last two weeks, Taylor’s touches have dropped to 16 and 11. The most concerning element of that is Taylor having just 2 targets through the last two weeks. In contrast, Nyheim Hines has 8 targets during the same time frame.
Taylor has scored just 13.5 fantasy points combined in the past two games, which is a major concern. The one positive is that against the Titans, Taylor had 64 rushing yards on 10 carries, by far his best return on a per-carry basis this season.
The matchup for Colts RBs boosts value in Week 4
This is a frustrating week from a fantasy perspective for Taylor to have a questionable tag. The Colts face a Dolphins team who are second-worst in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to RBs. Through three games, the Dolphins have allowed RBs to find the end zone 5 times, with 519 total yards and 20 receptions.
Indy’s offensive line is disintegrating
Taylor is not the only significant player on the Colts’ injury report this week. Indianapolis will be without RT Braden Smith and G Quenton Nelson, who has subsequently been placed on injured reserve. Their other starting guard, Mark Glowinski, is also questionable and could miss Week 4.
That would potentially leave Taylor running behind a line that is missing more than half of its starting options before the season. That is a major concern, especially with Taylor’s role in the run game having been reduced.
Should you start Jonathan Taylor in your Week 4 fantasy lineup?
If Taylor is active, the matchup here screams that you trust him as an RB1. However, there are some major red flags. The reduction of touches in the past two weeks, combined with the questionable tag, makes you wonder if we could see a Taylor limited to fewer than 15 touches.
The damage to this offensive line is also a major concern. However, the Dolphins do not have a dominant defensive front seven. That will limit their ability to take advantage of this opportunity.
It is close to impossible to bench a back of Taylor’s talent if he is active. The problem is that, currently, alarm bells are ringing about several things. Efficiency-wise, he has struggled in two of the three games, and the sharing of touches with Hines severely limits Taylor’s upside. Taylor has both a low floor and a high ceiling in Week 4 vs. Miami.