Will Taylor have a 'lighter workload' in 2026?
Kyle Dvorchak evaluates a statement from Indianapolis Colts running back coach DeAndre Smith that star Jonathan Taylor will have less playing time. Dvorchak calls the statement "offseason fluff."
Video Transcript
Colts running back coach DeAndre Smith said Jonathan Taylor could see a lighter workload in 2026.
This is July fluff.
Every team in July thinks that they have elite running back depth and that their superstar running back can finally see a lighter workload.
I don't buy that by the time the team gets through training camp and they're in week one and the bullets are flying, they'll be looking at DJ Giddens or Seth McGowan, their two backup options right now, and say, "One of you two running backs should be taking a meaningful amount of work from Jonathan Taylor."
Over the past five years, Jonathan Taylor has earned 300 carries three individual seasons.
Only Derrick Henry has done so as many times.
No one's done so more.
Only Bijan Robinson and Christian McCaffrey have as many 350 touch seasons because unlike Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor is a bit more involved as a pass catcher as well.
Nobody touches the ball as much as Jonathan Taylor when he's healthy, and that's one of the appeals of Jonathan Taylor is that he can handle a league-leading amount of touches and still be one of the most efficient running backs in the NFL.
So I buy that right now, if everything goes perfectly as planned, the Colts would scale his workload back.
But when the bullets start flying, when push comes to shove, you get your best running back, and right now, probably the face of your franchise, the football as often as possible.
This is just really off-season fluff to me.
I'm still comfortably drafting Jonathan Taylor inside the first 10 picks of my fantasy drafts.
