With a new contract and a fully healthy offseason, Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor is expected to have a massive impact in 2024.
Finally getting to see the combination of Taylor and dual-threat quarterback Anthony Richardson on the field together, optimism is high on the ceiling for the Colts offense.
Some anonymous NFL executives and scouts feel the same way, ranking Taylor as the fifth-best running back in the league entering 2024.
"Expecting a huge year from him," an AFC executive told ESPN. "Still an impact player."
After missing the first four games of the 2023 season due to an ankle injury and a contract dispute, Taylor was on the field with Richardson for all of two snaps before the latter ended his season due to a shoulder injury.
Now, the RPO offense under Shane Steichen can thrive even more with the threat of both Richardson and Taylor taking a handoff to the house.
"Still explosive -- last year he was beat up," an AFC scout told ESPN. "The Colts eased him into things. But he's probably the best combination of size and straight-line speed right now."
Taylor still showed plenty of explosiveness and a nose for the end zone in the 11 games he played during the 2023 season.
Taylor started seeing his regular workload during the team's final 11 games of the season. He missed three of those games due to thumb surgery. But in the five games before and the three games after, Taylor was playing at an elite level.
In those eight games, Taylor took 155 carries for 704 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns while adding 13 receptions for 91 receiving yards and a touchdown.
A 17-game pace of those numbers would give Taylor 329 carries for 1,496 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns to go along with 28 receptions for 193 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
It's easy to be high on a big year from Taylor going into his second year in Steichen's offense.
