Jonathan Taylor Remains With Colts On PUP: Fantasy Impact For Taylor, Deon Jackson, Zack Moss
The Colts' deadline has passed and Jonathan Taylor was not only not traded but also wasn't removed from the PUP list. Here is the fallout and what this means for your fantasy football team.
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Fantasy Impact of Jonathan Taylor Staying In Indianapolis, On PUP
Jonathan Taylor Fantasy Outlook
This was the worst-case scenario for everybody. Remaining on the PUP means no matter what happens from here, Taylor will miss the first four games of the season.
Colts' owner Jim Irsay has cemented himself as the worst owner in football. Not only did he alienate his team's best player publicly, but he also talked himself into a corner, making a trade that much more difficult. Players around the league are watching how the Colts do business and this could do irreparable damage to a franchise whose owner was already a known disaster.
Taylor will now be forced to sit out the first four games of the season, and it's unlikely he ever plays for Indy again. If you drafted him in fantasy already this year, be prepared to be without him for a while. The odds are he doesn't play before the Halloween trade deadline. The best-case scenario now is that Taylor is traded between now and Week 5 so he can suit up once he's eligible to return. Until he is moved, fantasy managers will have to make do without him until further notice.
If you haven't yet drafted and still are considering JT, you'll have to decide what his value is. Alvin Kamara is suspended for the first three games of the season and is being drafted 69th overall as the RB26 according to our ADP Tool. Taylor is the better player, however, his situation is also much more complicated. With Kamara, we know he's going to sit for three weeks and then he'll be back. We don't know when or if Taylor will play this year. The fact that he's returning from ankle surgery and will have to get back into football shape after being away from the team for months throws another question mark into the mix. There are a lot of moving parts here, and it's difficult to pin down the appropriate time to draft him.
My advice is to target him right around pick 100 overall. That would place him as the RB37, right behind Jamaal Williams and ahead of Zach Charbonnet. No matter where you pick him he could be a league winner or a completely useless asset. You have to decide where that line is for you. For me, it's right around pick 100.
For Dynasty owners, I suggest you buy Taylor low if you can get him and hold if you own him. His value will never be lower than it is right now. At some point, he will be back in the NFL, and he is an elite talent. This is a tough blow for Dynasty teams, nevertheless, you'll have to hold out hope that this somehow gets figured out and he's on the field in Week 5. However, there is a possibility he could miss the entire season and get franchise-tagged by the Colts. Then we have to go through all of this again next offseason. Monitor this situation closely and make the best most educated decision you can.
Zack Moss, Deon Jackson, Evan Hull Fantasy Outlook
As far as the Indy backfield goes, it is now the worst in the league and it will be tough to trust anyone on this offense. They have three backs who may get a shot to be the top back. Zack Moss is the favorite to be the lead back once he is fully healed from his broken arm. Currently, he is considered questionable for Week 1. After him, they have Deon Jackson and Evan Hull, who should be rostered in that order. FantasySP's Ted Chmyz gave his take and went more in-depth on this trio last week.
There is also a chance the team could add a veteran like Leonard Fournette, Kareem Hunt, or the recently released Melvin Gordon. While we all recognize those names they are all shells of their former selves unlikely to have a sudden resurgence if they are signed to a new team, especially one that will likely be in the conversation for a top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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