RB Jonathan Taylor missed the start of the season for the Indianapolis Colts. He may miss the end of it, too. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Taylor suffered a thumb injury in Sunday’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The injury will require “further evaluation” with his status “in doubt” for the future, per Rapoport.
As his tweet notes, the Colts are weighing their options. It sounds like everything is on the table, which would include surgery and a possible IR stint. If placed on IR, it means Taylor would be guaranteed to miss the Week 15 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kickoff is set for Dec. 17, though a time has not yet been determined.
UPDATE (3:23 PM): Colts beat writer Stephen Holder says placing Taylor on IR is “on the table,” meaning there is potential for him to miss the Steelers game.
Taylor missed the start of the season largely due to a contract dispute, though he spent the first month of the season on the team’s PUP list. With a new deal in hand, he returned in Week Five. His performance Sunday against the Buccaneers was his best of the season, rushing for 91 yards and two scores as the Colts won 27-20 to keep their playoff hopes alive. On the season, Taylor has rushed exactly 100 times for 414 yards and four touchdowns.
Now, Taylor’s future to finish the year is in question. If he misses any time, RB Zack Moss should assume the lead-runner role. He’s having a strong year, rushing for 672 yards, a 4.8-yard average, and five rushing scores. But with Taylor’s return, he obviously lost playing time, especially in recent weeks as Taylor carved out a larger role in the team’s running game.
Through 11 games, the Colts are 6-5 and in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race. They’ve battled plenty of injuries this season, including losing rookie QB Anthony Richardson early in the year. They might have to play without Taylor for the foreseeable future, too.
