Why can’t fantasy owners just have nice things? A year after his Achilles tear, Marlon Mack returns to the Colts. Of course, Jonathan Taylor is fresh off a sizzling 2020 finish where he trailed only Derrick Henry and David Montgomery (lol) in FPs from Week 11 on.
The question then begs: Should Jonathan Taylor fantasy owners be worried about Mack’s return? Or did Taylor show enough to be locked-and-loaded in all 2021 first rounds?
The 2020 Jonathan Taylor Fantasy Experience:
No one would call the 2020 Jonathan Taylor Experience a fun ride, regardless of how gratifying the last moments were. Even with Marlon Mack removed from Day One, Taylor sputtered to just one RB1 performance and a 12.1 FPPG across his first ten weeks.
Of course, if you somehow survived, Taylor likely carried you to a ship, doubling his PPG (24.3) and finishing as an RB1 in five of six weeks. His only RB2 performance still brought 19.5 FPs.
Deservedly so, Taylor’s torrid finish sent his 2021 fantasy stock soaring, as he rarely escaped the Top-5 in early offseason Best Ball.
Most importantly, whether you trust your eyeballs or analytics, no one could dispute just how dominant Taylor looked over this stretch. Deprived of an offseason and proper workload to fully get going, the lightbulb finally clicked for Taylor. (Yes, a creampuff slate of defenses didn’t hurt, either).
Taylor routinely knifed and plowed through defenses, could not be denied at the stripe, and finally looked like the elite specimen we all saw at Wisconsin.
Will he pick up right where he left off? Or is Mack about to stunt his growth into a full-time fantasy behemoth?
Marlon Mack, Frank Reich’s RBBC System Cause for Concern
Yes, Mack’s signing does give me pause.
Not because I doubt Taylor whatsoever. But because we already saw Reich mismanage Taylor for 3/4 of a season, with fewer monkey wrenches in his shitty toolbox than Mack.
But Wolf, you might counter, Mack is off an Achilles injury. No RBs come back from those!
True, fair point. Mack could be washed. He could reaggravate it.
Still, this was a Week 1 ailment, providing ample recovery time.
Then, we receive tweets such as this (thanks for the nightmares, Zac Keefer):
Can tell you two things on the Marlon Mack front: This was an *easy* decision for the team — they love Marlon — and they don't see any issue splitting up carries between Mack, Taylor and Hines. All bring a different element to the attack, and all are really unselfish players.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) March 17, 2021
I would love to dismiss this. Did we see the same Jonathan Taylor?! Pfffft. How do you not saddle that monster up 25+ times!
Unfortunaely, Frank Reich‘s history is littered with RBBC’s. This was the truth before he was hired by Indy, producing genius headlines such as:
He has remained the truth for 90% of his Colts tenure. Hell, injuries to Jordan Fucking Wilkins were required before Taylor was fully unleashed, and even still, Nyheim Hines squirted in for obnoxious TDs out of nowhere.
The Colts love Mack, who, when healthy, poses a much bigger threat than Wilkins or Hines ever could.
Yes, Mack’s signing impacts my ranking of Taylor. at least until I get some sort of “he’s our horse” endorsement. Which I won’t believe since I’ve had permanent trust issues since I was told CJ Spiller would be “fed until he pukes.”
At a minimum, I can’t keep Taylor above surefire studs like Austin Ekeler and Nick Chubb, and the creme de la creme WRs (Adams, Tyreek, Diggs). Hell, as of today, I’d prefer Cam Akers in a Rams offense that I think ignites with Matthew Stafford.
Taylor falls to 15 overall and RB12 (previously RB8, OVR9) on my 2021 Fantasy Football Big Board and Rankings.
Check out The Wolf’s latest 2021 Fantasy Football Big Board & Rankings to see where all these players and more fall after 2021 NFL Free Agency!
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