There were a lot of confused fantasy football owners when it came time to draft their teams this August. One of the toughest questions we all faced: what should we do about Jonathan Taylor?
The consensus number-one overall fantasy pick just a year ago, Taylor was coming off a 2021 season that saw him rush for over 1800 yards, catch 40 balls, and punch it into the end zone a whopping 20 times. The ceiling is inarguable.
Then came Taylor’s disappointing 2022 season, marred by an injury that saw him miss 6 games and play hampered in many others. Taylor rushed for barely 800 yards and his touchdown total plummeted down to 4. The floor is spooky.
Injured (maybe) and irritated with management, the “floor Taylor” is the one many of us saw entering the 2023 draft. This was augmented by Taylor holding out and demanding a trade, with an exclamation point of a visit to the PUP list. His price tag went from a late-second, to third rounder, to all the way down to the 5th/6th Rounds amidst all the chaos.
Plus, with a rookie QB and head coach, the Colts were bound to suck anyways. Even for a talent like Taylor, why bother with the risk?
Only, the Colts haven’t sucked. In fact, Shane Steichen might be the most promising new head coach of the season. Under his direction, the Colts are pushing the pace just like his former Eagles’ offenses. Indy ranks fifth in plays per game (69.7) and 10th in points (24.7).
This ripe offensive environment has allowed, of all players, Zack Moss to thrive. Moss returned to the lineup in Week 2 and posted 21 PPR FPs (RB10), with 22 touches (4 rec), 107 YFS, and 1 TD. Moss also logged *checks notes* 98% of the snaps in the game.
Moss followed this up with a 32 touch (2 rec), 145-yard, 1 TD monster performance vs. the Ravens’ stout front-seven, finishing as the RB5 with 23 FPs. Moss now ranks as the RB6 in FPPG. In his career, he’s been the RB55, RB52, RB73.
Which begs the question: what can a talent like Jonathan Taylor do in this offense?
And then the follow-up question: why are you not trying to trade for Jonathan Taylor right this second?
Especially if you drafted early, there is a good chance the Taylor owner in your league is sitting at 1-2 or even better 0-3. Capitalize on this desperation and try to buy low on Taylor immediately.
Granted, Taylor could hold out. He also could be traded (in which case Zack Moss would go down alongside Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams as the best pickup of 2023 and a bonafide league-winner). Yet, with Raheem Mostert thriving, the Dolphins at least feel unlikely. Perhaps the Packers will come calling again.
With this risk baked into Taylor’s likely fantasy trade price tag, you might be able to get a future Top-3 RB1 at the price of a mid-range RB2 & WR2 package. Maybe a high-floor, low-ceiling asset like James Cook or Kyren Williams could get it done. Or perhaps a Brian Robinson and Courtland Sutton package moves the needle. If the Taylor owner in your league just needs some pieces to pull off a desperation win, and can’t absorb another loss, you’d be foolish not to toss out some bait like this.
In short, fantasy teams sitting on Taylor that are struggling may be itching to get off him and make a move. If you have something of substance to offer, it’s tough to imagine a bigger home run swing to take to lead you into the second part of the season.
Unfortunately for me, the guy with Taylor in my league is 3-0, so I won’t be at the party. It’s a bummer–if he was 0-3 I would absolutely be entering the sweepstakes. The Wolf has him ranked at 29th overall in his Rest of Season Big Board, and there’s a very real chance Taylor could finish the season in the Top-6 of that list if the dominoes fall right.
