Colts: AFC South still has NFL’s best RB in Jonathan Taylor with Derrick Henry out

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is emerging as the best in the NFL.

Prior to his injury, Derrick Henry was unanimously regarded as the best running back in the NFL. He was the engine of the Tennessee Titans and was rushing the ball at a record pace. In fact, after suffering an injury in Week 8, Henry still leads the NFL in rushing after Week 10— despite not playing the last two weeks.

However, we’re not sure if you noticed, but Henry is now tied for the NFL lead in rushing yards. His 937 yards are matched by the Indianapolis Colts’ second-year back, Jonathan Taylor.

Taylor hasn’t garnered the attention that Henry did, but that doesn’t change the fact that since Henry went down, Taylor has been the NFL’s best running back.

Colts’ Jonathan Taylor emerging as NFL’s best back

On the season, Taylor has 161 carries for 937 yards and nine touchdowns, along with 29 receptions for 303 yards and another touchdown.

He not only leads the NFL in rushing, but he also has the most yards from scrimmage with 1,240— over 100 yards more than Cooper Kupp, who is second. He even has the two longest touchdown runs with an 83-yard and 78-yard score.

Taylor has been able to dominate for Indianapolis every way possible; breaking long runs, picking up short yardage, catching out the backfield…he has done it all.

He has even proven to be the catalyst of a formula for winning, as all of the Colts victories have come when Taylor totals over 100 rushing yards.

En route to this dominance, Taylor has garnered praise from some of the NFL’s best defenders; considering they are tasked with stopping him, they know how special he is.

Special enough to lead a team to the playoffs.

Jonathan Taylor will be key to Colts’ playoff push

The fans of Indianapolis also recognize Taylor is that special. That’s why they argue that he needs to be fed even more, and there is some merit to that argument. In 10 games, Taylor has a combined 190 touches— Henry had 219 carries, alone, in eight games. Needless to say, there is definitely room for Taylor to develop into even more of a workhorse.

Tennessee recognized they had something special in Henry and allowed him to lead the team to new heights, and Indianapolis needs to do the same. If they want to improve on this 5-5 record and upset some of the tougher teams remaining on their schedule, it will have to be on the legs of Taylor.

At that point, the world will have no choice but to pay attention to what Taylor, the best running back in the entire league, is doing.