Jonathan Taylor is great, and this is nothing that Indianapolis Colts fans didn't already know. In his second year, he led the NFL in rushing with 1,811 yards. When healthy, he might not be among the best running backs in the league, but he is among the best players.
He has proven this through three games, once again leading the league in rushing yards per game. In Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans, Taylor was efficient and productive, but he had one play that is going to be part of highlight reels for years.
With Indy comfortably up 27-13, Taylor took the handoff from quarterback Daniel Jones and created his best Marshawn Lynch impression. He twisted and turned, and fought off would-be tacklers, and outsprinted the rest. He scampered for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor should get some MVP notice this season
It is the kind of plays (multiple) that Jonathan Taylor will need to change a common assumption, but he might be the person to do it. Fans and NFL analysts don't even take into account non-quarterbacks in the MVP conversation, and that's not fair.
Saquon Barkley might have won the award for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. Taylor might be trending that way in 2025.
The last non-quarterback to win the AP MVP award was running back Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. That season, Peterson ran for 2,097 yards with 13 total touchdowns. Taylor could come close to 2,000 this season, and he is almost certainly going to have more than 13 touchdowns.
After the Indianapolis Colts' Week 3 beatdown of the Tennessee Titans, Taylor now has four touchdowns. That trend would take him to 20. He might have more than that because defenses are going to have to adjust to what Daniel Jones is doing, which might free Taylor up more.
The question isn't whether the Colts running back, if he remains healthy, will put up the kind of statistics that get him noticed for awards, because he will. He could easily be Offensive Player of the Year, but fans don't remember that. They remember who the MVP was, and Jonathan Taylor might deserve that.
Oddly, it is his quarterback that might take some of the votes away from him. No one expected Daniel Jones to be as good as he is. If he continues to play well, he will get MVP votes, maybe just enough to keep Taylor from winning.