The Indianapolis Colts host the New Orleans Saints in Week 8 and will be looking to bounce back from a tough 39-38 loss at home to the Cleveland Browns.
Losing rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson for the year hurt, but the Colts are still one of the better rushing teams in the league.
The Colts currently rank ninth in rushing yards (124 yards) and have a solid duo in Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss. Which one of these Colts running backs should fantasy football managers start in Week 8?
Jonathan Taylor’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
After missing the first four games on the injured reserve and going through a contract dispute in the offseason, Taylor is back and is coming off his best week. He rushed the ball 18 times for 75 yards and one touchdown against the Browns while having three catches for 45 yards.
He started to show the explosiveness of old, as he had 14 carries for 37 yards in his first two games. He has been great in the passing game this year, as he has nine catches for 107 yards in the three games.
The Saints are in the middle of the pack stopping the run, ranking 12th (98.7 yards per game). Taylor had his best week last be a sign of things to come moving forward, which would be great news for fantasy managers.
Zack Moss’ Fantasy Outlook This Week
Moss was one of the early surprises to start the year, as he had 445 yards in his first four games. However, he hasn’t been nearly as effective the past two weeks, totaling 25 carries for 78 yards. Like Taylor, he has been decent in the passing game, as he has 15 catches for 115 yards and one touchdown this year.
MORE: PFN Consensus Rankings
The fact he had as many carries as Taylor last week against the Browns is a good thing. The Colts want to run the football.
A big issue for Moss was that he missed Friday’s practice with a heel and an elbow injury. The fact he missed practice is very concerning, as that is usually an indicator of a player not being able to play.
Which of the Colts Running Backs Should You Start?
The Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer says Taylor is the player to start. His projected 12.1 points include 63 rushing yards, three receptions, and 16 yards. That doesn’t seem like a massive stat line, but it outperforms the consensus projection for Moss (8.3).
I am going with the optimizer as this is becoming Taylor’s job. He recently signed a three-year, $42 million deal and is still one of the best running backs in the league. Moss’ injury doesn’t help him at all, and if Taylor has a big day on Sunday, it may be tough for Moss to have fantasy value moving forward.
Don’t be surprised if Taylor has a 100-yard day while also scoring a touchdown. He could be in line for a top 5-10 RB fantasy day.
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