The NFL offseason continues to generate news headlines as Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor has officially requested a trade from the team. What does this mean for his fantasy football outlook heading into 2023?
Could we legitimately see the fantasy superstar playing in a different uniform this season? Should you still consider drafting him in your fantasy football leagues?
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Jonathan Taylor Joins the RB Carousel
The NFL offseason has been highlighted by key names at the RB position hitting the free agent market. Whether that was Ezekiel Elliott being released by the Dallas Cowboys, Leonard Fournette being let go by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or the Minnesota Vikings surprisingly moving on from Dalvin Cook, there’s been no shortage of movement at football’s most devalued position.
In the midst of swirling contract and value discussions about the RBs in today’s NFL, Taylor has decided to play one of the cards that he has at his disposal and has demanded a trade, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
This news has massive fantasy football implications, as Taylor is currently going off the board as a top-five RB in drafts. While his upside in Indianapolis is not as high this season as in recent years due to the presence of an ultra-athletic QB that can dip into his workload, JT still presents an incredibly high floor for fantasy football.
However, Taylor could easily move back up into the overall RB1 conversation over Christian McCaffrey if he were to be traded heading into the 2023 season. Which teams could consider trading for Taylor as he heads into the final year of his rookie deal?
Jonathan Taylor’s Potential Landing Spots for Fantasy Football
The roadblock standing in JT’s way is the fact that multiple veteran RBs are currently available that NFL teams can sign without needing to send away a potential second or third-round draft pick.
The teams that should be looking into trading for Taylor are the ones who are looking for the RB to help push their lineup over the top for a championship. Immediately in consideration are teams like Buffalo, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia.
Buffalo has James Cook in line to be their main option out of the backfield in 2023, but he faces concerns about his size and being able to withstand a significant opportunity. If Buffalo is intent on limiting Josh Allen’s rushing workload this season, sending away a pick to acquire JT for a championship run makes sense.
Cincinnati just restructured Joe Mixon’s contract heading into 2023, but they’ll be looking for a long-term option heading into 2024 and beyond. While having both Mixon and JT on the same roster for one season seems a bit redundant, Cincinnati needs as much firepower as possible to finally best the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC to reach the Super Bowl.
The team that seems the most likely to trade for Taylor going into 2023 is the Eagles. Howie Roseman has proven that he’s not afraid to send away a draft pick for the following year to acquire a talented player on an expiring contract.
The Eagles are rolling into 2023 with Rashaad Penny and D’Andre Swift as the leaders of their backfield, but durability isn’t exactly either player’s forte. Adding in a player like Taylor could allow Nick Sirianni to roll out an insanely talented committee this season as they aim to get back to the biggest game in football.
Should You Still Draft Jonathan Taylor?
Fantasy managers are going to question whether or not Taylor should still be their selection at the top of drafts. There’s certainly more risk now than there was just a few days ago, but that risk should be accounted for in his ADP, as it will likely take a dip.
For the potential payoff of having Taylor play for a team like Buffalo or Philadelphia this season, JT should still be a top-eight RB off the board in fantasy drafts. Even if a trade doesn’t occur, Taylor will show up and play in the final year of his rookie contract with potentially an even larger chip on his shoulder, ready to prove to NFL teams that he’s worth a massive deal.
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