ESPN’s Mike Clay identified the biggest roster strength for each NFL team, and for the Indianapolis Colts, his pick was the running back position, specifically Jonathan Taylor.
Clay also identified the Colts’ “biggest weakness” as well.
Taylor was again one of the more productive backs in football last season, totaling 1,585 rushing yards. He continues to be explosive as well, ranking ninth in yards per rush and tied for third in rushes of 10-plus yards, according to PFF.
Shane Steichen also got Taylor more involved in the passing game last season as well.
“Jonathan Taylor is one of the league’s best backs and is fresh off a terrific 2025 campaign in which he led the NFL in carries and touchdowns while also finishing in the top three in touches and rushing yardage,” wrote Clay. “Once a minimal part of the Colts’ passing game, Taylor also ranked in the top 10 among backs in routes, targets, catches and receiving yards, setting career highs in each. This all happened despite a big dip in production when quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 14.”
It is Taylor who sets the table for the rest of the Colts offense. With a strong and steady run game to lean on, that keeps the Colts out of predictable long down-and-distance situations and opens up the playbook for Steichen.
Given Taylor’s track record of high-level production and the fact that he shoulders a very heavy workload out of the backfield, he essentially is the Colts’ running back unit.
That said, when zooming out and looking at the position group as a whole, the depth of this unit is in question. Competing for the backup role are DJ Giddens, who saw minimal action as a rookie in 2025, and Seth McGowan, a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.
Inexperience can lead to uncertainty until proven otherwise.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: What is Colts biggest roster strength in 2026? ESPN analyst weighs in
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul Bretl, Colts Wire | USA TODAY Network
