Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor had a monster day in the team's win over the Tennessee Titans, and fantasy football managers who have him on their rosters during the fantasy playoffs couldn't help but rejoice.

Taylor rushed for season-highs of 218 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries to lead the Colts to a 38-30 win over the AFC South rival Titans in front of excited fans at Lucas Oil Stadium. The speedster recorded a 65-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 70-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Taylor's amazing performance came a week after he made a monumental blunder by fumbling the ball at the goal line in last Sunday's 31-13 loss to the Denver Broncos, which put a major dent in Indianapolis' playoff hopes. At 7-8, the Colts still have an outside chance to earn a spot in the postseason, but it won't be easy over the final two weeks of the year.

Fans on social media celebrated Taylor's big day, as he helped propel countless teams into the fantasy football championship:

In addition to Taylor's strong outing, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson threw for 131 yards, a touchdown and an interception and added nine rushes for 70 yards and a score. In total, Indianapolis racked up 335 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

The Colts will try to keep the momentum going next Sunday when they face the New York Giants, who fell to 2-13 with this week's loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Jonathan Taylor's fourth fumble of the season was his most costly.

The Indianapolis Colts running back would have had a 41-yard touchdown to give his squad a 20-7 lead, but he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line and it bounced out of the end zone, resulting in a touchback. It was a rookie mistake for the fifth-year player.

After the game, Taylor made it clear he was well aware of the mistake he made.

"You go over those scenarios, but it just can't happen," Taylor said, per Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star (h/t Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams). "No matter the game, no matter the scenario. You can be up by 50, down by 50, playoff game, first game of the season, that should never happen."

Taylor had a massive first half with 94 yards on 16 carries, but struggled after the fumble, picking up just 13 yards on six carries for the remainder of the game. The Colts lost the game 31-13 after giving up 24 answered points in the second half, costing them the AFC South title.

Colts coach Shane Steichen was disappointed, yet understanding about Taylor's mistake.

"It was a mistake," Steichen said. "Obviously, it hurt us, but you know, he's one of our leaders, and sometimes that happens in football. But you know, he's our guy.

"He said, 'Shoot, I got you, coach.'"

The Colts' playoff chances took a hit with the loss, but they can still reach the postseason if they win their remaining games and get some help from other teams.

The Indianapolis Colts will have half their starting backfield back for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins.

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted Friday that Colts head coach Shane Steichen said running back Jonathan Taylor will not play as he continues to recover from the high-ankle sprain he suffered. However, quarterback Anthony Richardson was cleared to start after missing the last two games because of a right oblique injury.

Richardson suffered the injury during Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was unable to take the field for the ensuing matchups against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans.

Yet the Colts still went 2-1 in those three games thanks in large part to veteran Joe Flacco.

Flacco completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 716 yards, seven touchdowns and just one interception during that span. Even in the one loss to the Jaguars, he threw for 359 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions and elevated the offense in the absence of Richardson and Taylor.

Still, Indianapolis made Richardson the franchise quarterback when it selected him with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft, and it surely wants him healthy and under center to see if he can fully live up to his potential.

Injuries have been a consistent problem in the early going of his career, as he played just four games as a rookie because of a shoulder injury and has failed to finish four of his eight total starts across his two seasons.

His ability to make plays with his legs means he is all the more difficult to stop for opposing defenses. However, it also puts him at further injury risk as he takes additional hits as a runner who escapes the pocket.

Whether Richardson is able to stay healthy moving forward could determine the 3-3 Colts' ceiling, but they will likely need Taylor back and healthy at some point as well if they are going to make a playoff push.

Taylor isn't that far removed from leading the NFL in rushing yards (1,811) and rushing touchdowns (18) in 2021 and can be one of the league's best running backs when he is on the field.

He told reporters Tuesday he was "definitely feeling better this week," which suggests he may not be that far away from a return. But that will have to wait until at least Week 8's divisional game against the Houston Texans because he will not be on the field to face the Dolphins.

The Indianapolis Colts will go for their third straight win this Sunday without Jonathan Taylor.

Head coach Shane Steichen announced on Friday that an ankle injury will keep Taylor out against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Trey Sermon, who had five carries last week after replacing Taylor, will be in line to get the start.

Taylor suffered the injury midway through the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. His ankle got caught under the body of DeShon Elliott during a tackle.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Taylor downplayed the severity of the injury.

"Feeling pretty good," he said. "We came out with the win, so I'm excited to attack this week."

Taylor's injury occurred after Anthony Richardson left in the first quarter with a hip injury. The second-year quarterback has been a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

Steichen hasn't announced Richardson's status for Sunday, but The Athletic's James Boyd noted Joe Flacco was taking "most, if not all" first-team reps during Friday's practice.

The Colts have not formally announced Taylor's injury. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday the 25-year-old was diagnosed with a mild version of a high-ankle sprain.

Taylor previously suffered a high-ankle sprain during the 2022 season that kept him out for the final three games. He is off to a strong start this season with 349 yards and four touchdowns on 72 rushing attempts.

Sermon is in his second season with the Colts. He has nine carries for 24 yards and one touchdown in four games. The 25-year-old was a third-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 and spent one season with the team before being claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Eagles in September 2022.

The Colts signed Sermon to their practice squad in September 2023. He was promoted to their active roster prior to Week 3 last year. He has appeared in 18 games over the past two seasons.