Jonathan Taylor Fantasy Football Outlook 2022 (The Clear No. 1 Overall Pick?)

Drafting Jonathan Taylor last year didn't guarantee you won your league, but when your second-round pick scores almost 30 more fantasy points than any other running back in the NFL it's hard to have a bad season.

Everything that made Taylor such a beast last season is still in play in 2022, and there's a reason that his average draft position (ADP) sees him going as the first-overall pick in most leagues.

Jonathan Taylor Fantasy Football Outlook

The Indianapolis Colts were one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL last year, rushing on 47.4% of their snaps. That helped Taylor lead the league with 332 rush attempts, while only one other player (Najee Harris, 307) had more than 300. In fact, only six other backs came within even 100 carries of Taylor.

That kind of rushing volume is almost unheard of in today's NFL, but the Colts' commitment to running the ball is undeniable. The other interesting piece is that they refused to abandon the run even when trailing. Taylor had 15-plus carries in seven of the Colts' eight losses.

Indy has also now added Matt Ryan under center, providing a huge upgrade from Carson Wentz.

This isn't going to change Indy's offensive philosophy to a pass-first one, but he should help take some pressure off Taylor and also put the Colts into some more favorable game scripts for increased rushing volume. Ryan could also be a boost for Taylor as a receiver, as he did show some pass-catching chops with 40 receptions and 360 yards on 40 targets last season.

Taylor's 332 carries last year were the second-most in a season for any player since 2015, and with that volume for an elite talent (5.45 yards per carry in 2021) in an improved offense, it's hard not to like Taylor as the favorite to finish as RB1 again in 2022.

Jonathan Taylor Projections

Projections from the NFL odds on FanDuel Sportsbook are also nice and high on Taylor. He's the favorite to lead the NFL in rushing yards again this season, with an over/under of 1,350.5 yards.

Is Jonathan Taylor a Good Fantasy Football Pick?

So with all said and done, is Taylor a good fantasy pick? Absolutely. The No. 1 running back in The Duel's fantasy football rankings, you can feel good about taking Taylor if you have the first overall pick. And if he somehow falls to you at No. 2 or No. 3? Then you're really getting some incredible value on him.

Oh, and if you drafted Taylor No. 1 overall then you might want to check out the best Jonathan Taylor fantasy football team names for your squad too.

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Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.