It’s the time of year again where those in NFL circles begin to recognize the most impactful players from the 2024 season before quickly turning their attention towards the upcoming 2025 campaign.
Among the best 100 players selected by ESPN were a duo of Colts, both of whom contribute heavily to Indy’s high-flying rushing attack.
Running back Jonathan Taylor and offensive guard Quenton Nelson came in at No. 69 and No. 61, respectively.
Taylor was recognized for his consistently elite contributions when he’s able to be on the field.
“When Taylor's healthy, he usually has a fantastic season,” ESPN’s Colts insider Stephen Holder wrote. “He still possesses the sudden acceleration that makes him so dangerous in the open field, and he had an impressive training camp.”
Taylor rushed for 11 touchdowns in 2024, tied for the second most he’s had in a season. The 26-year-old jumped up 21 spots from his previous ranking at No. 90.
Taylor’s success on the ground is not a complete individual effort, however. If it weren’t for having an elite offensive guard in front of him like Nelson, the Colts entire offense would suffer.
Nelson has always been as reliable as they come on the offensive front.
“Nelson has been key to an offensive line that ranks seventh in rushing yards per game (126.2) since he entered the league in 2018,” Holder wrote. “Notably, he hasn't missed a game since 2021 and has missed only four in his career. That durability figures to continue, given the feedback from his coaches, who say he is as well-prepared for 2025 as he has been for previous seasons.”
Nelson’s 51 starts over the last three seasons is tied for the most among interior linemen in that span.
Both players are key to Indy’s rushing attack, an attack which poses less of a threat with Daniel Jones under center than it does with Anthony Richardson Sr., and will have to continue to be the dependable forces on Indy’s roster if they are to have a chance of clinching a postseason berth.