Colts RB Jonathan Taylor hopes to return to practice this week after two games off

WESTFIELD — Jonathan Taylor said he needs to get to practice this week to be able to tell if he can return to play against the Dolphins on Sunday.

"Wednesday is going to be another day for me to go out there and get with the trainers to see if I’m able to practice," Taylor said.

The Colts' All-Pro running back was appearing alongside quarterback Anthony Richardson at a community event at Dairy Queen in Westfield. The two "sauced and tossed" chicken strips before handing them out to fans in attendance.

“Right now, I’m good enough to sauce ‘em here," Taylor said. "I'm working my way back to be good enough to sauce ‘em on the field. But I’ve been feeling better each and every single day.”

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Taylor has missed the past two games with the high-ankle sprain he suffered in a win over the Steelers. He has not practiced since suffering the injury, though he has described the issue as less problematic than the injury he suffered in 2022 that wound up derailing his season.

Taylor tried to play through that injury in 2022, whereas he has focused on resting and allowing this one to heal. He has stressed his ankle is critical to be able to cut and explode the way he needs to.

Taylor is off to another excellent start to a season, with 349 yards and four touchdowns on 4.8 yards per carry in four games this season. After a pair of injury riddled seasons, he's looking to bounce back to the form he had in 2021, when he won the NFL rushing title with 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Jonathan Taylor injury history

Taylor missed one game in 2020 with COVID-19, was questionable for one game with a knee injury in 2020 but played, missed a total of six games in three stints due to his ankle in 2022 and missed three games in 2023 due to a thumb injury.

Who is Jonathan Taylor's backup on the Colts depth chart?

Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson .

Trey Sermon's fantasy football value

Sermon had 29 yards on 18 carries. He has 91 yards on 37 carries and two scores this season with seven catches for 32 yards.

Tyler Goodson's fantasy football value

Goodson was the far more productive back vs. the Titans with 51 rushing yards on eight carries and four catches for 14 yards. He has 77 rushing yards on 13 carries and 47 receiving yards on eight catches for the season.

What is Colts RB Jonathan Taylor's injury?

Colts coach Shane Steichen said Taylor is dealing with a sprained ankle. Media outlets have reported it's a high ankle sprain, which generally has a 4- to 6-week recovery period but can take less or more time to heal.

What are Colts RB Jonathan Taylor's 2024 NFL season stats?

Jonathan Taylor has rushed for 349 yards and four touchdowns on 72 carries this season, a 4.8-yard average. He has caught six passes for 77 yards, a 12.8-yard average.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts RB Jonathan Taylor hopes to return to practice this week after two games off