Jonathan Taylor vs. Vikings Week 7: Four Expectations for Colts RB

Jonathan Taylor gets Jalen Redmond and a Vikings defense that has allowed two rushing touchdowns all year, with trade calls piling up for the Colts' star back.

by Neal Coolong

Oct 25, 2026

Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores looks on against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Indy has spent the week reading about Jonathan Taylor’s trade value. Teams are calling about Taylor, ESPN reported Thursday, and Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium gives the Colts running back his best stage yet to show why.

Taylor isn’t interested in the noise. “It’s what’s happening right now. … It’s not going to get any easier,” he told Colts.com this week. “No one’s going to feel sorry for us. Oh, our general manager is gone. No one’s going to feel sorry for us.”

Minnesota is 5-0, rested off its bye and allowing a league-low 12.8 points per game, which is why its defense has a Super Bowl case. Here’s what to expect from Taylor against it.

Jalen Redmond makes the early carries a grind

Sep 27, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive line Jalen Redmond (61) lines up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Redmond might be the best run defender nobody outside the Twin Cities talks about. His 90.9 run-defense grade ranks first among 130 interior defenders at PFF. Minnesota has allowed 433 rushing yards in five games and two rushing touchdowns.

Taylor is averaging 4.0 yards per carry, a single-season low, on 122 attempts. Expect another 20-plus carries at something closer to 3.5 yards per pop. His lowest workload this season was 15 carries in the loss at Pittsburgh, and Shane Steichen won’t abandon him that early in a low-scoring game.

Brian Flores’ blitz gives him one long run

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Flores has blitzed on 77.8% of Minnesota’s defensive plays, the highest rate in the NFL, per the Colts’ preview. It’s the same scheme that can put Daniel Jones in a bind, but every extra rusher leaves less help behind the line. Taylor has 15 runs of 10-plus yards, fourth among 47 backs, and 13 forced missed tackles on carries, according to PFF.

One of those runs gets past the second level Sunday. Expect at least one carry of 20 yards or more.

Third-down snaps matter as much as the carries

Sep 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (obscured) celebrates with linebacker Blake Cashman (51) and quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) after sacking Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent (not pictured) to end the game in the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Taylor has run 141 routes, third among running backs, and hasn’t dropped a pass. He’s averaging 10.9 yards per catch, a personal best, and posted a 79.1 pass-blocking grade against Tennessee, according to PFF. That last number matters against the most consistent Vikings defender. Blake Cashman has 12 pressures, second among linebackers, and 21 stops, per his PFF page.

Jones has been sacked 15 times. Expect Taylor on the field for most third downs, picking up blitzers and catching three or four passes when the Vikings bring more than the Colts can block.

One rushing touchdown keeps him atop the league

Oct 4, 2026; Tottenham, ENG; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) celebrates his touchdown against the Washington Commanders with guard Quenton Nelson (56) during the third quarter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Taylor’s seven rushing touchdowns lead the NFL, and he has scored in four of six games, with two each against Baltimore, Kansas City and Washington. We called for two Taylor touchdowns in Minneapolis in our bold predictions.

One is the more reasonable expectation against a defense that has given up two rushing scores all season. It probably comes on a short-yardage carry after a Colts takeaway, since long drives have been hard to come by against Minnesota.

Taylor added 94 yards on 21 carries last week as the Colts outgained the Titans by 213 yards and still lost. A similar line Sunday, two months after signing his Colts extension, would tell every caller exactly what Indianapolis would be giving up.