Ahead of the 2026 NFL season, the league is releasing its list of the top 100 players, which is voted on by the players themselves. Coming in at No. 17 is Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. "Great contact balance," said Raiders' running back Ashton Jeanty. "Able to make guys miss. He's pretty fast out there too." Colts' tight end Mo Alie-Cox called Taylor "Electric," adding, "There's not a lot of guys that every time they get the ball I think they're going to score, but JT is definitely one of those guys. If he gets to that second level, good luck."
No. 17 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@Colts RB Jonathan Taylor! @NFLFilmspic.twitter.com/ZVhrL5Te4i — NFL (@NFL) August 18, 2026 Taylor remains one of the most productive backs in football, while continuing to shoulder a heavy workload out of the backfield. He played in 13 games in 2024 and all 17 games last season, rushing for 1,431 yards and 1,585 yards, respectively. Taylor also led the NFL in rushing touchdowns last season and was tied for third in rushes of 10-plus yards, per PFF. "You gotta get him down," said linebacker Zaire Franklin. "Best back in the league, no question." Texans' defensive end Danielle Hunter said, "There will be a pile and then boom -- dude explodes out of nowhere for like a 80 yard gain." Success for the Colts' offense often begins with Taylor. There is the obvious with his high-level production, but by providing a strong running game for the offense, that opens up the playbook for Shane Steichen and helps take some of the burden off the passing game. "He's just the most explosive running back; you give him a little crease and boom -- he turns it into an 80-yarder," said Alec Pierce. The Colts recently signed Taylor to a two-year contract extension worth $44 million. "His vision and his acceleration, how he sees the holes, the game develop, and then just able to take off from 0 to 100," said Trey Sermon. This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Why active NFL players voted Colts' Jonathan Taylor among best in 2026