Team news: Indianapolis Colts | Page 30

Before "Monday Night Football'' in Week 1, the rookie leader in receiving yards was ... Jonathan Taylor. Yeah, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, the same Taylor widely knocked for his supposed lack of pass-catching prowess as a prospect just a few months ago, a believed inadequacy to his game that may have led to him being the third back off the board in the 2020 draft.

Related players: Nyheim Hines

Hines will still be a factor in the receiving game this season, but with Marlon Mack now out, Taylor is expected to take over as the starter and will likely see an uptick in snaps, carries and receptions. Colts QB Philip Rivers loves to utilize his RBs as receivers so it looks like Taylor owners will have their investment pay off for the rest of the season.

Marlon Mack tore his Achilles during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars, which leaves Jonathan Taylor set to take sole possession of that spot.

“Jonathan’s ready. He’ll step up and do a good job,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said on Monday, via George Bremer of the Anderson Herald Bulletin.

Related players: Nyheim Hines, Jordan Wilkins

Taylor ran nine times for 22 yards and caught six passes for 67 yards on Sunday. Hines rushed seven times for 28 yards, caught eight passes for 45 yards and scored a touchdown each way. Wilkins is also on hand as well the story said, but it looks like Taylor could claim the a lot of the touches lost with Mack's injury.

Indianapolis Colts running back Marlon Mack has a torn Achilles, a source tells ESPN's Mike Wells.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the Colts feared Mack suffered the torn Achilles in their season-opening loss to the Jaguars.

Related players: Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines

Mack suffered the injury after catching an underneath pass in the second quarter Sunday. He immediately grabbed his ankle, got up and took off his helmet before waving for assistance from the Colts' sideline. Taylor and Hines should continue to to split up most of the workload, each had 15 touches in Week 1. Hines stole the show a bit, though, collecting a rushing and receiving TD. Hines is expected to at least continue to have a role in the passing game.

Marlon Mack's promising 2020 might already be over.

Mack is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles during Sunday's 27-20 season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported.

Related players: Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines

Colts coach Frank Reich confirmed Mack had an Achilles injury and would get an MRI on Monday. Mack played just 11 snaps, gaining 26 yards on four carries before exiting with the injury. He was carted to the locker room after making a three-yard catch during the second quarter. The injury really clears the way for Taylor to take on a major role in the running game. However it was Hines who ran for 7-28-1 and also caught eight balls for 45 yards and a TD. Taylor was equally involved with with a 9-22-0 rushing line and added six catches for 67 yards.

Kicker Matt Gay has been released, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Ryan Succop will be Tampa's Week 1 kicker.

Kicker news! Gay was a fifth-round pick of the Bucs in 2019 and should make the rounds for weekly tryouts on kicker-needy teams.