Colts RB Jonathan Taylor needs thumb surgery, expected to miss multiple weeks

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor needs thumb surgery following an injury in Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is expected to miss multiple games.

Colts owner Jim Irsay told The Athletic's James Boyd on Tuesday that Taylor will undergo surgery Wednesday with the hope that he can return in 2-3 weeks. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the team has not made a decision on whether to place Taylor on injured reserve, a designation that would require him to miss four weeks.

The injury is a blow to a 6-5 Colts team fighting for a wild-card berth. A former All-Pro, Taylor had one of his best games of the season in Sunday's 27-20 win, tallying 91 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries (6.1 yards per attempt). He played through the injury to finish the game. It's not clear how or when he sustained the injury. The precise nature of the injury is also unclear.

The injury is the second of significance for Taylor this season. He missed the Colts' first four games amid a contract dispute while on the physically unable to play (PUP) list with a lingering ankle injury. He's played in the seven games since including starts in the last five, but has not regained his All-Pro form. Taylor's averaged a career-low 4.1 yards per carry while tallying 551 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns in those seven games, but has seen his workload and production increase as the season has progressed.

Taylor's injury opens the door for backup Zack Moss, who started five games during Taylor's absence to start the season. Moss has been Indianapolis' most productive running back this season with 672 yards and five touchdowns on 4.8 yards per carry in addition to 18 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown.

The Colts have remained in playoff contention despite a season-ending shoulder injury to quarterback Anthony Richardson that's sidelined him since Week 5. They're 4-3 in games that backup quarterback Gardner Minshew has started.