The Indianapolis Colts features some of the best players in the NFL, and those key names will be leaned on to achieve success and finally take a step over the hump of mediocrity.

In a recent article from Zachary Pereles at CBS Sports, he highlights the 100 most important players in the NFL ahead of the 2026 campaign.

For the Colts, three players land firmly on the list, and with good reason: this trio will be critical for Indianapolis to make the playoffs to keep jobs intact and the current setup in line.

Let’s begin.

No. 27: Daniel Jones | Quarterback

“Jones was outplaying even the highest expectations early in the year before fracturing his leg and then tearing his Achilles tendon a few weeks later. Can he get back to his 2025 form?”

Daniel Jones had a completely unforeseen career resurgence with the Colts in 2025. After beating out Anthony Richardson Sr. for the starting gig, he never looked back.

Jones was tearing defenses apart for the first 10 weeks of the season, leading Indy to an 8-2 record that put the Colts at the top of the NFL and a frontrunner for a Super Bowl push.

However, his production started to dip before a fractured fibula and subsequent season-ending Achilles tear. Regardless, this was the best Jones had ever looked in seven years as an NFL QB.

Now, the pressure is on, and many critics are stacked against him. Indy’s entire season rests on his health and efficiency under center.

If Jones can get back to square one, then this offense could resume its dominant ways. However, if he gets injured or defenses catch up to him in Shane Steichen’s offense, it could spell doom for this franchise.

No. 28: Sauce Gardner | Cornerback

“The Colts, looking like real contenders, sent two first-round picks to the Jets for Gardner. Then Daniel Jones and Gardner were both injured in the same game. Gardner’s injury was only a calf strain, luckily, but the quickest path for the Colts to get back to contention has him at the top of his game as Jones recovers.”

As Pereles puts in Sauce Gardner’s entry, the Colts went all-in on pushing for a Super Bowl by sending their 2026 and 2027 first-rounders to the New York Jets to obtain the top-level cornerback.

Pairing him with Charvarius Ward, this cornerback duo looked like a lethal combination. However, not only did Ward get sidelined with continued concussions, but Gardner succumbed to a calf strain that kept him to just four games with the Colts last year.

We didn’t get to see much of Gardner in Lou Anarumo’s scheme last year, but until proven otherwise, he’s still one of the hardest cornerbacks for any pass-catcher to shake.

As long as Ward and Gardner remain healthy and play well in Anarumo’s scheme, it will help Indy’s pass-rush and give quarterbacks and receivers a difficult time operating.

Even in his four games with Indianapolis, he still locked down receivers and took away areas of the field, limiting the options for opposing quarterbacks.

Given how much the Colts had to invest to get Gardner, he needs have a big 2026 season for that massive trade with the Jets to pay off. Even if it’s just been one season, it already looks like the Jets won the trade.

It will be up to Gardner to smash that narrative, and outside of DeForest Buckner, he’s arguably the most important defensive player on Indy’s roster.

No. 69: Jonathan Taylor | Running Back

“Taylor led the NFL in rushes (323) and rushing touchdowns (18) and was fueling one of the NFL’s very best offenses before Daniel Jones tore his Achilles. He’ll be the focal point again, and perhaps even more so early on as Jones finishes off his recovery.”

A player who needs no introduction, Jonathan Taylor is the gas, engine, wheels, and vehicle of Steichen’s offense.

Taylor put on another insane performance, rivaling his incredible 2021 season, where he led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,811. To reference last year, Taylor stacked up 1,585 rushing yards, 20 all-purpose TDs, and 99 total first downs.

While Gardner might be the most important defensive player on the roster, Taylor is the most important player on the entire team, regardless of whatever side of the ball is in question.

Running backs have a short shelf life in the NFL, but so far, Taylor looks like a player who is an exception to the rule.

This is no knock on the rest of Indy’s offensive talent, but without Taylor in the backfield, it makes things far easier to predict for opposing defenses.

As long as he doesn’t hit any dropoff in production, he’ll continue to be fed the pigskin to propel this offense and set up Jones and the receiving corps for efficiency in 2026.

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