What can we expect from Marlon Mack this season?

With Marlon Mack set to return to the Colts’ lineup this season, what can we reasonably expect from the fifth-year back?

We know how much Jonathan Taylor meant to the team’s offense last season, especially down the stretch. Taylor’s rightfully earned the starting role, but that doesn’t mean Mack can’t/won’t play a key role in the offense this season.

As great as we’ve seen Mack be for the team at times, he may be even better this season because he doesn’t have to carry 100% of the load. When Taylor gets tired, Mack can come in and provide a fresh pair of legs for the Colts’ offense.

He may not be as fast as Taylor, but Mack can certainly make defenders miss in the open field and catch the ball out of the backfield when needed, too. When healthy, Mack has been nothing but reliable for Indy. In 2018 and 2019, the star running back had back-to-back seasons in which he rushed for over 900 yards and found the end zone a minimum eight times.

It should also be noted, however, that an Achilles injury is never an easy one to recover from. So, while it would be great for Mack to return to his normal self once he steps back on the field, it’s probably fair to temper expectations a bit until we see him during in-game action.

Taylor, Mack and Hines, I believe, as a collective group, are going to be a handful for opposing defenses this season. Each back possess traits which will help bring a unique balance to the team’s offense this season.

Now that Mack is back in the lineup, the Colts will have one of the NFLs strongest backfields in 2021.