Alec

Pierce

Pierce flashed big-play potential as a rookie but was crushed by the Colts’ low-adot passing attack under backup Gardner Minshew last year. His numbers fell across the board and the Colts spent a second-round pick on Adonai Mitchell to compete with him for the No. 3 role. Pierce left nothing to chance and hit the ground running with 125 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Though his production, coming almost entirely from deep shots, was never predictable, it persisted throughout the year and across multiple starting quarterbacks. Pierce hit triple-digits three times en route to a 37/824/7 receiving line. The yardage and touchdown totals were easily career-highs. Pierce also led the NFL in yards per catch at 22.3. While it’s hard to recommend such a volatile player for redraft purposes, Pierce has a profile that early best ball drafters will fawn over in the final rounds.

The fourth 100-yard game of Pierce’s career was his third of 2024 and first since Week 5. It also came after he missed Week 16 with a concussion. That impressive statline doesn’t even include the 44-yard DPI Pierce drew in the second quarter. That play, frankly, should have gone down as a Pierce drop despite Deonte Banks’ clear interference. Pierce’s score was an unusually short 13-yarder where Joe Flacco made a perfect timing pass into the end zone. As volatile as it gets with an uncertain quarterback situation heading into Week 18, Pierce will at least have an A+ matchup in the Jaguars.

Pierce missed the past two games with a concussion but practiced in full throughout the week. The speedy wideout has posted the occasional spike week, but we don’t expect much passing volume from the Colts versus a toothless Giants squad. Pierce is a boom/bust WR5 for Week 17.

Pierce is in the concussion protocol, but it appears the 24-year-old is getting closer to playing with the full estimate (the Colts didn’t actually practice Wednesday). Even if Pierce does play the fantasy value for Week 17 against the Giants will be limited.

Pierce has missed two games with a brain injury he suffered in Week 15 against Denver. Steichen said Pierce was progressing through the league’s concussion protocol but had not yet cleared it. He should be able to suit up this week against the Giants if he can clear the protocol and log some limited late week practices. Pierce won’t be fantasy viable in most leagues.

Pierce was declared out on Friday due to a concussion he suffered in Week 15. Fellow WR Ashton Dulin (ankle) is active and in line for increased snaps with Pierce out. TE Mo Alie-Cox (hip) and K Matt Gay (neck) are also active while LB EJ Speed (knee) is the Colts’ other injury inactive.

Pierce suffered the brain injury in Indy’s Week 15 loss to the Broncos and remains in the league’s concussion protocol. Rookie Adonai Mitchell will take his place in the lineup for three-receiver looks. Mitchell hasn’t caught more than one pass in a game since Week 10. Even in an elevated role, he is buried in the WR6 ranks for Week 16.

Per Colts beat writer James Boyd, Pierce was “doing some agility work off to the side” at Thursday’s practice. The Colts’ speedy deep threat entered the league’s concussion protocol on Monday after suffering a concussion in last week’s loss to the Broncos. He’ll be a long-shot to play in Week 16 if he can’t get on the field on Friday.

This is unfortunate but unsurprising. Pierce is currently on the wrong side of questionable, three days after being forced from play after suffering a concussion. Fantasy managers should expect Pierce to miss Week 16 though he technically still has time to clear the NFL’s concussion protocol.

It makes the third-year wideout a question mark for Week 16’s game against the Titans. Pierce bageled on four targets against the Broncos in Week 15. Practice reports will give us more clarity on Pierce’s odds of playing in Week 16.