Pierce remaining on the Colts' physically unable to perform list through the midpoint of the preseason has zapped much of his value. He's worth taking a chance on between 80th and 90th overall, but it's getting harder to count on him as a Fantasy starting option to begin the season. That's too bad because he became a legit big-play-or-bust threat in his breakout 2025, then signed a lucrative extension before having surgery to repair his left ankle. That recovery is taking longer than expected, thus keeping Pierce from preparing for a season where the Colts figure to ask more of him. If there's good news, it's that the Colts didn't add much to their receiver room this offseason -- Keenan Allen joined the team in mid-August but does not play the same role in the offense -- and Daniel Jones is seemingly healthy. That should at least give Pierce a pathway to seeing plenty of targets -- how effective he'll be with them is still an open question. The later you draft Pierce, the more upside he offers without wasting a super-valuable draft choice.
Colts' Alec Pierce: Moving around well, per Steichen
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Coach Shane Steichen told Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis on Wednesday that Pierce (ankle) is "in a great spot right now. ... Hopefully, we will have him back soon."
When Pierce initially underwent a clean-up procedure on his left ankle in April, he was facing a three-month recovery timetable. He then kicked off training camp on the active/PUP list, where he remains as of Wednesday. On Tuesday, Pierce put in some individual work on the side under the supervision of a trainer, and Steichen noted that the wide receiver was "moving around really good." Once Pierce gets healthy -- whenever that may be -- he'll be looking to justify the four-year, $114 million contract he signed with the Colts back in March.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Won't return during training camp
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Head coach Shane Steichen said Sunday that he doesn't expect Pierce (ankle) to return during joint practices leading up to the Colts' second preseason game against the Falcons on Saturday, so Pierce will have missed all of training camp, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
The Colts' expectation has been that Pierce will recover in time to face the Ravens in the Sept. 13 regular-season opener, but Pierce's recovery from April surgery on his left ankle has limited him to individual work up until this point, and he's still at least a week away from ramping up to full practice participation. Josh Downs, Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine are the top healthy options in the Colts' wide receiver room.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Remains on target for Week 1
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General manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that Pierce (ankle) is expected to play Week 1 against the Ravens, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
The wideout still has some hurdles to clear in the recovery process from March surgery, and though he's not practicing with the Colts while on the PUP list, Pierce was in attendance for Tuesday's session and was seen taking part in individual work off to the side, per Boyd. After trading away Michael Pittman and rewarding Pierce with a four-year, $114 million contract earlier this offseason, the Colts are counting on the 26-year-old to take on a much larger role in the aerial attack after he has mostly operated as a low-volume vertical threat over his first four seasons in the league.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Involved in individual work Tuesday
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Pierce (ankle) was present for Tuesday's practice and took part in individual work off to the side under the supervision of a trainer, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke about Pierce's situation Tuesday, noting that the wideout received a platelet-rich plasma injection in January before opting for surgery on his ankle two months later when the shot didn't yield the desired results. Pierce has suffered no setbacks and required no follow-up procedures, and any concern about his ankle didn't deter the Colts from signing him to a four-year, $114 million contract in March. The fifth-year player still looks like he has a few more hurdles to clear before returning to action, and he currently remains on the PUP list.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Avoids second PRP injection
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Pierce didn't require a second platelet-rich plasma injection for his surgically repaired left ankle, contrary to what was previously reported, according to Nathan Brown of The Indianapolis Star.
A league source previously relayed that Pierce required the second shot, but the source recanted and said it had misspoken. Another source confirmed that the wideout hasn't required any follow-up procedures since undergoing surgery in late March. Even so, Pierce has been sidelined for the entirety of the Colts' offseason program and training camp, and head coach Shane Steichen hasn't provided a firm target date for when he might come off the PUP list. Pierce has been one of the NFL's top vertical threats the past two seasons while averaging 20-plus yards per reception in both years, and after signing a lavish four-year, $114 million deal to remain with Indianapolis, the team is counting on him taking on greater target volume in 2026.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Receives second PRP injection
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Pierce (anke) received a second PRP injection in his left ankle this offseason, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Pierce initially attempted to get over his left ankle issue by receiving a PRP injection following the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, but he ultimately was forced to undergo a "clean-up" procedure in April. The wide receiver has missed the entirety of the Colts' offseason program and training camp to this point, and head coach Shane Steichen said Thursday that Pierce doesn't currently have a timetable to return to resume practicing. A platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is a process in which a concentrated dose of a patient's own blood platelets is injected to help heal damaged joints, tendons, ligaments and skin. Pierce received the second injection in late June, per Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis, and Chappell outlined that a second treatment is not abnormal and helps the healing process.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: No timeline for return yet
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Colts coach Shane Steichen said Thursday that Pierce (ankle) is "doing great" with his rehab but doesn't have a concrete timetable to resume practicing, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
At the start of training camp, Colts GM Chris Ballard said Pierce was a "week or so away" from practicing. The team is now a week and a half into camp, with no sign of an imminent return for Pierce, who underwent ankle surgery this spring. He initially hoped a long-lingering injury would heal with rest over the winter, but he ended up needing surgery not long after signing a four-year, $114 million contract in March. The Colts are left with Ashton Dulin, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Deion Burks and others to compete for first-team reps alongside Josh Downs at wide receiver this summer.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Will miss 1-2 more weeks
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Colts GM Chris Ballard said Tuesday that Pierce (ankle) is a "week or so away" from practicing, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis reports.
Pierce underwent ankle surgery in March and was given a return timeline of 4-to-6 months. He was placed on the active/PUP list to begin training camp Monday and can be activated at any time, but the goal all along has been for Pierce to be ready for Week 1. Fresh off re-signing with Indy on a four-year, $114 million deal and with Michael Pittman out of the picture, Pierce is expected to operate as the clear WR1 this season for quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles).
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Opens camp on PUP list
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The Colts placed Pierce (ankle) on the active/PUP list Monday, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reports.
It's not an unexpected move after Pierce underwent ankle surgery in March. His recovery is expected to linger into training camp, and it's unclear if the wideout will be ready for the regular-season opener against the Ravens in 48 days. Without Pierce and with Michael Pittman now in Pittsburgh, the Colts look extremely thin at the position. Josh Downs, Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is an unimposing top three.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: May miss start of training camp
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Coach Shane Steichen acknowledged Tuesday that Pierce, who is bouncing back from an offseason ankle procedure, isn't a lock to be ready for the start of training camp, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reports.
With regard to the wideout's training camp availability, Steichen noted that it could be "a couple weeks in" before Pierce is ready to practice. That said, there's nothing to suggest his Week 1 status will be affected, and the 26-year-old will reprise a key role in Indy's offense after landing a four-year, $116 million deal to remain with the team, on the heels of a 2025 campaign in which he recorded a 47-1,003-6 line on 84 targets in 15 regular-season games.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Recovering from ankle procedure
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Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Monday that Pierce is facing roughly a three-month recovery timeframe after undergoing a "clean-up" ankle procedure, Noah Compton of SI.com reports.
Ballard noted that Pierce is expected to retake the field during training camp, which kicks off in late July, and that the team doesn't "expect any long-term implications" resulting from his ankle procedure. The only two regular-season games Pierce missed in 2025 were due to the NFL's concussion protocol, though he was briefly listed with an Achilles issue on the injury report in mid-December. Pierce re-signed with Indianapolis on a four-year, $116 million deal this offseason and faces a clearer path to targets after the team traded fellow WR Michael Pittman to Pittsburgh, though it still remains to be seen whether QB Daniel Jones (Achilles) -- who re-signed via a two-year extension in March -- will be ready to start Week 1.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Staying with Colts
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Pierce is slated to re-sign with the Colts, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Per Schefter, the deal to keep Pierce -- who had been viewed as one of the top pending free-agent wideouts -- with Indianapolis is a four-year, $116 million agreement. The 2022 second-rounder is coming off a 2025 regular season in which he logged a 47-1,003-6 line on 84 targets in 15 games. Pierce's field-stretching ability was clearly highly valued by the Colts, and the fact that he's already off the market no doubt affects the plans of other NFL teams in pursuit of WR upgrades. Now that Pierce is back in the fold, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network relays the Colts continue to work toward a multi-year deal with QB Daniel Jones.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Wants to test free agency
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Pierce said Wednesday on the Up & Adams show that he does not expect to re-sign with the Colts before the start of the legal tampering period on March 9, Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star reports.
Indianapolis decided to assign the non-exclusive franchise tag to quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) rather than Pierce on Tuesday, positioning the wide receiver to hit free agency fresh off having posted a career-best 47-1,003-6 receiving line (84 targets) across 15 regular-season appearances in 2025. The 2022 second-round pick said he's "loved to play" with the Colts, which he called "a great organization," but stated that he's "earned the right to explore free agency and see what's out there." Previously, Pierce has expressed a desire to continue playing with Jones, but it remains to be seen whether it will be feasible for Indianapolis to extend competitive offers to both players. Jones will be able to negotiate with other teams this offseason, with the Colts retaining the right to match any offer he receives.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Huge performance to cap campaign
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Pierce caught four of seven targets for 132 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 38-30 loss to the Texans.
With Riley Leonard getting his first career start at quarterback, Pierce stepped up as the rookie's top downfield option, hauling in a 66-yard score in the first quarter and an eight-yard TD in the second. The fourth-year wideout wasn't able to add to his numbers in the fourth quarter, however, getting ejected late in the third for making contact with an official while complaining about the lack of a pass interference call on a potential third touchdown. Pierce finishes 2025 with career highs in catches (47), yards (1,003) and targets (84) while scoring six TDs, but his fantasy appeal next year will depend a great deal on how the Colts solve their QB dilemma this offseason.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Silent on five targets
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Pierce didn't record a catch on five targets in Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Jaguars.
Pierce tied for second on the team with five targets, though he was unable to convert any into receptions. It marked the first time this season that he has been held without a catch, and his inability to get on the same page with Philip Rivers was particularly noteworthy considering the duo connected for a pair of scores in Week 16. Pierce has already set a career high in receptions and yards this season, though this performance will likely cost him a chance at 1,000 receiving yards heading into a Week 18 matchup against the Texans.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Pair of TD grabs in loss
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Pierce brought in all four targets for 86 yards and two touchdowns in the Colts' 48-27 loss to the 49ers on Monday night.
Pierce led the Colts in receiving yards and hauled in impressive 20- and 16-yard touchdown passes in the first half from Philip Rivers. The fourth-year pro doubled his number of scoring grabs on the season with Monday's tally, and he's exceeded 75 receiving yards in five of the last seven games. Pierce is just 129 yards away from the first 1,000-yard season of his career, a figure he'll look to continue approximating in a Week 17 home matchup against the Jaguars.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Officially cleared for MNF
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Pierce (Achilles) does not carry an injury designation for Monday's game against the 49ers.
Pierce was limited to open Week 16 prep due to an Achilles injury, but he's been cleared to play Monday after logging back-to-back full practices to end the week. Pierce was held to just one catch (on as many targets) for 16 yards during the Colts' Week 15 loss to the Seahawks, and his fantasy floor figures to be lower for the rest of the regular season with Philip Rivers under center.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Full participant Friday
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Pierce (Achilles) was a full participant at Friday's practice.
Pierce was listed as limited Thursday, but his limitations appear to have been precautionary after he played every snap on offense in this past Sunday's loss to the Seahawks. Barring a setback, Pierce won't have an injury designation for Monday's game against the 49ers when the Colts release their injury report Saturday.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: One snag in defeat
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Pierce caught his only target for 16 yards in Sunday's 18-16 loss to the Seahawks.
Pierce was limited to a season-low 16 receiving yards while reeling in just one catch for the second time in four weeks. The wide receiver was working with 44-year-old Philip Rivers for the first time, and the veteran quarterback struggled to push the ball down the field, completing 18 of 27 passes for 120 yards in the contest. Pierce has proven to be an elite vertical threat in his fourth campaign in Indianapolis, securing 13 receptions of 20-plus yards, but his upside could be limited moving forward if Rivers remains the starter.
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Colts' Alec Pierce: Practices without limitations
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Pierce (rib) was a full participant at Wednesday's practice.
The undisclosed injury Pierce suffered on the Colts' final drive of their Week 14 loss to Jacksonville turned out to be to his rib, but he has already shaken off that injury. The team's 2025 leader in receiving yards (769) will be available to face the Seahawks on Sunday, but it remains to be seen who will be throwing Pierce the ball in the wake of Daniel Jones' season-ending Achilles injury.
