The Colts activated WR Alec Pierce off the physically unable to perform list Thursday. That move makes him officially available for practice just a couple days after HC Shane Steichen said they expected a return sometime this week.
What They're Saying: He's Nearly Ready
ESPN's Adam Schefter: "Pierce underwent ankle surgery in March and now will start ramping up with hopes of returning for the Colts' regular-season opener."
Steichen on Aug. 20: "Alec's in a great spot right now. He's doing really good. I watched him work out in the indoor [practice facility]. He's moving around really good."
James Boyd of The Athletic: "Steichen added that Indy's deal with Allen was completely independent of Pierce's recovery timeline. The Colts expect both players to be on the field together in their season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13."
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Pierce Still Has More to Prove
It's obviously a positive that Pierce finally appears ready to return to the field for the first time since his March surgery. We'll also clearly have to watch reports on his participation level and whether he's tracking for Week 1 readiness.
Video this week from Pierce walking around the field didn't seem to show a guy moving normally, though we'll take the team's treatment of their lead wideout more seriously than clip from a beat writer's camera.
That said, Pierce still has plenty to prove. And the Colts have 114 million reasons not to rush him all the way back.
A healthy Pierce would present upside well beyond his WR45 best ball ADP. But he continues to present big risk if you draft him any higher than that.
We'll See About the Effect on Other WRs
Whenever Pierce is all the way back, his presence will crowd a group that recently added Keenan Allen.
We'll also still need to watch injury returns for WR Josh Downs and TE Tyler Warren, and then we'll need to see what Indy does formation-wise once the regular season begins.
Does Allen's arrival signal plenty of three-WR sets? Will the WR trio rotate in two-WR sets? Both those answers will impact the target outlooks for Colts wideouts, especially Downs.
Pierce's contract makes him the unit's best target bet once he's back to full health. Allen's role figures to more directly impact Downs' upside.
Downs sits tied for WR41 in our PPR rankings, a little lower than his WR39 best ball ADP.
