WR Keenan Allen led the Colts in most receiving categories for Sunday's loss to the Titans. He drew a game-high 11 targets (28.9% of Daniel Jones' targeted passes), logged 8 catches (a 36.4% share), and produced 82 yards (30.5%). He doubled WR Josh Downs in receptions (4) and yards (40) while quadrupling the catch total of any other Colt. It was the second straight game in which Allen beat Downs in targets and catches and the third straight time he led the pair in receptions. (Allen missed Week 4 with a groin issue.)
One Key Difference Could be Pushing Allen Ahead of Downs
That's 29 targets for Allen over his past three games, 23.8% of Jones' total attempts over that span. He sits four targets ahead of Downs, who has drawn 20.5% of Jones' total attempts over the same three games.
Downs saw just 4 targets in the Week 4 game Allen missed, tying his season low -- from Week 1 -- and tying for just fourth among Colts in that win over the Commanders. That's interesting, though perhaps not relevant to the valuation of either Downs or Allen. Indy also didn't alter his deployment in that game.
Downs has run 63% or more of his pass snaps from the slot in every game, hitting a 70% rate for the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
That would seem to put him in prime target range for a QB who has supported shorter-range receivers throughout his career. But Allen's average depth of target sits at 7.3 by our numbers, vs. 10.7 for Downs. That's a career long for the slot man, topping the previous high he set last year (Jones' first season with the team).
That increase in route depth likely explains at least part of why Downs doesn't seem to be working out with Jones -- as well as why Allen has recently surpassed the younger WR's production. Allen also leads Downs 65.0% to 57.1% in catch rate, an area in which the struggling QB is helping neither guy.
Allen has remained behind Downs in playing time and routes, but clearly not by enough to damage his output. Each of Allen's past three teams has limited his playing time and targeted him at good rates when on the field.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Lean Allen Until Something Changes
Allen might have benefited Sunday from TE Tyler Warren being inactive with a groin injury, but Warren played Week 5 and Week 3 and drew 9 and 10 targets in those games, respectively.
The return of Alec Pierce might challenge the target picture, but it probably won't alter Allen's role.
Laquon Treadwell has played full time in Pierce's vacated spot and figures to turn that role back over as soon as Pierce is ready.
Pierce will undoubtedly command more than the 12.8% share of Jones' total pass attempts that Treadwell has seen over the past four games, but any increase there will likely be more of a general target challenge than a specific issue for Allen. We also don't yet know when Pierce will be ready, though he's officially eligible to return for Week 7.
For now, Allen looks like the best bet among Colts pass catchers for Week 7. That said, a visit to Minnesota's No. 1 ranked defense -- fresh off its bye -- will make no Indy player truly attractive.
Another difficult matchup at Jacksonville waits on the other side of that. Don't expect Allen or Downs to land higher than mid-WR3 territory in the rankings for either spot.
