Colts letting Josh Downs lineup out wide, in slot

Downs operated as the unquestioned top dog through the air following the first quarter departure of Alec Pierce, the latter of whom left with a heel injury on the same foot as his offseason surgery. That setup appears likely to continue should Pierce miss time, although the short-area nature of Downs’ role all but requires significant volume to return scores beyond WR3 production. Even so, Downs should mostly avoid the lockdown perimeter corners of the Texans in Week 3, where he will be an upside WR3 in fantasy circles.

Both of Downs’ catches came on the Colts’ opening drive. The fourth-year receiver looked explosive on his first reception when he turned a short catch into a 25-yard gain to move his team into Ravens territory, and he picked up another 12 yards through the air two plays later. Three of Downs’ four targets came on that drive, as he managed just one target the rest of the way. Downs’ drop-off after the opening possession largely stemmed from the Colts’ inability to move the ball. They averaged just 4.2 yards per play after that first drive and totaled only 107 passing yards over that span. The early targets were encouraging. Hopefully Downs will be in line for a better outing in Week 2 against the Chiefs. He shouldn’t be treated as anything more than a WR3 in next week’s game.

Pierce is recovering from offseason surgery that caused him to miss the entirety of training camp and the preseason. The lack of reps could leave him a little rusty heading into Week 1, but the good news is that a limited practice today means he should be active versus the Ravens. Pierce will be a high-risk WR4 for the first slate of the season. Josh Downs and Tyler Warren were not on the injury report.

Downs is out of practice once again. He previously missed time in camp with a groin injury. Downs dealt with a slew of health issues last year and the fact that things continue to crop up is concerning, but it doesn’t sound like the latest injury will hold him out long. he told reporters he thinks he will be back soon, and the fact that he was even allowed to talk to the media is a good sign. With Alec Pierce still on the mend from offseason ankle surgery, Downs and Keenan Allen could be the team’s top receivers to start the year. As long as Downs stays healthy, he should put up WR3 fantasy numbers this season.

Steichen adds that the team will be cautious with Warren’s recovery, but chose not to share details regarding the injury’s severity beyond that. If healthy, the second-year tight end is a candidate to lead the team in targets this season after racking up 106 as a rookie. The Colts’ pass-catching corps is in a tough spot, with WR Alec Pierce (ankle) still sidelined. If Warren cannot play in Week 1, WR Josh Downs would presumably handle a sizable target share, operating as the team’s clear-cut No. 1 target earner. Stay tuned.

The new was first reported by NFL Insider Jordan Schultz. With the Colts in need of a starting caliber receiver given Alec Pierce’s slow recovery from offseason ankle surgery, Allen was an obvious fit. He was the best wide receiver still available and with the news that the Saints lost Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) for roughly two months dropping earlier Monday evening, the Colts finally pulled the trigger on a one-year deal for the 34-year-old veteran. While Allen instantly becomes a fantasy-relevant player again, his fit in the offense is interesting. Even in his prime, Allen was never a field-stretching deep threat like Pierce, the receiver he’s replacing. That means he’ll be fighting for the same underneath targets that will also go to Tyler Warren and Josh Downs. There will be plenty of targets to go around for all three to pay off their draft cost in PPR formats, but the overall efficiency of the offense could suffer without a legitimate deep threat.

Downs seems to be OK after sustaining a groin injury late last week. A quick return to practice likely means coaches have no long-term concerns about Downs, who could start the year as the Colts’ top wideout with Alec Pierce recovering from offseason ankle surgery he underwent shortly after signing a massive contract extension. Pierce reportedly required a second PRP injection in his injured ankle recently, a report the Coltd deny. He appears to be iffy for the start of the regular season. Downs is expected to play the slot and the boundary this season with the departure of Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh.

Pierce remains well behind schedule following offseason surgery on his ankle, with it now coming to light that the veteran receiver required a second PRP injection in his left ankle. Now well beyond the original recovery window following the late-March surgery, Pierce appears to be in legitimate danger of missing time when games start to count if the platelet-rich plasma injections do not speed up his recovery for the second time. Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million contract extension with the Colts this offseason after the team lost Michael Pittman in a trade to the Steelers, signifying an intent to move forward with Pierce as their primary option at the position. That move could prove costly if Pierce misses regular season time. Josh Downs and Tyler Warren would be in line to benefit the most from any absence from Pierce.

Downs has missed two straight days of practice with the injury, but Steichen said on Sunday that he could return on Tuesday when the Colts have joint practices with the Patriots. This is good news for Downs and his fantasy managers, as the fourth-year receiver is expected to take on an expanded role with Michael Pittman now on the Steelers and the Colts experimenting with him more on the outside.

This is the second-straight missed practice for Downs, who is managing a groin injury. The team has not provided any additional updates on Downs’ status or how long they expect him to be sidelined, so this will be something we continue to monitor until we get more information on how long he could be out. Downs is one of two starting receivers currently sidelined for the Colts, as Alec Pierce (ankle) continues to recover from offseason surgery.