Steichen: Still no timetable for Pierce’s return

Pierce said the Colts have been doing a good job of preparing him to play even while sidelined, and with 16 days to go before the Colts host the Ravens in Week 1, it’s not inconceivable that he could be ready in time for the season opener. The Colts will continue to ramp Pierce up in the coming weeks, making his status one to monitor, especially when teams begin releasing official injury reports ahead of game day. If he is able to play, fantasy managers should view Pierce as anything more than a boom/bust WR3 until we see how he looks on the field.

Pierce has been on the PUP list throughout training camp as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery. Head coach Shane Steichen said earlier this week that he expects Pierce to return to practice in the coming days. Pierce was spotted getting some individual work in today. Coming off the PUP list means Pierce shouldn’t miss four games to start the season, but it doesn’t guarantee that he is ready for the season opener. His health will be one of the biggest storylines to monitor for the Colts’ offense over the next two weeks.

Pierce, who’s been sidelined since undergoing ankle surgery in the spring following the signing of his contract extension with the Colts, will practice this week barring any setbacks, Steichen said. It’s good news for Pierce’s Week 1 availability after the team’s de facto WR1 missed training camp while recovering from the ankle issue. Pierce is expected to see more intermediate targets this season after operating strictly as a field stretcher over the past few seasons. Pierce in 2025 led the league in air yards per game; his 44 percent air yards share ranked fourth among receivers. Pierce profiles as a somewhat sneaky fantasy selection after his ADP has steadily sunk over the past month.

According to The Athletic’s James Boyd, this means Pierce will miss the entirety of the Colts’ training camp program. Tough break. Pierce has roughly one month to resume practicing and ramp up enough to play in Week 1 against the Ravens. He was supposed to be diversifying his route tree in order to take on a larger offensive role. Instead, he is stuck rehabbing during preseason play. Pierce is a very risky pick in fantasy right now.

Ballard said he’s confident Pierce will be ready for Week 1. Colts beat writers reported the injection on Monday. Ballard came out Tuesday and denied the procedure — part of Pierce’s rehab from offseason ankle surgery he underwent right after signing a massive contract extension with the Colts. Pierce, who operated strictly as a downfield option in 2025, is expected to have a more varied route tree when he’s fully recovered from his ankle issue. If Pierce is sidelined, Josh Downs will likely serve as the team’s No. 1 wideout to start the season.

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.

Pierce was placed on PUP to begin camp and is reportedly one to two weeks away from returning to the practice field following offseason ankle surgery. Preparing for life after Michael Pittman, Pierce could use as many reps with quarterback Daniel Jones as possible to grow into what is expected to be an increased role in the offense. Pierce signed a fully guaranteed four-year contract this offseason.

It doesn’t change anything, though it formalizes the possibility Pierce could begin the regular season on the reserve/PUP list, which would cost him a minimum of four games. Players can be removed from the active/PUP list at any time, though teams tend to take their time, because once you’re off, you’re off. Pierce appears destined to spend at least a few weeks working off to the side and rehabbing. Amongst the many possible outcomes is Pierce being removed from the PUP list but still missing a game or two to begin the year. At this point, he should probably be considered on the wrong side of questionable for Week 1, making him a dicey WR3 draft play. It also leaves the Colts with some of the league’s worst receiver depth. This will be the first of many updates after the next few weeks.

Before digging into the numbers, keep in mind that Pierce is currently recovering from offseason ankle surgery and could return “late” in training camp. In the 2025 regular season, just six players earned 150-plus targets. Pierce earned targets at a 17.4 percent rate last year, trailing both WR Josh Downs (22.2 percent) and TE Tyler Warren (21.1 percent) in that area. Pierce is stuck working with the training staff, while Downs trains for the Z-receiver/slot receiver role, and Warren refines his route running after leading the team in targets as a rookie. Simply put, we strongly doubt Pierce’s odds of becoming a top-six NFL target earner. This vote of confidence is a positive for Pierce, but there are real questions about whether he can sustain a major target pace.

Pierce is facing a 4-6 month recovery period after undergoing ankle surgery in late April. His Week 1 status is very much up in the air. Just before announcing his ankle injury, Pierce signed a four-year, $116 million contract with the Colts, who expect Pierce to be the team’s top wideout after Michael Pittman left for the Steelers. It could be a slow start to the regular season for Pierce, strictly a downfield pass catcher. Eventually he should be Daniel Jones’ No. 1 target in the balanced Colts offense.