Josh Downs makes return to practice

With Alec Pierce and IR and Keenan Allen ruled out, this was supposed to be Downs’ breakout performance. Instead, Downs went missing for most of the game. He caught two passes in the first quarter, another in the second, and did not touch the ball again for the remaining 35 minutes of the contest. Downs finished fourth on the team in targets and was used primarily for check-down duties, though that’s all Daniel Jones was capable of today. Downs should still be treated as the team’s No. 1 receiver for Week 5 versus Pittsburgh, but his stranglehold on the targets is at least in question now.

This one went under the radar. Allen was limited on Wednesday with a “rest” designation. He remained limited on Thursday, but the Colts tacked a groin injury next to his name while maintaining the “rest” designation and hope for a Week 4 appearance along the way. Allen was downgraded on Friday, unable to practice, and should be considered truly questionable to face the Commanders this week. Were he to sit, No. 1 wide receiver Josh Downs would get a helpful target share boost.

This target boost brought to you by Alec Pierce’s heel injury. The Colts didn’t really land any deep targets but they pounded the Texans’ middle-of-field zone coverages and Downs was a main beneficiary. He’ll be in the WR3 ranks next week against the Commanders.

Pierce will be sidelined for at least four weeks after suffering the injury in Week 2 against Kansas City. Pierce had seen 19 percent of the Colts’ targets and 53 percent of the team’s air yards in Week 1 against the Ravens, resuming his role as a strictly-downfield pass catcher. With Pierce out, Josh Downs should have every chance to operate as the Colts’ No. 1 wideout while Tyler Warren sees a bump in targets. Laquon Treadwell is likely to take over as the team’s lone deep threat. Treadwell can be picked up in 14-team fantasy formats ahead of the Colts’ Week 3 matchup with the Texans.

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.