Fowler: Alec Pierce’s (heel) X-rays are negative

Pierce, dealing with a heel injury since mid-September, will continue rehabbing and remain on injured reserve ahead of the Colts’ Week 7 game against the Vikings. Since Week 3, Keenan Allen leads the Colts with a 24 percent target share, while Josh Downs has 17 percent of the team’s targets and 26 percent of the team’s air yards. Neither wideout is a great option in Week 7 against a marauding Minnesota defense.

No surprise here. Pierce shed his cast earlier this week, but there was also a report from the Athletic’s James Boyd that he “didn’t get the sense” Pierce was close to a return. Pelissero reports that Pierce isn’t expected to return to practice next week when he’s eligible. It’s difficult to justify holding Pierce in leagues without IR spots given the circumstances.

Boyd said he “didn’t get the sense” that Pierce is close to a return. Pierce went on injured reserve with a heel injury after Week 2 and wore a cast on his left ankle/heel while rehabbing. It’s a sign of progress for Pierce, who will have his first chance to come back in the Colts’ Week 7 game against the Vikings.

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.

Pierce will most certainly be out for numerous games after appearing to re-injure the heel that he had offseason surgery on in Week 2. Rapoport’s wording seems to indicate that additional surgery has not yet been ruled out, but Pierce will attempt to rehab the issue in the interim. It’s a disaster of a scenario for a team that extended Pierce while allowing Michael Pittman to walk in the offseason. Josh Downs appears most likely to become the focal point of the offense through the air in Pierce’s absence after amassing seven catches on nine targets in the team’s overtime loss to the Chiefs. When, or if, Pierce returns to the active roster in 2026 remains to be seen.

X-rays came back negative last night but Pierce couldn’t put weight on it last night and left on crutches with a boot on. The fact that it was an aggravation is not promising. It sounds like Pierce could be looking at an extended absence. If true, Josh Downs will get some WR3 hype ahead of Week 3’s date against the Texans. If you were wondering why Laquon Treadwell was on the field deep in the game on Sunday night, Pierce’s injury is the reason.

Pierce came up limping on a route on the final play of the first quarter and was escorted to the medical tent by the training staff. He appeared to be unable to put any weight on the injured leg. It’s obviously not what fantasy managers want to see after he missed most of the offseason program following surgery on the ankle and heel on the same leg in late March. He remained in the medical tent for about 10 minutes before being carted to the locker room. Pierce caught his lone target for 11 yards prior to departing.

Pierce’s Thursday absence appears to have been a rest day. The Colts reportedly plan to play Pierce more in Week 2 than they did in Week 1, when he played on 59 percent of the team’s snaps. He posted a 4/61 receiving line and can be viewed as a WR3/FLEX this week.

It looks like it’s just a routine day off, but we’ll check back on Friday. The Indianapolis Star reported that Pierce told reporters before the practice that the plan is “to put him on the field more in Kansas City” in Week 2 after he played just 59 percent of the team’s snaps.

This could just be a rest day, though those typically happen on Wednesday. Pierce has been working his way back from his offseason heel/ankle surgery, and he reportedly had his wrist X-rayed after the Colts’ Week 1 game against the Ravens. Hopefully, the beat reporters turn up something useful.