Michael

Pittman Jr.

It’s been a concerning trend for Pittman that the Colts continue to get their other pass-catchers more involved when Daniel Jones gets blitzed, as well as Jones pushing the ball downfield to Alec Pierce when he has time. This was Pittman’s third straight game under 30 yards, and he didn’t see a single red zone target to make up for it. You’ll be starting him as a classic WR3 profile against the Jaguars in Week 14, but this isn’t going notably well for Pittman of late.

Daniel Jones couldn’t get anything going downfield in this game. That, of course, is not the end of the world for Pittman. The Colts’ top wideout soaked up underneath looks, leading the team in targets en route to a 26 percent target share. Pittman cashed in early with a six-yard score to punish a Patrick Mahomes interception. The veteran wideout is up to eight touchdowns on the year. He isn’t likely to hit nine in Week 13 versus the Texans, but Pittman’s role as the Colts’ top pass-catcher will keep him in the WR2 ranks.

Tyler Warren operated as the team’s top pass-catcher in this game, easily leading the way with 10 targets. Alec Pierce was also heavily involved, seeing seven looks. There simply weren’t enough touches to go around with those two players stepping up and Jonathan Taylor seeing 35 touches. Better days should be ahead for Pittman, but an increase in looks for Warren could cut into his role. He will get at least one more week in the WR2 ranks when the Colts return from their upcoming bye.

The Colts gave Pittman the day off on Wednesday. Evidently well-rested and ready to roll, Pittman fully participated on Thursday and Friday, and can be started with confidence this weekend. The Colts’ X-wide receiver has four half-PPR WR1 finishes and three half-PPR WR2 finishes in nine games this season.

The Colts sometimes give injured players a full day off rather than allowing them to practice in a limited capacity, with the goal of practicing in full soon thereafter. Such is the case for Pittman, who got a full session in on Thursday. Pittman is no stranger to playing through injury. His return to practice today puts him on track to play in Week 10 against the Falcons.

Pittman notably practiced in full, with a glute injury, throughout Week 2. He suited up on game day that week, catching 4-of-5 targets for 40 yards against the Broncos. Pittman plays through injury whenever he is medically cleared to do so, famously playing much of the 2024 season with a fracture in his back. His practice participation is worth following this week, though.

Pittman became the first Colts receiver to top the century mark in Sunday’s defeat. His 12 targets ranked second to Alec Pierce (13), while his yards tied Pierce for the team lead. It’s fair to say Pittman benefitted heavily from a negative game script in this one. The Colts entered the fourth quarter down 24-7, which resulted in the Steelers playing back on defense and giving Pittman and the receiving corps a little room to breathe. Pittman saw five of his 12 targets come in the final frame, and caught four passes for 67 yards with the game already out of reach. That said, he’s now seen nine or more targets in three-straight weeks and will be viewed as a high-end WR2 in Week 10 against the Falcons.

Pittman Jr. is the clear top receiving threat in Indianapolis, and continues to deliver plays for Daniel Jones to earn his new quarterback’s trust. Pittman Jr. made a few tough catches over the middle and then snagged a one-handed touchdown catch while he was being aggressively interfered with. He was still able to pull the ball away from the defensive back with one hand and pin it to his chest for the touchdown grab. Pittman is the only Colts receiver you can rely on every week.

Pittman dominated the short-to-intermediate field depths, regularly getting open and picking up chunk gains whenever Colts QB Daniel Jones needed him. The Colts faced a fourth-and-two situation from the Chargers’ four-yard line at the end of their second drive, and head coach Shane Steichen smartly kept his offense on the field and dialed up a play-action pass play for Pittman, who caught it in the flats and sped into the end zone. He later made a play in the end zone via a two-point conversion on the Colts’ sixth drive. Pittman is a high-end WR2 against the Titans in Week 8.

Pittman had a relatively quiet receiving line against the Cardinals. It was more of the Tyler Warren and Josh Downs show for Daniel Jones as the Colts fought in a close game to come out on top. In an offense with various receiving options with different strengths, Pittman will have bust weeks to go with boom weeks. He is still the WR1 in the Colts offense but has a capped ceiling for his fantasy upside. Pittman is a fantasy WR3 for Week 7 against the Chargers.