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Alec Pierce injury, fantasy football fallout: What it means for 2026 drafts
The status of Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is getting increasingly concerning with fantasy football drafts approaching soon. Pierce, the 26-year-old deep threat, hasn't practiced at all this summer after offseason ankle surgery, and the latest update doesn't exactly signal hope.
According to The Athletic's James Boyd , Pierce received a second platelet-rich plasma injection in his left ankle after his surgery in March. The ankle has reportedly been causing Pierce "discomfort" since 2024. Pierce hoped the original PRP shot would help him avoid surgery, but after symptoms didn't improve to his liking, he went the surgical route.
Pierce reportedly got the second PRP shot in late June to help with his rehab, so the team is not viewing it as a setback. Still, it's been a murky path back to football for Pierce. His post-surgery recovery timeline was four-to-six months, and we're firmly in Month 4 without a timetable for a return.
Back on July 28, the day before Colts training camp opened, general manager Chris Ballard told reporters Pierce was "close" and a "week or two away" from practicing. There's been no update since.
Alec Pierce injury fallout
Pierce is coming a WR16 finish in the 2025 fantasy season despite sharing targets with Michael Pittman Jr. and a season-ending injury to Daniel Jones. Pittman is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million contract extension, so Indy clearly values his dynamic field-stretching ability.
But it's hard to overlook the risk here. Pierce has yet to practice with the Colts' season starting in roughly a month. Jones is coming off a torn Achilles, which could possibly affect his ability to launch the deep balls Pierce has been so adept at tracking early in his career. It's simply not worth taking Pierce in the WR30s range he's currently being drafted in. If you're insistent on taking a Colts receiver, try Josh Downs, who plays a similar possession style to Pittman, graded as Pro Football Focus' 20th-ranked receiver in 2025 and is being taken a round-plus after Pierce.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Alec Pierce injury, fantasy football fallout: What it means for 2026 drafts
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