AlecPierce

News: 5 days agoPierce was spotted without a cast on his left ankle/heel Wednesday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Spin: It's a sign that Pierce is progressing in his recovery from a left heel injury that he aggravated during the Colts' Week 2 overtime loss to the Chiefs. The earliest he is eligible to return from injured reserve is Week 7 against the Vikings, and while Pierce opted for rehab and avoided surgery, Boyd believes that the fifth-year wide receiver is not close to a return. Josh Downs popped up on Wednesday's injury report with a hamstring injury, so Keenan Allen could be the Colts' top wide receiver for Sunday's AFC South showdown against the Titans.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Pierce has spent the majority of his first four NFL seasons as a situational deep threat, but that didn't stop him from becoming one of the league's highest-paid wide receivers during the offseason. The 2022 second-round pick is fresh off a career year and he's now paced all receivers in YPR, YPT and aDOT each of the last two seasons. However, he's yet to finish a season better than 48th at WR in target share (18%), 42nd in targets (84), 45th in catches (47), 18th in yards (1,003), 18th in TDs (seven) or 25th in fantasy PPG. Of course, with Michael Pittman Jr. no longer in the mix, Pierce is a good bet for a more well-rounded role as Daniel Jones' top target. There's some risk here, but the 26-year-old's hefty contract suggests we should take him seriously as a fantasy WR3.