Who Should I Start? Alec Pierce or Calvin Austin III

Sunday, January 4, 5:09 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce caught four of his seven targets for 132 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday's Week 18 loss against the Houston Texans. His touchdowns came from eight and 66 yards out. Pierce was having a great outing and operating as Riley Leonard's favorite target before a costly mistake late in the game. With less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Pierce failed to haul in a pass near the back of the end zone. He pleaded his case for a pass interference penalty, and while doing so, he made contact with the official. As a result, Pierce was automatically disqualified from the game. Amid the blemish on an otherwise spectacular Week 18, the 25-year-old put the finishing touches on the best season of his career. In 2025, he caught 47 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns while ranking as a top-36 fantasy receiver.

Tuesday, January 6, 12:14 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III has compiled 31 receptions (55 targets) for 372 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games this season. The 26-year-old came up huge in the regular-season finale win over the Baltimore Ravens, catching a 26-yard touchdown to give the Steelers the lead with less than a minute remaining. With D.K. Metcalf (suspension) set to return for the playoffs after missing the last two games, Austin offers minimal upside in a brutal matchup against the Houston Texans on Monday night. He's scored double-digit PPR points in only four of 14 games, and the Texans have allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards per game (183.5) and the seventh-fewest receiving touchdowns (20) this season. Austin is tough to trust for fantasy managers in playoff leagues, given the return of Metcalf and the challenging matchup.