Who Should I Start? Alec Pierce or Josh Downs

Friday, May 29, 12:58 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) posted the most productive season of his career in 2025, recording 47 catches for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns on 84 targets across 15 games. The Colts rewarded him in the offseason, handing him a four-year, $114 million contract. The new money comes with new responsibility as well, as Pierce could shift into Indy's WR1 role following the team's offseason trade of wideout Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pierce showed signs of becoming a more well-rounded wide receiver in 2025, but he's still never averaged more than 5.6 targets per game in a season and is heavily reliant on downfield production. Pierce is also recovering from offseason ankle surgery, which isn't expected to impact his availability to open 2026 but could be a limiting factor on his performance. If the Colts' passing game as a whole takes a step back in quarterback Daniel Jones' (Achilles) first year back from a torn Achilles, Pierce's production may not take the leap many are expecting. In dynasty formats, managers may want to look to capitalize on the growing hype around Pierce with a sell-high trade.