Who Should I Start? Alec Pierce or Tetairoa McMillan


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
11.2 0.1 0.0 3.5 56.1 0.3

Alec Pierce News

Some Uncertainty for Alec Pierce's Week 1 Availability

Wednesday, July 29, 6:03 AM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke with reporters on Tuesday, and in discussing the regular-season availability of his new $114 million wide receiver, Alec Pierce, he remained noncommittal but did not explicitly rule out the possibility that Pierce could miss time, as reported by the Indianapolis Star's Nathan Brown. Ballard told the assembled media, "He's not active right now. He's on PUP, and that's kinda a day-by-day thing... I'm not a doctor so we'll just play it by ear and see how it goes." Pierce opted for offseason surgery after a platelet-rich plasma injection did not relieve the pain of a nagging ankle issue he has been dealing with since 2024. While he has yet to practice since signing his new deal or going under the knife, Ballard did not seem overly concerned about his recovery timeline, telling reporters that he was "a week or two away," and later, "Of course, we'd like to have him right now, but Pierce is working his butt off, and he'll be ready to go when he's completely cleared," Pierce is RotoBaller's WR39 and could prove to be one of the best values in 2026 drafts if he's able to start the season without restriction.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
13.0 0.2 0.0 4.3 64.5 0.4

Tetairoa McMillan News

Tetairoa McMillan to be Used More in the Slot This Year

Friday, July 24, 8:50 AM

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said on Friday that rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II's size and speed will allow the team to use second-year wideout Tetairoa McMillan in the slot more in 2026, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers took McMillan with the eighth overall pick last year out of the University of Arizona, and he immediately delivered, catching 70 of 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 starts to earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The 23-year-old Hawaiian native will be the Panthers' unquestioned WR1 again in 2026, and Carolina's ability to move him around in Year 2 could make him even more exciting for fantasy purposes. McMillan is a full-go at training camp, too, after he dealt with some minor ankle soreness during the offseason program. The addition of Brazzell will create more competition for targets, but McMillan's volume should remain high enough to make him a solid WR2 target with upside for more in 2026 fantasy football drafts. He's currently ranked as RotoBaller's No. 23 fantasy WR.


Alec Pierce vs. Tetairoa McMillan

Still trying to decide between Pierce and McMillan? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Alec Pierce is projected to score 11.2 points this week while Tetairoa McMillan is projected to score 13.0 points.