Alec Pierce Fantasy Football Injury Update After Colts Remove Him From PUP List: Can You Start Him Week 1?

One of my top sleepers and breakout players this offseason is Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce. Unfortunately, he has been unable to practice due to a lingering ankle injury, and as of yesterday, there was no clear sign of when he would be ready to begin practicing or any sort of timetable for his return. As recently as yesterday, people were speculating that he had not healed properly from his surgery and looked off in a video in which he was walking at practice.

That all changed today. The Colts have officially removed Pierce from the PUP list, and he is set to begin ramping up in hopes of being ready for Week 1 of the regular season. This is massive news for both the Colts and fantasy football owners.

Colts are activating WR Alec Pierce off PUP today, as @mchappell51 reported. Pierce underwent ankle surgery in March and now will start ramping up with hopes of returning for the Colts’ regular-season opener. pic.twitter.com/vQW8JvnTnv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2026

This now becomes a race against the clock that we would be shocked if Pierce doesn't win, with well more than two weeks to go before the start of the NFL season. Even if he's a bit limited in Week 1, which is far from a lock, it would be a surprise if he's not out on the field.

Fantasy Impact

WR Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts

This may end up being the best-case scenario for fantasy owners. Pierce had his ADP suppressed all summer because of the uncertainty surrounding his ankle injury, but still looks set to be ready for Week 1. Even if he gets off to a slow start, he's been an absolute steal this offseason. While his ADP will likely rise a bit with this move, it's probably too late for this news to have any real impact on his draft value.

Getting more into why we have been so high on him, it's because of everything the Colts told us this offseason through their actions. They traded away their top target, Michael Pittman Jr and gave Pierce a four-year, $114 million extension. Indy is clearly confident in him being their top wide receiver.

The big-play ability has always been there, but if his volume spikes like we are expecting, he has fringe WR1 upside. On just 47 receptions last season in 15 games, he topped 1,000 yards and scored six touchdowns. If his volume increases even just a little bit, he becomes an extremely valuable fantasy asset. He should be quickly rising up your draft board.

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