Shane Steichen on Alec Pierce: He's heading in the right direction for sure

Alec Pierce's offseason ankle surgery landed him on the Colts' active/PUP list, and while both reports frame his progress positively, this is still developing news with only moderate confidence behind it. There's no timeline given for when he'll be fully cleared to practice, which matters for draft prep since it introduces uncertainty around his availability for training camp reps and preseason snaps that typically help solidify a receiver's role heading into Week 1.

For fantasy purposes, treat Pierce as a wait-and-see asset in your draft rankings right now. He's shown enough value in Indianapolis's passing game in the past to warrant a late-round flier or bench stash, but you shouldn't reach for him at his typical draft slot until you see him actually practicing without limitations. The PUP designation itself isn't alarming — plenty of players start there and open the season on time — but until there's a firmer report on his practice status, keep him a tier below where you'd otherwise value him.

Actionable takeaway: don't drop him if you already have him rostered in a keeper or dynasty format, since the tone of both updates is cautiously optimistic. In drafts, treat him as a value pick if he falls a round or two due to this news, but avoid committing significant draft capital until the Colts provide clearer word on when he returns to team activities. Monitor beat reporters closely in the coming weeks — this is a "recheck before your draft" situation, not a "cross him off" situation.