Adam Schefter reported that the Colts have downgraded WR Keenan Allen to out for Sunday’s Week 4 game due to his groin injury. Allen was coming off of a strong game against the Texans in Week 3, putting up 6 catches on 9 targets for 63 yards and a score.
Josh Downs and Tyler Warren will be the key pass catchers with Allen out and Alec Pierce on IR. Laquon Treadwell and the recently signed Darius Slayton will also see increased opportunities, while Jonathan Taylor may see increased targets as well. Fantasy football managers will need to keep an eye on next week’s practice reports to see how Allen is trending.
Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (groin) was ...
Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren appeared to suffer...
Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren dominated in the ...
The Colts have signed veteran WR Darius Slayton, reuniting him with starting QB Daniel Jones. Slayton and Jones have established chemistry from their six seasons together in New York, and Slayton with his 102.2 (78th percentile) Speed Score brings a similar skill set to this offense as injured WR Alec Pierce (heel).
Slayton fits seamlessly into Pierce’s vertical field-stretching to open things up underneath for teammates WR Josh Downs and TE Tyler Warren. Slayton isn’t a must-add for fantasy football, as he had 37 receptions for 538 yards and 1 TD in 14 games in 2025 and struggled with drops, but he will have nominal streaming value in favorable matchups as long as Pierce is OUT. ~Jason Diaz
Colts star WR Alec Pierce aggravated the heel injury that he had surgery on, and it may lead to 2026 being a lost season for him. Rapoport also reported it’s likely Pierce will head to IR while rehabbing the heel, but surgery is still possible. The 0-2 Colts will certainly miss Pierce, who was No. 1 in the NFL in Air Yards Share a season ago at 51.8.
Josh Downs, who led the Colts with 7 catches on 9 targets in Week 2, will be one of the primary beneficiaries of Pierce’s absence. Keenan Allen looks like he’s lost a step at 34 years-old and still faces a potential suspension for his DWI and while Tyler Warren has 9 catches through 2 games, those have only led to 34 yards. Fantasy football managers will need to keep an eye on updates from Pierce in his attempt to avoid surgery.
Keenan Allen faces a baseline three-game suspension under the league substance abuse policy following two Sunday morning DWI charges. The unresolved disciplinary timeline injects immediate structural variance into an aging profile built on elite Target Share and consistent Route Participation.
Even if “parked vs. driving” technicalities somehow reduces league discipline, this legal exposure forces drafters to adjust baseline projections for missed games and question Allen’s readiness for an age-34 campaign. Josh Downs would be the clear target beneficiary of any games Allen may miss in 2026.
Ian Rapoport later reported that Warren will resume practicing in “a week or so,” and he expects “Warren’s role to grow” in his second NFL season. That makes sense given Warren’s 106 targets trailed only WR Michael Pittman’s 110. Pittman left Indy to join the Steelers this offseason, clearing the way for Warren to be the team’s top target earner.
The soft-tissue injury adds some risk, but Warren should still be drafted as a mid-to-high TE1 in fantasy football for 2026. He is PlayerProfiler’s TE4 in all formats from redraft to dynasty leagues.
The Keenan Allen signing gives Indianapolis a proven target earner on a one year, $8.32 million deal. Allen commanded 122 targets in 2025 for 81 receptions and 777 yards, while posting a 22.6% Target Share and 1.72 Yards Per Route Run.
Allen is back in the fantasy conversation, but the lack of a true field stretcher could put a ceiling on this passing attack. Allen’s 8.4-yard ADOT and 20% Deep Target Share make him another underneath option alongside Tyler Warren and Josh Downs, not a replacement for Alec Pierce’s vertical role. Warren already earned a 21.2% Target Share in 2025, while Downs posted a 17.5% share, so the Colts are creating a crowded ecosystem for short area targets.
