The Indianapolis Colts’ current situation is clearly not what they had hoped for. Their 0-2 record has been made even worse by the news regarding Alec Pierce, who will miss the next four games after being placed on injured reserve, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on X. Now, Daniel Jones will have to rely on other options at his disposal.
Behind Pierce on the depth chart is the name of Laquon Treadwell at LWR. Josh Downs is the primary option at SWR, as Ashton Dulin is also out, while Deion Burks is listed further down the depth chart.
Keenan Allen, who is facing a potential three-game suspension, is the primary option at RWR, with recently acquired Darius Slayton behind him. The Colts’ passing attack is slowly being forced to reconfigure.
What happened to Alec Pierce?
Alec Pierce suffered a left heel injury during the Colts’ Week 2 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, September 20. It happened in the first quarter with non-contact drama—he was making a sharp cut on a route without the ball, lost his footing, and immediately came up limping before eventually being carted off to the locker room.
Alec Pierce #14 of the Indianapolis Colts makes a catch in the third quarter.
The tough part is that it’s an aggravation of the exact same heel and ankle issue he had offseason surgery on, which had already forced him to miss most of training camp. He’s expected to sit out several weeks to rehab it rather than undergoing another procedure, leaving Indy without one of their top deep threats for a chunk of the season.
Jones loses an important weapon
Pierce is coming off a massive breakout 2025 campaign where he truly established himself as one of the NFL’s premier vertical threats, hauling in 47 receptions for 1,003 yards, 6 touchdowns, and a wild 21.3 yards per catch.
That explosive big-play ability makes his recent heel injury a brutal blow for Daniel Jones, who loses his favorite downfield weapon for at least four weeks right as they were building serious chemistry.
Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts throws a pass during the second quarter.
Which games will Pierce miss?
With Alec Pierce sidelined for at least four weeks, he’ll be forced to watch a key stretch of the Colts’ schedule from the sidelines. He’s set to miss a big AFC South division battle at home against the Houston Texans in Week 3, followed by a trip across the pond to London to face the Washington Commanders in Week 4.
After that international trip, Indy hits the road again to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, before finishing his required IR stint at home against another division rival, the Tennessee Titans, in Week 6. It’s a brutal run of games to miss, especially with crucial division matchups and a overseas trip on the docket.
Key takeaways
- Alec Pierce was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least four games.
- Receiver Laquon Treadwell sits behind Pierce at LWR on the team’s depth chart.
- The Colts play the Houston Texans in Week 3 to begin Pierce’s absent stretch.
