Fantasy football season is upon us. If your draft still has to take place, there are three players on the Indianapolis Colts’ offense that should be on your radar.
On the flip side, there are two players to be cautious of as well–wide receivers Alec Pierce and AD Mitchell.
Pierce put together a breakout season in 2024, totaling 824 receiving yards, while leading the NFL in yards per catch with 22.3.
However, as Pierce’s yards per catch figure indicates, that production often came in one very specific way as a downfield threat.
Of Pierce’s total target share last season, nearly half of them came on downfield pass attempts, which was the second-highest rate of any receiver in football, according to PFF.
That play style leads to a very boom-or-bust outcome when it comes to fantasy football.
In addition to that, Daniel Jones is not a quarterback who has had downfield success as a passer in his career. Between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Jones has averaged 5.9 yards per pass attempt, which for some context, would have ranked 41st last season out of 44 eligible quarterbacks last year.
This offseason, Pierce prioritized his route tree and route running so he can more consistently impact other levels of the field. But as of now, we don’t know if that will translate to opportunities on Sundays.
Mitchell put together a very strong showing during training camp practices, showcasing the playmaking potential that he possesses.
However, his play in the preseason was very up-and-down. Mitchell caught just 4-of-8 passes for 49 yards.
In Year 2, and with his overall body of work this summer, there should be more opportunities for him compared to his rookie season. But he finds himself in a crowded position group, which could still result in sporadic playing time, and many of his targets last season came downfield. It remains to be seen if that will be different in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2 Colts players to be cautious of in 2025 fantasy football drafts
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
