What grades from Pro Football Focus did the current group of Indianapolis Colts’ wide receivers get for their performances last season?
The Colts entered the offseason with a number of questions about their roster, however, none existed at the wide receiver position.
While the Colts didn’t have any one receiver eclipse 1,000 yards last season, they were the only team in the NFL to have three wideouts all surpass 800 receiving yards.
Beyond the production of Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, each brings a different skill set to the Colts’ offense as well, which can be an added stressor for defenses to contend with and provides Shane Steichen with added flexibility as he tailors game plans to the specific opponent.
And, of course, not to be overlooked is AD Mitchell, who has put together a really strong showing during offseason programs. If a team’s wide receiver room consists of an uber-talented, high-upside wideout being the fourth option on the depth chart, that’s a well put-together room.
Now, as far as PFF’s grading system goes, I always want to add the caveat that this metric is far from the be-all end-all when it comes to evaluating a player’s performance. It is one tool out of many that are out there and should be treated as such.
For some context around these metrics, here is a look at PFF’s grading system to provide some context behind the numbers:
Alright, now let’s dive in.
Michael Pittman
PFF grade: 72.2
Pittman would catch 65% of his 106 targets last season for 808 yards with three touchdowns. Pittman fought through a back injury last season, but still appeared in 16 games.
Josh Downs
PFF grade: 84.8
Downs was one of the most productive slot receivers in the NFL and a safety net for whoever was at quarterback for the Colts. He caught 71% of his passes for 803 yards with five touchdowns.
Alec Pierce
PFF grade: 74.3
One of the most productive deep threats in the game last season, Pierce averaged a league-high 22.3 yards per catch and scored seven touchdowns.
AD Mitchell
PFF grade: 57.9
Mitchell battled inconsistency his rookie season, which included dropped passes and not being on the same page with the quarterback. However, what was evident was his ability to create separation, especially against man coverage.
Ashton Dulin
PFF grade: 54.9
Dulin caught just two passes for 67 yards, although one of those completions was a 54-yard touchdown in Week 1 against Houston. His snaps on offense often came on running downs, where he did get some designed touches and was utilized as a blocker.
Anthony Gould
PFF grade: 69.6
Gould’s role on offense was very small last season as the sixth wideout on the depth chart. He had one catch for 23 yards on the year and played just 15 snaps.
Laquon Treadwell
PFF grade: 54.2
Treadwell played just seven offensive snaps in the Colts’ Week 13 matchup with New England. He did not have any targets.
Blayne Taylor
PFF college grade: 72.5
Taylor was a major part of the Abilene Christian offense, totaling 128 targets during the 2024 season. He caught 73 of those passes for 1,117 yards and eight touchdowns.
Landon Parker
PFF college grade: 64.9
Last season, Parker caught 27 of his 41 targets (66%) and averaged 13.0 yards per reception. He has impressive speed, running a 4.40 during the pre-draft process.
Coleman Owen
PFF college grade: 90.2
Almost all of Owen’s snaps at Ohio came from the slot. He would go on to catch 69% of his 113 targets and averaged an impressive 16.0 yards per catch with eight scores.
DJ Montgomery
PFF grade: N/A
Montgomery didn’t play any regular season snaps in 2024.
Tyler Kahmann
PFF college grade: N/A
Kahmann played his college football at Division-II Emporia State and put up two huge seasons in 2023 and 2024. According to the team site, Kahmann caught 101 passes for 1,234 yards with 20 touchdowns in 2023 and then totaled 1,488 yards with 20 more touchdowns in 2024.
Ajou Ajou
PFF grade: N/A
Ajou played in the CFL last season. With the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Ajou caught 20 passes for 307 yards and two scores. He averaged just shy of 16 yards per catch.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: PFF grades for Pittman, Downs, Pierce, and Colts’ wide receivers
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
