MichaelPittman Jr.

News: 4 days agoCoach Shane Steichen noted Friday that Pittman (back/finger) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bills, Amanda Foster of the Colts' official site reports.

Spin: Pittman, who didn't participate in practice this week, thus is slated to miss his first game of the season. Per James Boyd of The Athletic, Steichen indicated Friday that Pittman is viewed as week-to-week, but at this stage the team is still not considering IR for the wideout. In Pittman's absence, Josh Downs and Alec Pierce are in line to lead the Colts' WR corps, with Ashton Dulin and Adonai Mitchell mixing in, while Anthony Gould is available in reserve.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: A steady career progression as a sure-handed receiver earned Pittman a big extension from the Colts heading into his fifth season. The son of a former bruising running back, Pittman handles a physical, possession role that includes rare volume, as he finished ninth in total targets and fifth in receptions in 2023. A touchdown-per-target rate of just 3.1% as a pro and a modest average depth of target clip the past two seasons have resulted in WR2 outcomes for Pittman. As the likely first read for Anthony Richardson on most dropbacks this season, Pittman enters the season with a stable floor for WR2 production and the upside for a new tier of value. Targeting Pittman after the crop of true WR1 options are taken could prove savvy.