Fantasy Football Player Notes

Pittman got the true WR1 treatment from the Colts coaching staff in 2021, running a route on 96% of offensive dropbacks - third to only Cooper Kupp (WR1) and Ja'Marr Chase (WR4) through 17 weeks. He also finished the season tied for the league's eighth-highest target share (24%), which was 11 percentage points higher than the next closest Colt, Zach Pascal, at 13%.

He also made 18 highlight-reel contested catches - fourth most in the NFL. And his 31% target share from Weeks 13-18 cemented his place in Indy's WR1 chair heading into 2022.

With Matt Ryan under center Pittman has the volume potential to be a top-12 fantasy option. Ryan has a history of fueling top-end fantasy WRs like Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, making a top-five finish not all that crazy for Big Mike in 2022.

Don't forget that last season, Ridley as the Falcons' No. 1 receiver owned the sixth-highest target rate per route run and ranked second among all wide receivers in expected fantasy points per game (16.5).

Alec Pierce earned solid Day 2 draft capital with the Indianapolis Colts, but I'd be hard-pressed to admit I like the landing spot with Matt Ryan. Pierce figures to slide-into that vertical field-stretching role for the Colts vacated by veteran T.Y. Hilton based on the rookie's speed and vertical profile from his college career at Cincinnati. But how valuable of a role is that with the team committed to both Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. as the clear touch hogs of the offense. Not to mention, Ryan's deep ball rate (9.1%) ranked 32nd out of 38 qualifying quarterbacks in 2021.