After a rocky start to 2023, Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. has come into his own in the last couple of months. Pittman was looking to be a bust in fantasy drafts early on in the season with rookie QB Anthony Richardson under center. Richardson was a different kind of QB, one who didn’t bode well for Pittman’s fantasy value.
Unfortunately, Richardson went down to injury, but backup Gardner Minshew took over, and Pittman’s fantasy value skyrocketed. From Week 6 on, when Minshew was named the starter, leaving out Week 15, where Pittman only played 31% of the snaps due to leaving the field with a concussion, Pittman has been WR14, with two finishes in the top 10.
But will Pittman make it back on the field this week in time to help his fantasy football managers win championships?
Is Michael Pittman Jr. Going To Play Week 17?
In Week 15, Pittman went down after a vicious hit from Steelers S Damontae Kazee in a game against Pittsburgh. Kazee was ejected, and it looked like Pittman was going to have a serious injury.
Thankfully, he stood up and made it off the field with little aid.
After the game, Pittman addressed the hit and said he didn’t remember the moment of impact. “I honestly never saw him coming. I was diving, I caught it, and then all of a sudden, I woke up, and people were looking down at me. I was like, ‘Oh, s—, what just happened?”
Pittman entered the concussion protocol, progressed through it quickly, and looked like he would be able to play in Week 16 against Atlanta.
However, symptoms arose again on Saturday, and the team put him back on the protocol, and he was held out of the game. There is much more optimism surrounding Pittman playing this week against Las Vegas.
After logging full practices on Thursday and Friday, he is listed as questionable for the game. Head coach Shane Steichen said he “should be ready to roll, and Pittman discussed how he was feeling with the media.
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“I feel great,” Pittman said. “I cleared for my second time. I just went back because I had so much fun the first time … This week, I feel good, and I feel good about playing.”
On Sunday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Pittman is expected to play today. The Colts’ WR is WR13 in PFN’s Consensus Rankings this week.
Potential Fantasy Options If Michael Pittman Jr. Is Out Include Josh Downs and D.J. Montgomery
With the Colts fighting for a playoff spot, they desperately need Pittman on the field.
“The playoffs start now because if we don’t win, we lose that control,” Pittman said. “We’re playing in the playoffs now. … Everything has led us to this point. We have everything we want. We just gotta keep on winning, and everything will take care of itself.”
If he has a setback and cannot play, Indianapolis will have to look to lean on rookie Josh Downs and D.J. Montgomery. Downs has not been dependable for fantasy football since Week 8, and Montgomery only averages 33% of the snaps and is dealing with a groin issue. Neither guy is a great start in fantasy if Pittman is out.
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