Indianapolis Colts leading WR Michael Pittman Jr. had a wild week in the league’s concussion protocol heading into the team’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
After clearing the league’s protocol and appearing to trend in the right direction for playing in the next game after suffering a concussion, Pittman ultimately suffered symptoms that saw him immediately placed back in the league’s protocol and ruled out against Atlanta.
After missing his first game of the 2023 season, will Pittman be available for your fantasy football team for Week 17?
Latest Injury Update on Michael Pittman
As you are well aware, the NFL concussion protocol has multiple stages that must be cleared in order to return to the football field, which has made returning to the field after a concussion an inexact science.
After being placed in the league’s concussion protocol last week, Pittman was listed as a limited participant for Wednesday’s practice, according to the team’s injury report.
However, according to a recent report from James Boyd, Pittman was a full participant in Thursday’s practice.
So, it was a bit of a surprise when Pittman was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice, according to the team’s injury report.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen touched on Pittman’s progress briefly while speaking to the media on Wednesday. “He’s still in the protocol,” said Steichen, “but he’s progressing well.”
Will Pittman Play This Week?
Despite Pittman’s participation in practice for two straight days being an incredibly encouraging sign, he is still not in the clear quite yet, which is evident by his placement back in the league’s concussion protocol last week.
The talented WR will need to advance through all of the steps and remain symptom-free in order to suit up for the team on Sunday.
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Fantasy managers will need to closely monitor his work throughout the week in order to confirm he is able to clear protocol.
However, he is certainly trending in the right direction toward being available in Week 17.
What Does This Mean for Josh Downs’, Alec Pierce’s, and D.J. Montgomery’s Fantasy Ranking?
Prior to his injury-shortened appearance in Week 14, Pittman was the model of consistency by finishing with fewer than 10 fantasy points on just one occasion throughout the entire 2023 season.
His overwhelming target share has been the driving force behind his very high fantasy floor this year. In fact, Pittman is one of just 11 WRs to average 10+ per game in 2023.
If the Colts’ WR1 is unable to go in Week 17, then his vacated double-digit targets per game will undoubtedly inflate the fantasy value of other Colts pass catchers against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The player who seemed like a leading candidate to see an expanded role would be rookie WR Josh Downs, who has produced some big fantasy performances with QB Gardner Minshew but who also failed to produce a big fantasy day without Pittman in the lineup on Sunday with just six receptions for 39 yards.
His formation versatility, playmaking ability after the catch, and vertical skill set all make him a viable candidate to lead the team in targets if Pittman is out.
Another player who could see an expanded role would be Alec Pierce, who has a great athletic profile for an outside receiver. Yet, he didn’t do much with his expanded role either on Sunday, with just three receptions for 30 yards against the Falcons.
The last name worth considering would be D.J. Montgomery, who scored his first touchdown of the season after Pittman exited the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers back in Week 15 but is currently dealing with a groin injury.
If Pittman is able to stay on the practice field without any symptoms or setbacks, then he will have a real shot at playing on Sunday. If he does take the field, Pittman is still a low-end WR1 heading into Week 17. If not, then Downs enters the WR3 conversation for fantasy managers in the championship round.
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