Michael Pittman Jr. DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Indianapolis Colts wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr. (back) and Josh Downs (toe) were both absent from practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week. Pittman could be sidelined multiple weeks with his back injury, so fantasy managers should already be expecting him to miss the Week 6 contest against the division-rival Tennessee Titans this Sunday. Downs' status is a bit less clear, but with two DNPs already this week for him as well, his status is also firmly up in the air for the weekend. Running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) hasn't practiced this week either, so Indy's offense could be missing three of their best playmakers against the Titans. If both Pittman and Downs are unable to play in Week 6, Alec Pierce and rookie Adonai Mitchell would be the Colts' top-two wideouts for either quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) or Joe Flacco. Pittman is a candidate for Injured Reserve, which would sideline him at least four games.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) is expected to miss multiple weeks. The Colts have also suggested that Pittman may be placed on injured reserve. Pittman was a non-participant in practice on Wednesday and is listed as doubtful heading into this weekend. This is unfortunate news for fantasy managers as Pittman had just started to come alive. He had at least 113 receiving yards or a touchdown in his last two games. That may be attributed to the presence of quarterback Joe Flacco in the lineup rather than a struggling Anthony Richardson. However, it could be some time before fantasy managers find out if Pittman is able to build on that momentum. Pittman has recorded 22 receptions for 238 yards and a touchdown in 2024. For now, fantasy managers will have to stick him in their IR spot and hope for the best.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice. In addition to Pittman, Josh Downs (toe) also popped on the Week 6 injury report and didn't practice. It's not a great start to the week for Pittman and Downs, but they still have two days left to get back onto the practice field. Given his injury and the fact that we still don't know if quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) will play this Sunday against the division-rival Tennessee Titans, Pittman's fantasy outlook is a bit up in the air. He had 11 receptions for 88 yards and no touchdowns in the first three weeks with Richardson at the helm but has exploded for 11 catches for 150 yards and his first touchdown of the year in the last two weeks with Richardson injured. Pittman's fantasy upside may actually be higher if Richardson misses another week.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. caught five of his eight targets for 37 yards and a touchdown in the team's 34-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pittman opened the scoring for Indy, catching a one-yard touchdown on the team's opening drive. Pittman remained quiet throughout the rest of the matchup, eventually seeing more usage in the second half when the Colts went down by multiple possessions. The touchdown heavily helped Pittman's fantasy production but he did otherwise have an underwhelming performance given the high-scoring affair. Given his favorable target share, the former USC wide out can still be considered a WR2/3 option in Week 6 when the Colts face the Tennessee Titans.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. had his best performance of the season in Week 4, grabbing six targets for 113 yards. He now gears up for a favorable matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5. The Jaguars have allowed the fifth most points to the position this season and the second-most receiving yards. No. 1 WR options have succeeded against Jacksonville this season, most recently in Week 4 when WR Nico Collins grabbed 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown. While there is still uncertainty at the QB position for Indy with Anthony Richardson (hip) doubtful, Pittman makes for a strong start regardless of the starting QB. Fantasy managers can prioritize him as a WR2 in Week 5. He is the WR27 in our half-PPR rankings.