The Athletic's James Boyd says that Colts WR Alec Pierce has looked much better in team drills than rookie WR Adonai Mitchell. The two are likely battling for one of the outside spots, and it doesn't sound like Mitchell's off to a great start.
Boyd: "Alec Pierce has the edge right now, and it's not really all that close. He's making his presence felt a lot more than Adonai Mitchell."
Colts WRs coach Reggie Wayne on Mitchell: "He’s still got some ways to go, but as you seen today, give him the opportunity and he can make plays. That’s one thing that’s not new to him. ... But just getting him familiar with the offense more and more each day. ... I definitely got to start from scratch with him. But I tell you what, man, the guy’s smart, he loves to compete, he’s an alpha and I need all the dogs I can get."
We posted recently about WR Josh Downs appearing to be in the lead for the No. 2 pass-catcher role.
If that holds, it'll be tough for QB Anthony Richardson to support a third fantasy-relevant WR. So Pierce vs. Mitchell probably doesn't matter much for 2024 fantasy football value.
That said, the winner would obviously be positioned for a target/production boost should Downs or Michael Pittman Jr. get hurt. So it's certainly a battle worth watching.
I'm not surprised to hear that Mitchell needs development, and I'm sure none of my colleagues are either.
For one thing, basically every rookie needs at least some. And Mitchell never served as his college team's receiving leader, then came off the board 20th among WRs.
All that suggests he's not likely to deliver right away.
We'll see how Mitchell's rookie season develops. If you drafted him, though, you shouldn't be downgrading him on this factor.
Pierce, after all, also hit the NFL as a second-round pick, is heading into his third pro season, and has an extra year with HC Shane Steichen.
Adonai Mitchell sits third among Colts in our current WR PPR rankings, but he's probably too close to Downs based on early camp reports.
Neither he nor Pierce is worth much attention in 2024 redraft leagues.
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