A lot is riding on the Indianapolis Colts going into next season as far as two significant contracts go; contracts that many inside the NFL were unsure about when they were signed. Daniel Jones's two-year extension worth $88 million was one of those deals, as was Alec Pierce's four-year, $114 million contract.
Jones's deal was not as criticized as Pierce's, and perhaps there is some weight to the rumblings, considering he's never been a No. 1 target before, and while his last season's production resembled that of an elite NFL wide receiver, Pierce is not elite yet.
The Colts were under pressure, though, having traded away long-time veteran Michael Pittman Jr. and wanting to go ahead with Pierce as their primary pass catcher. Now, Pierce has to prove he's worth that kind of money.
Indianapolis Colts' Alec Pierce can easily move inside PFF's top-20 WR rankings by this time next year
He also has to prove he's one of the league's best wideouts, and after Pro Football Focus's (subscription required) latest receiver rankings, a great year could see Pierce actually move up significantly.
It'll be a year or two, or perhaps longer, before Colts fans see Pierce's name in the top 10 with the likes of Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Nico Collins, George Pickens, and Drake London. These wideouts ranked in the top 10 according to PFF, and we don't see Peirce for several more spots.
The wideouts ranked from 10 to 20 include some players that Pierce can realistically jump over with another season similar to or better than last. Pierce just made it past the 1,000- yard mark by three yards, with a career-high 47 receptions and six touchdowns. He racked up 1,000 yards as the Colts' No. 2 pass catcher; he should have no problem passing those numbers significantly as the No. 1.
If Pierce has an outstanding season, he has every chance to reshuffle PFF's 10-to-20 rankings that include Zay Flowers, Chris Olave, Terry McLaurin, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Mike Evans, Stefon Diggs, Garrett Wilson, Tee Higgins, and Malik Nabers. Pierce comes in at No. 21 on the list, and PFF had this to say about his status among the league's best wideouts:
"Pierce has quietly become one of the NFL's top deep threats, parlaying that ability into a contract worth more than $28 million per year. Among wide receivers with at least 25 targets, Pierce is the only player averaging more than 20.0 yards per reception since the start of the 2023 season. WithMichael Pittman Jr. now in Pittsburgh, Pierce enters 2026 as Indianapolis' unquestioned No. 1 receiver."
Given Higgins's status as a No. 2, Diggs's uncertain status in general, as he would be a No. 2 or 3 wherever he signs, Evans's age and usage in the 49ers offense uncertain, and Flowers dealing with inconsistency throughout his career, they, along with the others in PFF's 10-to-20 spots could shift next season, opening the door for Pierce to steal a higher ranking.
It's fair to predict that when PFF puts out its list next year, Pierce will be ranked somewhere between 15 and 20. As long as he shows out this season and his connection with Jones resembles an elite quarterback-to-wide receiver connection, Pierce's ceiling is fairly high.
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