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Alec Pierce start 'em, sit 'em fantasy football picks for Week 1 of 2026. Should you start or sit Alec Pierce for fantasy football lineups in Week 1?
BALLER MOVE: Start in deeper 12+ team leagues
POSITIONAL VALUE: Risky WR3
ANALYSIS: Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce broke out last season with 47 catches for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. In the process, he easily led the NFL in yards per reception (minimum 40 receptions) and was one of its premier deep threats.
His numbers understandably took a dip after Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon. Pierce also had ankle surgery in the offseason and, until recently, was limping around the field at practice and not participating in team activities.
Pierce's health is central to his production this season. It doesn't seem like he'll be back to 100 percent to start the season -- he only recently returned to practice, and even though he's cleared for Week 1, it may take him time to find his footing.
#Colts WRs Alec Pierce and Josh Downs talking as they watch practice. pic.twitter.com/Hd5AGfS2nL
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) August 25, 2026
Pierce's limp has improved, but it was still quite obvious in late August. There's a big gap between playing at 100 percent of your capabilities in the NFL and being forced to walk gingerly as a complex bone and ligament structure heals.
My analysis indicates Pierce will have limited production for at least the first month of the season. It's difficult to speculate on the exact stage of his recovery. But returning to a full route share with his full allotment of targets is probably not happening yet.
Patience should be practiced here. A game-by-game prediction of his production is already tough enough, considering he had only 47 receptions last season. It's probably best to start someone else. For now, Colts WR Keenan Allen is a good pick -- he'll play in 2WR sets, and still has juice left, despite his age.
HERBERT BREAKS THE SACK AND FINDS KEENAN ALLEN FOR THE TD ⚡️
DENvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/f95wNegDdP
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
Colts WR Josh Downs will likely mostly continue to play in the slot, which makes him a riskier start in 12-team leagues. Meanwhile, Allen could have been drafted very late in 2026 drafts and should be available on waivers in many leagues. He's a good player to start as a FLEX even in 12-team leagues.
Who Should I Start Tool
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Alec Pierce. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 1. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Alec Pierce. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 1.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 1 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Alec Pierce compared to others:
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