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Wide receiver Alec Pierce saw his stock grow significantly in the days leading up to the NFL Draft. Fans and analysts alike took greater notice of the Cincinnati prospect's aggressiveness, physicality, and strong playmaking skills.
On Day 2 of the draft, the Indianapolis Colts pulled the trigger, making Pierce their second-round pick. Heading into 2022, he finds himself competing with Parris Campbell for a role in an offense commanded by veteran Matt Ryan.
Will Alec Pierce be the WR2 for the Colts? What is his fantasy value in 2022? When should I draft him? Let's answer those three pivotal questions to understand what 2022 could look like for Pierce.
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Will Alec Pierce Be The WR2 For The Colts?
Let's waste no time. Is Pierce going to surpass Campbell as the Colts' WR2 before Week 1? The answer is most likely no. Indianapolis continues to experiment with its offensive alignment, and there have been reports that Pierce has seen the field in 12 personnel while Campbell, a slot receiver, was sidelined for these reps.
These training camp observations are helpful, but the preseason snap counts are most telling. When the Colts played their preseason opener this weekend, the team deployed plenty of 11 personnel, utilizing Pittman, Campbell, and Pierce on the field all at once.
Campbell saw more snaps both in the first quarter (when the starters played) and over the remainder of the game. His production was inferior to Pierce's, but he saw more meaningful reps.
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Full Game Snaps
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1st Quarter Snaps | 2nd-4th Quarter Snaps | Targets | Receptions | Touchdowns | |
| Michael Pittman Jr. | 20 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 30 |
| Parris Campbell | 16 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Alec Pierce | 13 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 27 |
Given how the final stats played out, Pierce may have earned more snaps in future preseason games. However, for now, there is no indication that he leapfrogged Campbell in just this one game.
What Is Alec Pierce's Fantasy Value In 2022?
Even though Campbell projects to open the year as the Colts' WR2, Pierce still has a strong chance to pass him on the depth chart over the course of the season, and it's clear that the rookie has tremendous upside.
In college, Pierce earned the title of Desmond Ridder's favorite target. He racked up 884 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021, produced 90th-percentile speed with a 4.33 40-yard dash time, and is capable of creating fantastic separation during his routes.
RotoBaller's Ryan Larrison offered great insight into Pierce's underratedness here, but the bottom line is this: Pierce is a true playmaker in an offense thirsty for someone like him to pair alongside Pittman. If he commands the value of a true WR2, Pierce could be a solid FLEX option by the middle of the season.
When Should I Draft Alec Pierce In 2022 Fantasy Football Drafts?
The question, as you can see, isn't whether to draft Pierce but when. His current ADP is 192, which makes him the final pick in 12-team, 16-round drafts. Interestingly, it also puts him 25 spots higher than his main competition, Campbell.
Drafting Pierce in the 16th round is a great idea — or even the 15th, if the 16th is the final round and you're okay with taking any kicker.
Pierce offers tremendous upside with the opportunity to command legitimate targets as Matt Ryan's No. 2 target. In the worst-case scenario, investing in Pierce doesn't pay off. If this happens, fantasy managers can simply drop him, knowing that they sacrificed one of the least-valuable picks in the draft.
Pierce is the ultimate low-risk, high-reward player this year, and you shouldn't leave your drafts without him.
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