The Indianapolis Colts rookie class from the 2022 season had plenty of ups and downs throughout what was a tumultuous campaign for the franchise as a whole.
With their first season now behind them, it’s time to take a quick look back at how they performed and where they may be headed in the future.
In our rookie review series, we’ll be taking a look at each 2022 draft pick currently still with the team along with a handful of relevant undrafted rookies who made an impact.
We start the series off with wide receiver Alec Pierce, who was the No. 53 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
2022 stats
| Games | Starts | Targets | Rec. | Yards | TDs | YPR | PFF Grade | Snap % |
| 16 | 12 | 78 | 41 | 593 | 2 | 14.5 | 61.3 | 66% |
What went right
Pierce’s rookie season got off to a slow start, but he showed plenty of promise throughout the campaign. He showed an ability to make plays down the field, evident by his team-high 14.5 yards per reception and 11.7 average depth of target (among players with at least 10 targets). There was certainly a learning curve for Pierce, but he has the ability to work on the outside as a vertical threat, which should help with a quarterback who can push the ball down the field.
What went wrong
It’s difficult to truly grade the offensive rookies for the Colts in 2022 because so much of their production was tied to the quarterback position. So when looking back at Pierce’s season, there were a lot of inconsistencies. This is especially true for the month of November when Pierce essentially disappeared. This was the turning point in the season, and the rookie was non-existent. In those four games, he recorded just four receptions for 51 yards on 14 targets. Two of those games resulted in Pierce going without a catch.
Best game
Week 5 at Denver Broncos
Stat line: nine targets, eight receptions, 81 yards
Though this game was ugly for the offense as a whole, Pierce showed he can make impact plays during crucial moments. He proved he can come through late in the game with some big receptions and also showed he can bounce back. He dropped his first target of the game but went on to catch all eight that came his way after that, including some vital catches on the final fourth-quarter drive to force overtime.
Overall review
Despite some inconsistencies, Pierce showed plenty of potential during his rookie season. He fits well with Michael Pittman Jr. on the opposite side as Pierce can work vertically while the former thrives underneath. While some depth will need to be added to the room, the Colts should feel good about Pierce as their WR2 behind Pittman Jr., and his production should increase with an improved situation at quarterback.
