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Fantasy Reaction to Steelers Adding Michael Pittman Jr. After Trade with Colts
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- Fantasy Reaction to Steelers Adding Michael Pittman Jr. After Trade with Colts
After the Indianapolis Colts re-signing wide receiver Alec Pierce to a monster contract, the franchise agreed to deal wideout Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for what is believed to be a late-round pick swap. The USC product then agreed to sign a new three-year, $59 million contract.
The move thrusts Pierce into the primary role with Indy, and it gives Pittman a fresh start after flailing the last couple seasons following his breakout 2023 campaign. The seventh-year pro turns 29 in October, and his addition to the Steelers partners him with DK Metcalf to form a daunting height mismatch for defenders. It also signals to Aaron Rodgers the willingness to invest more talent into the offense, which could help tip the scales toward his return.
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Michael Pittman Jr. 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook
For Pittman, it's difficult to give him an accurate assessment without knowing who will quarterback the Steelers, but the situation arguably can't get worse than what he experienced the last few years in Indianapolis. We're still looking at a likely WR3 floor with high-end No. 2 potential for PPR scoring. Despite being older than a few NFL franchises, Rodgers' return would help solidify Pittman's fantasy offerings. We'll revisit this one following the 2026 NFL Draft.
For Metcalf, it's a massive win from an efficiency perspective. Even though he'll see fewer targets, the ones he will garner should be more meaningful and against solo coverage more frequently. It allows him to get back to his downfield roots.
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Impact on Indianapolis Colts in Fantasy Football
Daniel Jones (Achilles) returns on a transition tag and probably will be on the field for Week 1. The trade of Pittman, as mentioned, positions Pierce well for building on his 2025 breakout season. The move also means Indy will be more reliant on Josh Downs as a chain-moving asset, but the real winner here should be tight end Tyler Warren . It's probable the Colts turn to the draft for another receiver or sign a cheap free agent.
Like with the Steelers, we'll invest more time analyzing this situation once we get a better feel following the draft.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Fantasy section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
