Not much went right for Indianapolis on Thursday night. A month into the season, it’s clear that Matt Ryan is well past his pull date – he can’t play anymore. But the Colts have to be feeling good about wide receiver Alec Pierce.

The Colts selected Pierce in the second round, and after the last three games, he’s looking pretty firm as a keeper. Not that he’ll necessarily ever develop into one of the game’s top dozen receivers (there are a ton of good ones) but a guy who’ll be a starter for years.

Pierce came up with 8 catches for 81 yards on Thursday night. On one deflected, fluttering ball, Damarri Mathis was positioned for an interception, but Pierce was able to reach over him and take it away (see picture).

Pierce is a ball winner. He’s big (6-3, 213), and with good hands and concentration. He came down with another notable contested throw in the Kansas City game. And they’ve been starting to get him downfield. He had 44- and 25-yard catches against the Titans and a 30-yard play against KC.

To me, Pierce looks very entrenched as the second-most productive pass catcher for Indianapolis. I don’t think he’ll be as productive as Michael Pittman, but he might be in some games (with Pittman tending to get more attention from defenses). And Pierce looks a lot better than Parris Campbell. (Both Pittman and Campbell, by the way, were also selected with second-round picks.)

To me, Pierce makes a lot of sense in a dynasty league. I think he’s going to be a starter for a bunch of years. In terms of rookie receivers, there’s the first rounders, along with a pair of Packers and George Pickens. I think Pierce belongs in that group, with a decent chance of having a better career than some of those guys.

My top 80 dynasty receivers appear below. This is assuming PPR scoring, and I’m think of a 12-team league, with each team starting about three each week, with another 4-5 on rosters.

Rookies are tagged with black dots.

DYNASTY LEAGUE WIDE RECEIVERS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.MINJustin Jefferson23.3
2.CINJaMarr Chase22.6
3.LARCooper Kupp29.3
4.BUFStefon Diggs28.9
5.SFDeebo Samuel26.7
6.CINTee Higgins23.7
7.DALCeeDee Lamb23.5
8.PHIA.J. Brown25.3
9.MIATyreek Hill28.6
10.SEADK Metcalf24.8
11.MIAJaylen Waddle23.9
12.LVDavante Adams29.8
13.INDMichael Pittman25.0
14.TBMike Evans29.2
15.PITDiontae Johnson26.3
16.TBChris Godwin26.6
17.DENCourtland Sutton27.0
18.JACChristian Kirk25.9
19.DETAmon-Ra St. Brown23.0
20.LACMike Williams28.0
21.NO• Chris Olave22.3
22.CARDJ Moore25.5
23.ATL• Drake London21.2
24.WASTerry McLaurin27.1
25.BUFGabe Davis23.6
26.BALRashod Bateman22.9
27.HOUBrandin Cooks29.1
28.PIT• George Pickens21.6
29.DENJerry Jeudy23.5
30.PHIDeVonta Smith23.9
31.WAS• Jahan Dotson22.6
32.CHIDarnell Mooney25.0
33.CLEAmari Cooper28.3
34.SFBrandon Aiyuk24.6
35.ARIDeAndre Hopkins30.4
36.LACKeenan Allen30.5
37.NYJ• Garrett Wilson22.2
38.DET• Jameson Williams21.6
39.GB• Christian Watson23.4
40.ARIMarquise Brown25.4
41.GB• Romeo Doubs22.5
42.SEATyler Lockett30.0
43.TEN• Treylon Burks22.6
44.INDAlec Pierce22.4
45.DALMichael Gallup26.6
46.NOMichael Thomas29.6
47.LVHunter Renfrow26.8
48.KCJuJu Smith-Schuster25.9
49.GBAllen Lazard26.8
50.NYJElijah Moore22.5
51.WASCurtis Samuel26.2
52.BUFIsaiah McKenzie27.5
53.ATLCalvin Ridley (susp.)27.8
54.KC• Skyy Moore22.1
55.PITChase Claypool24.3
56.MINAdam Thielen32.2
57.BALDevin Duvernay25.1
58.NEJakobi Meyers25.9
59.TENRobert Woods30.5
60.CLE• David Bell21.8
61.LACJosh Palmer23.1
62.HOUNico Collins23.6
63.KCMarquez Valdes-Scantling28.0
64.CINTyler Boyd27.9
65.NYG• Wan'Dale Robinson21.8
66.JACZay Jones27.5
67.NYJCorey Davis27.8
68.NYGKadarius Toney23.7
69.BUF• Khalil Shakir22.7
70.DETJosh Reynolds27.7
71.LARVan Jefferson26.2
72.MINK.J. Osborn25.3
73.DETDJ Chark26.1
74.NE• Tyquan Thornton22.2
75.NENelson Agholor29.4
76.CLEDonovan Peoples-Jones23.6
77.ARIRondale Moore22.3
78.LVMack Hollins29.1
79.DENKJ Hamler23.3
80.CHI• Velus Jones25.4

I turn my attention to dynasty leagues each Saturday, rotating between the four notable positions. To see previous versions, use the “past issues” navigation box.

Last week: Tight ends.

Next week: Quarterbacks.

—Ian Allan