The Indianapolis Colts added some experience and necessary depth to their wide receiver corps by signing Keenan Allen to a one-year, $8.32 million contract in mid-August. The proven option could be a great security valve for Daniel Jones and have an involved role, but Allen’s potential legal troubles further cloud his uncertain role with the team. Considering all the factors, is Keenan Allen worth drafting for your 2026 fantasy football squad? Where should the veteran slot in your rankings as you get your team ready for Week 1?
Let’s take a look at his current ADP and ranking and see if Allen makes sense as an option to consider in his first season with the Colts.
Keenan Allen fills a need for the Colts
The Colts traded away top wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers this offseason and signed Alec Pierce to a huge extension, but Pierce has been absent from the entirety of training camp. He was activated from the active/PUP list earlier this week and continues to recover from the ankle surgery in the spring. He’s working his way back and may or may not be ready for Week 1, but even if he plays, he may not be ready for a full workload.
Allen had 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns after returning to the Chargers last season. In his one season with the Bears in 2024, he had seven touchdowns and 70 catches for 744 yards. He has caught at least 70 passes in eight of the last nine seasons, and he ranks 10th all-time among wide receivers in career receptions.
While he is no longer a burner like Pierce who is primarily a deep threat, he is a proven option over the middle, and he can be a reliable source of catches to help the team get by until Pierce is ready. Even when Pierce is up to full speed, Allen could still be very involved and help move the chains as a reliable option.
Allen has a history with head coach Shane Steichen from when Steichen was calling plays with the Chargers, so the pairing makes some sense. Especially with Josh Downs (calf) also dealing with an injury now, Allen looks poised to have a fantasy-relevant role, especially in PPR leagues.
Keenan Allen faces a possible suspension
Further complicating Allen’s fantasy football draft stock, the receiver could face league discipline after his arrest on Sunday morning. He was charged with DWI and DWI endangering a person after the Colts’ final preseason game around 1AM ET in downtown Indianapolis.
He could face a three-game suspension based on the NFL’s Substances of Abuse policy. In that policy, a “first offense of a violation of the law involving alcohol” results in a three-game suspension. He could face that suspension at any point in the season, and the league does not have to wait for the legal system to play out.
From a fantasy perspective, the uncertainty of a possible suspension makes Allen an even more volatile pick and could allow other Colts receivers to step up early in the season if Allen’s suspension comes soon, he could miss the exact part of the season when he could have made the most impact.
The Bottom Line
Allen has enough proven potential and a high enough upside to be a late-round flier in standard-sized PPR leagues. He is currently being drafted as the 125th pick off the board, according to his Yahoo! ADP, which puts him after 52 other receivers have come off the board. He can represent good value at that point since he is such a proven option.
Personally, I like other late-round sleepers better at receiver since I see more upside and less risk in other picks, including Romeo Doubs of the Patriots, Dontayvion Wicks of the Eagles, Pat Bryant of the Broncos, and Jalen Coker of the Panthers. As a result, I haven’t landed on Allen in any of my drafts yet, although I do see the strategy of making him a late-round target.
If you draft other Colts receivers like Pierce or Downs, Allen can be a nice handcuff for an insurance policy, and he does have the potential to be a very playable option for several games this season, especially if either injury lingers. He’s definitely draftable in his first season in Indianapolis, although there’s also a good chance that he’ll hit the waiver wire at some point this season if a suspension comes down.
