Week 1 of the 2026 NFL regular season is upon us, and every NFL team is setting out to compete over the next handful of months. The Indianapolis Colts got a taste of success a season ago and are attempting to put the pieces together now, but TE Tyler Warren gave them a shock last month.
After suffering a groin injury during an August 19 joint practice, what’s the latest on Warren’s status? The former Penn State standout is a key part of Indianapolis’ passing attack, so him being available is paramount.
Below, we’ll dive into the latest Tyler Warren injury update and outline its potential impact on Colts fantasy football picks and player projections for PrizePicks.
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Tyler Warren Injury Update: Will Warren Play in Week 1 vs. Ravens?
The good news if you’re a Colts fan is Warren seems to be doing just fine. He’s been back at practice and doesn’t have any signs pointing to his participation in Sunday’s regular-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens coming into question.
This is a major sigh of relief in Indy, as Warren burst onto the scene as a rookie. The No. 14 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft played in all 17 games, being targeted a whopping 112 times on offense. He recorded 76 receptions for 817 yards and 4 TDs, also toting the ball 6 times on the ground for 8 yards and another score. He was a Pro Bowler in his debut campaign.
QB Daniel Jones’ Achilles rupture in Week 14 put a damper on both the team’s playoff hopes and its overall production. According to RBSDM, the Colts ranked fourth in EPA per play (0.128) and ninth in dropback EPA/play (0.147) in Weeks 1-14. In four Jones-less games to close the year, those ranks were 25th and 27th, respectively. Over the same latter stretch, Warren racked up 28 targets, albeit for 16 catches and just 118 yards.
Now that Warren is past the minor injury, head coach Shane Steichen wants to see him be more fluid “in and out of his breaks” in year No. 2. If that happens, it could take his production to the moon with Jones back in the fold.
Tyler Warren Projections for 2026 NFL Season
PrizePicks has plenty of Tyler Warren projections on the NFLZSN board, including picks for receiving yards, TDs, and more.
Here are some popular Tyler Warren projections to consider for the 2026 NFL season:
- 749.5 Rec Yards
- 74.5 Recs
- 5 Rec TDs
Tyler Warren Fantasy Football Outlook & Colts’ Depth Entering Week 1
With his sophomore season on the horizon, Warren is quickly climbing the fantasy football ranks already. According to FantasyPros’ list of real-time average draft position, he’s going off the board at 48th overall and sitting as TE4 in point-per-reception leagues. It’s hard to disagree, as his 21.13% target share was good for sixth among all TEs last year (via SumerSports).
If Warren did go down with a different injury or suffer a setback, his primary backup is veteran Mo Alie-Cox. The 32-year-old has settled into a clear-cut role for Indianapolis in the last three years, averaging 21 targets, 13 receptions, and 142 yards per season in that span.
The real beneficiaries could be WR Josh Downs and RB Jonathan Taylor. Downs, per Pro Football Focus, spent 78.8% of his time in the slot in 2025 and had an 84.5% mark the year before. Warren’s split was 43.6% as a rookie. Taylor, who led the league in both rush attempts (323) and TDs (18) a season ago, carries a fantasy ADP of sixth overall (RB4).
The 2025 Colts had a negative pass rate over expected, per nfelo, checking in at -0.9%. If Warren were to sit out any games in 2026, that number could drop even lower.
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It’s all systems go for the Colts on multiple fronts, including the health of TE Tyler Warren. That’s a tremendous development for Steichen and company as they look to replicate 2025’s 7-1 start, as their rising star pass catcher is established as a present and future centerpiece.
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