The Indianapolis Colts will have wide receiver Alec Pierce back on the field as they visit the New England Patriots, who will see the return of safety Jabrill Peppers, on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.
Pierce missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with a foot injury but returned to full practice Friday and is expected to play against the Patriots (3-9).
Though he’s had an up-and-down season that includes five games with one or fewer catches, Pierce also has had some explosive games. He leads the NFL in yards per reception with an impressive 23.3 average yards per catch and has set career highs in yards (629) and touchdown receptions (four).
Though dealing with an ongoing back injury that kept him out of Week 10, fellow wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is expected to play against the Patriots.
The Colts (5-7) will be without wide receiver Josh Downs (shoulder) and offensive tackle Braden Smith (personal matter) but will get left tackle Bernhard Raimann (knee) back.
The Patriots, meanwhile, will see the return of Peppers, who missed the past seven games while on the commissioner’s exempt list after pleading not guilty to domestic violence and drug possession charges related to an early October incident. He was removed from the list on Tuesday. His criminal trial is set to start Jan. 22 in Massachusetts.
Peppers had been a team captain, but according to multiple reports, he took the field prior to Sunday’s game without the C on his jersey.
Sitting in the basement of the AFC East, the Patriots also will get back defensive end Deatrich Wise, who missed the past two games with a foot injury, and wide receiver DeMario Douglas (ankle).
Coach Jerod Mayo’s team will be without linebacker Marte Mapu and wide receiver KJ Osborn.
–Field Level Media
