From the episode
Like there was like, um, they, they started to tap into it a little bit more last year. They didn't as much previously because Pittman was soaking a lot of that up, but just like, he's a big dude who has really strong hands. And so even on some of the routes where he doesn't create a ton of separation, you can just kind of like throw it like on those like 15 yard comeback routes.
STACKED’s take
Pierce excels on contested catches and intermediate routes but may be scheme-dependent.
Alec Pierce's profile centers on contested-catch ability and big-body value on intermediate routes (15-yard comebacks, 15-yard digs) rather than pure separation creation; he has strong hands and can win 50-50 and 70-30 balls, particularly on deeper intermediate routes where he doesn't need separation. The source noted the Colts started using him more on deep dig routes last year and sometimes used him as an inbreaker at 15-17 yards. However, the source expressed uncertainty about whether Pierce can do enough in other areas to be more than a scheme-dependent player, and questioned how much his contested-catch ability would open up the offense differently than other deep threats.
Alec PierceWR · INDPlayer page — value, ADP, projections, and every insight