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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has been ruled out of the team’s season opener against the visiting Houston Texans, coach Shane Steichen announced Friday.

Steichen added Downs is progressing well from the ankle injury that he sustained during a training camp practice on Aug. 7. Downs, however, did not participate in practice this week.

Wideouts Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and rookie Adonai Mitchell are expected to carry the bulk of the workload in place of Downs, who caught 68 passes for 771 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games (nine starts) during his rookie season in 2023.

While Steichen was quick to declare the 23-year-old Downs as out for Sunday’s game, he kept the door open for kicker Matt Gay. The Colts plan to monitor the status of Gay over the next two days as he works his way back from hernia surgery.

Spencer Shrader, an undrafted rookie from Notre Dame, would step in should Gay be unavailable to kick against the Texans.

Gay, 30, made 35 of 36 PATs in 2023 and converted on 33 of 41 field-goal attempts. Only three of the misses were inside 50 yards.

–Field Level Media