Darius Slayton Out for Colts at Steelers

Darius Slayton is out for Sunday's game at Pittsburgh. The Colts downgraded the veteran receiver from questionable to out with a knee injury on Saturday morning, per the team, which means his Colts debut is on hold for at least another week.

That stings for an Indianapolis receiver room that was already running thin. Alec Pierce is on injured reserve, Ashton Dulin was ruled out Friday with a hamstring injury, and Keenan Allen is questionable with a groin issue. Daniel Jones is heading into Acrisure Stadium with very few healthy targets he knows well.

A late knee injury

Slayton was not even on the early injury reports this week. He was a full participant Wednesday and Thursday, then popped up on Friday's report with the knee, per Colts Wire. NBC Sports reported he hurt it during Friday's practice.

He still has not played a snap for Indianapolis. Slayton spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Giants, where he caught passes from Jones, per Heavy, and the Colts brought him in to add a vertical threat while Pierce is out. Coach Shane Steichen has said the veteran is still getting comfortable. "Darius is still just learning the offense," Steichen said last Sunday, via Colts.com.

Next man up is Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

To cover the hole, the Colts elevated Nick Westbrook-Ikhine from the practice squad for the third straight week. He has played in 95 career games with 42 starts and has 137 catches for 1,862 yards and 19 touchdowns across stints with Tennessee, Miami and Indianapolis, per the team.

Indianapolis also placed defensive end Arden Key on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Key had started all four games this season and posted eight tackles, half a sack and a forced fumble. Linebacker Jaylon Carlies (ribs) and tight end Will Mallory (thumb) are also out, while cornerback Charvarius Ward is questionable with a groin injury after practicing in full Friday.

The Steelers are banged up too

Pittsburgh has its own list. The Steelers ruled out wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (foot), cornerback Jamel Dean (ankle) and safety DeShon Elliott (knee), and both Jalen Ramsey (wrist) and Rico Dowdle (toe) are questionable, per the team reports.

The Colts come in riding a two-game win streak, including a 19-17 win over Houston and a win over Washington in London. Keeping that going on the road with this many receivers in street clothes is going to take a big day from the run game and whatever Allen can give them if he goes.

Fantasy folks, if you were holding Slayton as a deep stash, you are holding him another week.

If Allen sits too, Jones is throwing to a patchwork group in Pittsburgh, and that might be the whole game.