Colts Will Play Keenan Allen Week 1 Despite DUI Arrest, Ballard Confirms
Indianapolis clears a real off-field situation with its receiver just in time for a real Week 1 opponent.
Colts GM Chris Ballard confirmed wide receiver Keenan Allen will play Week 1 against Baltimore despite a DUI arrest, with the team opting not to discipline him. Alec Pierce is also expected back from ankle and heel surgery, giving Indianapolis a genuinely fuller receiver room than it had for most of training camp.
Useful next steps
Quarterback Daniel Jones, working back from a past Achilles injury, had a strong camp despite missing weapons Downs, Pierce, and Warren for stretches. Indianapolis leads the all-time series with Baltimore 9-6.
Allen, 34, was arrested around 1 a.m. after police noticed signs of intoxication during what began as a parking-violation stop in downtown Indianapolis; he faces preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and was released the same afternoon, with a court date set for September 16. Jones, 29, is 2025's real comeback story at the position — a career-best 100.2 passer rating and 68% completion rate before the Achilles tear, with GM Chris Ballard specifically citing Jones' age as a real advantage over older quarterbacks who've struggled the year after this exact injury. Ballard defended keeping Allen active in blunt terms, saying "good people make mistakes" and calling him "a tremendous human being" who deserves grace while the legal process plays out, pointing to a 14-year career without a prior incident. Fellow receiver Josh Downs, for his part, said he's genuinely excited to share the field with Allen rather than worried about target competition, arguing a defense has to respect two legitimate third-down threats at once.
"We are aware of the incident involving Keenan Allen last night. We are in the process of gathering more information and have no further comment at this time."— Indianapolis Colts, official statement
Our take: playing Allen while the legal process is still ongoing is a real gamble on a team's own values, not just a football decision — the charges haven't been resolved, and "no further comment" is the kind of answer that tends to age poorly if more details surface. On the field, Jones' health remains the far bigger swing factor for how this season actually goes, and a full complement of Downs, Pierce, and Warren finally on the field together gives him a genuinely fairer opening test than most of his camp reps did.
Week 1 Prediction: Score, Spread & Player Prop
Ravens -3.5 road favorites (moneyline -180, Colts +150), per multiple sportsbooks.
Total sits at 47.5, down from an opening 49.5. Our pick: Ravens 27, Colts 20 (Under). One model specifically likes the Colts Under 22.5 points given Indianapolis's offseason personnel losses.
Daniel Jones OVER 1.5 passing touchdowns. Jones' 2025 efficiency numbers were real and career-best before the injury, against a Ravens defense still rebuilding pieces of its own.
Odds and props reflect market consensus across DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM as of this week — lines move, so check your own sportsbook before kickoff.
Colts' Week 1 receiver situation
Keenan Allen arrested on a DUI charge.
Ballard confirms Allen will play Week 1; Alec Pierce also set to return.
Colts host Baltimore, leading the all-time series 9-6.
Indianapolis heads into Week 1 with both of its top healthy targets cleared to play.