The Indianapolis Colts are heading into their London matchup with one fewer answer at a position that already had too few of them. Wide receiver Keenan Allen has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a groin injury, according to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, after being unable to practice Friday once the issue developed over the past several days.

Allen’s absence cuts into a receiver room that was already running thin. He has caught 13 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown through three games this season, ranking second on the team in receiving yardage behind Josh Downs. Losing him leaves Indianapolis without its top two wideouts at the same time. Allen joins No. 1 receiver Alec Pierce, who remains on injured reserve with a heel injury and isn’t eligible to return for at least three more games.

The injury itself developed gradually over the course of the week. Allen participated in limited practice on Wednesday, which the team initially attributed to a veteran rest day rather than an injury. By Thursday, he was limited again, this time specifically because of the groin issue, before being downgraded to a non-participant Friday following the team’s overnight flight into London.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters Friday that the Colts wouldn’t be ruling anyone out ahead of the trip, but Allen’s status fell apart quickly from there, and he was officially held out for Sunday.

Losing Allen stings in part because of how recently and deliberately Indianapolis brought him in.

The Colts signed the 34-year-old to a one-year deal worth up to $8.32 million in August, reuniting him with Steichen, who coached Allen for seven seasons on the Chargers’ staff as a quality control assistant, quarterbacks coach and eventually offensive coordinator.

Allen arrived with real pedigree: a six-time Pro Bowler with 1,055 career receptions, 12,051 receiving yards and 70 touchdowns across 13 NFL seasons. He entered 2026 needing just 16 catches to pass Colts receivers coach Reggie Wayne on the NFL’s all-time receptions list. The partnership was specifically meant to stabilize a receiver room that’s instead lost its top two options before Week 4 is even finished.

Colts Promote Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Indianapolis responded to the injury by promoting veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine from the practice squad to fill the roster spot for Sunday. The team is also hoping that backup Ashton Dulin will return after missing the past two weeks with an ankle injury. Dulin was a full participant in Friday’s practice in the London area, which is certainly a positive sign for the Colts heading into game day.

The timing of the injury also adds extra weight to a game that already mattered for both sides. The Colts (1-2) and Commanders (1-2) each enter Sunday off wins over teams many expected to be Super Bowl contenders. Indianapolis beat Houston 19-17, while Washington knocked off Seattle 33-31, making this contest more exciting.

The Commanders Have Their Own Issues Too

It’s not just Indianapolis dealing with a banged-up skill-position group, either. Washington has its own injury concerns heading into London, with quarterback Jayden Daniels traveling with the team but considered unlikely to play, and star receiver Terry McLaurin also among the names on the Commanders’ injury report.

If Daniels is out, Washington will again turn to Marcus Mariota, who leaned on a takeaway-heavy defensive performance, including Kain Medrano’s pick-six, to beat Seattle last week rather than needing a huge day through the air.

But for the Colts, along with Allen’s injury, another big variable for them may be their own quarterback.

Daniel Jones has turned the ball over five times already this season, including two lost fumbles and an interception in the win over Houston that nearly cost the Colts the game. He is currently averaging 6.2 yards-per-attempt this season. A clean performance from Jones might matter more with Allen sidelined, since there’s less margin now for miscommunication or missed opportunities downfield.

They will be depending on running back Jonathan Taylor with his speed to be the reliable source of offense regardless of who’s lining up at receiver.

For a Colts team trying to end a five-season playoff drought and win the AFC South for the first time since 2014, losing a proven veteran like Allen for a London game against a desperate Washington team is exactly the kind of depth test head coach Shane Steichen’s roster was built to withstand, or wasn’t, depending on how Sunday goes.