BREAKING: Colts WR Keenan Allen facing minimum three-game suspension

Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen is facing a minimum three-game suspension stemming from his drunk driving arrest in downtown Indianapolis last month, ESPN reported Sunday morning. The suspension would cost a veteran pass-catcher the Colts lean on heavily an extended stretch as Indianapolis tries to climb out of a rough start.

The development is the latest turn in a legal saga that began when Allen was taken into custody in Indianapolis in August. He was formally charged with operating while intoxicated misdemeanors in mid-September, and the league has now moved toward disciplinary action under its personal conduct policy. The minimum three-game ban described by ESPN sources suggests the severity of the charge is weighing on the eventual ruling.

Allen arrived in Indianapolis this offseason and was expected to be a central piece of the Colts' rebuilt receiving corps. Losing him for at least a quarter of a season, even before any potential appeal or additional discipline, would put real strain on the team's depth at wideout as the schedule grinds on. The Colts have not issued a formal comment on the reported discipline, and the team's handling of the position will be a storyline to watch as the week unfolds.