Should I Pick Up and Start Josh Downs? Fantasy Football Outlook

If you are one of the many fantasy football general managers with no idea who Josh Downs is, what position he plays, and which NFL team he is on, you are not alone. When I chose to do this column, I thought it was about Arizona Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Then I thought Downs must have been a long snapper on the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats.

I quickly discovered (and so will the fantasy football world) that Downs is the 2023 third-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts and that he will be lining up as their starting slot receiver this Sunday against the AFC South division favorite Jacksonville Jaguars.

Downs has been getting as much publicity in fantasy circles as Kim Kardashian gets on TMZ this week. Some fantasy experts and managers are jumping on his bandwagon because of the preseason he had and his role in the Colts’ banged-up offense. Should you jump on the bandwagon and pick Downs up? Here is my take:

Should I Pick Up and Start Josh Downs?

It really depends on your fantasy situation. If you are in a DFS contest and in need of a bargain-basement wide receiver, Downs is worthy of a flyer. The Week 1 matchup plays in Downs’ favor. Jacksonville is a favorite to win, and Indy’s top tailback Jonathan Taylor is out with his ankle injury, so the game script is leaning in Downs’ favor.

With tight end Jelani Woods also on injured reserve, Downs will be the No. 3 WR for the Colts on Sunday and could see as many targets and touches as Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce if the Jags shift double coverage their ways. I can certainly see Downs being aimed at six-to-10 times if the Colts running game stalls and they are trailing in the second half.

In dynasty leagues, Downs is also worthy of a hard look. Indianapolis’ franchise quarterback, Anthony Richardson, is a rookie like Downs. The pair should be able to learn the NFL ropes and grow together as players over the course of the next several seasons. Downs might only be a 600-to-800-yard player this year, but he could blossom into something better in the future, especially if Richardson turns into another Patrick Mahomes. Try him out this week and he might be a future fixture on your dynasty squad.

I would pass on picking up Downs in standard leagues, though. The jury is out on how well Richardson will do throwing the ball early on, and Downs is going to need time to figure out how to get open within NFL secondaries. It is doubtful he will be posting weekly 100-yard games right out of the gate.  There are probably better options on your league’s waiver wire at this juncture if you are looking for a WR to plug into your lineup this weekend.

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