Josh Downs
Downs is Indianapolis's primary slot receiver and leads the wide receivers in snaps, but his production has been inconsistent and capped by a lack of deep and red zone looks, and he could be traded before the deadline.
Role
He led Colts wideouts with 52 snaps in Week 7, seven more than Laquon Treadwell (NBC Sports, Oct. 25). He played 89% of snaps in Week 1 (Heavy), and Heavy reported that all four of his Week 1 targets came from the slot. He is competing for targets with Keenan Allen, who has a 24% target share since Week 3 to Downs' 17% (NBC Sports). Tight end Tyler Warren and receiver Alec Pierce were both out in Week 7 (NBC Sports). Downs' Week 7 target count is reported as four (NBC, FantasyPros player page) and as three (FantasyPros waiver column), so I can't pin down the exact number.
He has the snaps and routes. FantasyPros' player page lists an 18.3% target share, a 23.6% first-read share, 1.40 yards per route run, five red zone targets and seven deep targets. NBC Sports credits him with 26% of team air yards since Week 3. FantasyPros calls him roster-worthy in normal and deeper leagues on a favorable schedule, even though he is no longer a top-30 receiver. Pierce has played only 49 snaps this season while injured (Yahoo). Downs also had a 30% target share in Week 2 (Draft Sharks).
The volume is erratic and the yardage is small. He had 12 catches for 121 yards and no touchdowns on 22 targets over his last four games (FantasyPros). NBC Sports says his lack of red zone and deep targets limits his ceiling, and that he is losing middle-of-the-field targets to Allen even with Warren out. He had two bad drops in Week 6, and he fell to a 13.8% share in a win over Washington (Draft Sharks). FantasyPros described his season as having gone badly, with four of six games under 10 PPR points and 50 yards.
Where analysts split
The question is whether his snap and route lead turns into targets again, or whether Allen's work over the middle and a weak offense keep him in the low-ceiling range NBC Sports describes. FantasyPros sees him as still rosterable. A second, unsettled issue is a possible trade. Yahoo reported he could be dealt before the deadline in early November, based on The Athletic's trade board (Popper ranked him ninth). It has not been reported that he will be moved.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at WR
Fantasy Memo reads your league and answers that every Tuesday, and checks again before kickoff.
Connect your league: 14 days free