Who Should I Start? Amon-Ra St. Brown or Josh Downs

Sunday, January 19, 12:23 AM

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caught eight of his 10 targets for 137 yards during Saturday's Divisional Round loss to the Washington Commanders. The 25-year-old put together an impressive showing, but it wasn't enough to fend off a relentless Washington team. St. Brown and his Lions will fall short of a Super Bowl for the second consecutive season, and preparation for the 2025 season will commence immediately. Those preparations could look a little different, though, if offensive coordinator Ben Johnson accepts a head coaching job elsewhere. A new offensive scheme could throw a learning curve at St. Brown, but he'll likely be able to adapt and remain a mid-to-high WR1 for fantasy purposes. Fantasy managers should anticipate St. Brown being selected in the first round of fantasy drafts next summer.

Sunday, January 5, 8:52 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs caught 10 of his 13 targets for 94 yards during Sunday's Week 18 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts' passing attack has seen a significant boost ever since quarterback Joe Flacco took over for the injured Anthony Richardson (back), but Downs truly took his productivity to the next level during Sunday's season finale. He finishes the 2024 campaign with 72 catches, 803 yards, and five touchdowns. Each of these three marks represented season-highs, topping the totals he delivered as a rookie last year. Downs has firmly established himself as an appealing 1B option with the Colts, pairing nicely alongside their 1A receiver, Michael Pittman Jr. The UNC product will rank as a high-end WR3 when 2025 fantasy football drafts kick off next summer, and he has even greater appeal in dynasty leagues.