Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Josh Downs
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Brandon Aiyuk News
Wednesday, March 11, 8:38 AM
With the new league year starting on Wednesday, the San Francisco 49ers plan to release wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. If the move to release Aiyuk doesn't come on Wednesday, it should be soon. The Washington Commanders are the most likely landing spot for Aiyuk, most likely on a one-year, prove-it deal. The Niners are expected to use a post-June 1 designation on Aiyuk's release, which is why they had to wait until the start of the new league year. The former first-rounder will leave behind $13.325 million in dead-cap money in 2026 and $21.247 million in 2027, with the 49ers getting a credit of $4.987 million towards next year's salary cap. Aiyuk didn't make it far after signing a four-year, $120 million contract with San Fran in August of 2024, as he played in only seven games that year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He didn't play at all in 2025 and will be a big unknown in fantasy football in Washington or wherever he ends up.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 26.9 | 0.1 |
Josh Downs News
Thursday, March 12, 9:00 PM
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs is a candidate to get more involved on offense after the team traded away Michael Pittman Jr. earlier this week. Pittman's departure for Pittsburgh leaves Downs and the newly-extended Alec Pierce as Indianapolis' top two wide receivers. Pierce's $116 million deal indicates that he's the new No. 1 receiver on the Colts, but there's still plenty of room for Downs to exist and contribute. The 24-year-old had 58 catches, 566 yards, and four touchdowns last year. Those were subpar numbers, but part of the blame can be placed on the state of the Colts' offense during the back half of the season with Philip Rivers at quarterback. With Daniel Jones (Achilles) returning and Pittman shipped away, Downs will have a chance to return to his 2024 form, when he was the Colts' No. 2 receiver and finished as the overall WR35 in PPR leagues. A top-36 finish is well within reach for Downs in 2026, making him a potential buy-low dynasty option this offseason.
Brandon Aiyuk vs. Josh Downs
Still trying to decide between Aiyuk and Downs? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Brandon Aiyuk is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Josh Downs is projected to score 6.3 points.
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