Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Josh Downs

Saturday, June 14, 11:52 AM

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on the Pat McAfee Show this week that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is making great progress in his rehab from a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee that he suffered last October. "Brandon is doing a tremendous job coming back. It's kind of incredible how well he's healing, and he's putting in the work," Lynch said. Lynch continued to stress that Aiyuk is still an important part of the team going forward, although he's probably not going to be able to make his 2025 debut until around midseason. After a contract dispute last summer, the 27-year-old caught just 25 passes for 374 yards and no touchdowns before his season-ending knee injury seven games into the season. When he returns, he'll battle for targets with George Kittle, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall. There are a lot of question marks surrounding Aiyuk going into 2025.

Wednesday, May 28, 10:24 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (undisclosed) and tight end Drew Ogletree (undisclosed) both miss Wednesday's voluntary practice with soft-tissue injuries. Downs has had his share of injuries already through two NFL seasons, so although it's early in the offseason, his health is worth watching closely the closer we get to training camp and the preseason. The 23-year-old former third-rounder (79th overall) in 2023 out of North Carolina took a small step forward in 2024 with a 72-803-5 line on 107 targets over 14 games (eight starts). A lot of his production last year came with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco under center, and his 5-foot-9, 171-pound frame limits his overall upside. Downs' 2025 fantasy value will likely hinge on who wins the Colts' QB competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.