Who Should I Start? Courtland Sutton or Josh Downs

Tuesday, February 25, 8:25 PM

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton said at the NFL Combine on Tuesday that he wants wide receiver Courtland Sutton to stick around Denver and that he will talk to Sutton's agent this week in Indianapolis about a potential contract extension. Sutton voiced displeasure about his contract last offseason, and the Broncos added some incentives to appease him. However, the 29-year-old is surely going to want an upgraded contract this offseason after recording the second 1,000-yard receiving season of his career as rookie quarterback Bo Nix's go-to target in the passing game in 2024. In addition to his 1,081 yards, Sutton caught 81 of his career-high 135 targets and scored eight times, making him a top-15 fantasy wideout. Sutton has 18 touchdowns the last two years and should be treated as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 heading into 2025 fantasy drafts.

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.