Who Should I Start? DK Metcalf or Josh Downs

Tuesday, December 2, 8:26 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf caught three of his five targets for 32 yards in a 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. While he managed to find the end zone in Week 12, Metcalf has now gone five consecutive games without surpassing 50 receiving yards. Pittsburgh's offense has been incredibly ineffective lately, especially through the air, making it hard to rely on any of its pass-catchers. Metcalf remains the only Steelers wideout worth rostering for fantasy purposes, but he is far from a must-start at this point. The Baltimore Ravens, who have tightened up defensively over the past eight weeks, are on tap for Week 14. Fantasy managers in need of a safe floor should explore other options, but Metcalf's explosiveness and talent still give him enough upside to profile as a WR3 or flex play.

Thursday, December 4, 4:07 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (hip, knee) was upgraded to a full participant in practice on Thursday after he was held out on Wednesday with hip and knee injuries. It looks like Downs will be able to play in a crucial divisional game this weekend on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he's become very hard to trust in weekly fantasy football lineups. The 24-year-old former third-rounder in 2023 out of North Carolina has seen a healthy 12 targets the last two games, but he has turned that into only four receptions for 54 yards and no touchdowns while he continues to see fellow wideout Alec Pierce take on a bigger role in the passing attack. Downs is still an integral part of Indy's offense, but he ranks just inside the top 50 receivers in half-PPR points this year on 40 catches, 370 yards, and three touchdowns. He hasn't done much outside of a three-week stretch from Oct. 12 through Nov. 2, where he caught all three of his TDs on the season.