Who Should I Start? Jalen Nailor or Josh Downs

Friday, December 19, 4:12 PM

A week ago, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (back) came up big on national TV with two touchdown catches in a victory at Dallas, but he should be considered more of a desperation option in Week 16 at the New York Giants. Nailor appears to be developing a connection with quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and he's earning regular playing time, having played at least half of the Vikings' snaps in 13 of 14 games. Though he came off the injury report and should play on Sunday, Nailor just isn't earning enough targets to rely upon in the majority of fantasy formats. The Michigan State product had one or zero catches in seven of 14 games, and he's caught more than three passes in a game three times in three years. While the Giants rank a lowly 29th against half-PPR receivers, Nailor's inconsistent volume makes him challenging to rely upon in Week 16.

Sunday, December 21, 1:00 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs presents as a low-floor fantasy dart throw for his home outing with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. Downs hauled in 3-of-5 passes for 13 yards in last weekend's 18-16 loss to the Seahawks, accounting for Philip Rivers' first touchdown pass since Week 17 of the 2020 season. With Rivers under center, Indy went with a short, quick pass attack to cater to the veteran's current capabilities. While it was effective on the field, an equal administering of pass attempts will hurt all involved on the Indianapolis side of the ball. As it stands, Downs is a downright chore to cover in that area of the field, potentially giving him a leg up on teammates Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce in the Colts' attack. Even if that's the case, though, the third-year pro's standing as the third option regarding snap share at the position significantly limits his ceiling. Downs may still hold some modest value in DFS formats, but is tough to trust as RotoBaller's PPR WR62 for Week 16.