Who Should I Start? Jordan Addison or Josh Downs

Friday, November 14, 6:43 PM

With the Minnesota Vikings struggling for consistency as they break in a young quarterback, wide receiver Jordan Addison is a fringe starting option in standard formats against the Chicago Bears in Week 11. The third-year man from USC looked to be developing a legitimate chemistry with quarterback J.J. McCarthy during training camp and the preseason, but that has yet to come to fruition in a regular-season game. Addison drew a whopping 11 targets last week, but caught only three for 35 yards as the Vikings tried and failed to make up a multi-score deficit in the fourth quarter against Baltimore. Since a 128-yard outburst against Philadelphia in Week 7, Addison has 109 receiving yards in the past three games combined. There is potential in the matchup against a Bears secondary that ranks 24th against PPR receivers, but Addison should be viewed as high-risk, high-reward WR3/flex, given the offense's unpredictability.

Saturday, November 15, 12:41 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs saw a massive reduction in snaps and targets during his last game against the Atlanta Falcons. In Berlin, Downs played a mere 43 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps, converting two targets into one catch for three yards. The 24-year-old impressed as the WR35 in PPR leagues last season, but he has taken a step backward this year. He ranks outside the top 40 receivers and can no longer be trusted on a week-to-week basis. One reason for Downs' struggles is the increased competition around him. Indy is leaning on the run more than usual given Jonathan Taylor's success, and they've also gotten exceptional contributions from Tyler Warren, Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce. This has left Downs as somewhat of the odd man out. We do expect him to command more than two targets per game going forward, but he's not startable for the time being. Managers should leave Downs on the bench when the Colts return from their bye in Week 12.