Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Brian Thomas Jr.

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.

Monday, January 6, 11:42 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. earned double-digit targets and topped the century mark in yards yet again in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Ever since Mac Jones took over at quarterback in Week 13 for the injured Trevor Lawrence, he has made it his mission to find BTJ. That has allowed the rookie first-round receiver out of LSU to thrive. While he didn't find the end zone, he still finished with seven catches for 103 yards, a great stat line for fantasy, especially in PPR. BTJ has already developed into a sure-fire top receiver in the league, and his potential is sky-high for the future, no matter who is throwing him the ball. Expect even more WR1 fantasy performances from BTJ in the 2025 NFL season.