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

Wednesday, May 28, 10:24 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (undisclosed) and tight end Drew Ogletree (undisclosed) both miss Wednesday's voluntary practice with soft-tissue injuries. Downs has had his share of injuries already through two NFL seasons, so although it's early in the offseason, his health is worth watching closely the closer we get to training camp and the preseason. The 23-year-old former third-rounder (79th overall) in 2023 out of North Carolina took a small step forward in 2024 with a 72-803-5 line on 107 targets over 14 games (eight starts). A lot of his production last year came with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco under center, and his 5-foot-9, 171-pound frame limits his overall upside. Downs' 2025 fantasy value will likely hinge on who wins the Colts' QB competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.

Thursday, June 12, 6:09 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) went down with a shoulder injury earlier this week at mandatory minicamp and was held out of the rest of the practice for precautionary reasons. On Thursday, Thomas returned and looked perfectly OK while being a full participant, according to SI.com's John Shipley. The 22-year-old second-year wideout will be just fine for the start of training camp in late July and should be considered a strong low-end WR1 with plenty of upside going into Year 2. The former 23rd overall pick was a Pro Bowler in his rookie campaign after catching 87 of 133 targets for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games (16 starts). Thomas shouldn't have anything to worry about as far as being quarterback Travis Lawrence's top target after the team took two-way player Travis Hunter with the second overall pick.