Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Bucky Irving

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.

Tuesday, July 29, 8:02 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was one of the biggest surprises from the 2024 draft class. He wrestled the lead-back role away from Rachaad White mid-season and rushed for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns. Irving, who weighs under 200 pounds, told CBS Sports' Pete Prisco that he feels he can handle a large workload, but Prisco tweeted that he thinks the Bucs might try to limit him a bit to keep him fresh because of his small stature. While fantasy gamers would prefer for Irving to see all the work out of Tampa Bay's backfield, it is clear that the team still wants to give touches to White and Sean Tucker. That being said, Irving is still the lead back and showed last season he can be a dominant force at the running-back position. The team keeping him fresh is a positive in the long run and shouldn't deter fantasy managers from grabbing him as a low-end RB1 in upcoming drafts.