Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Chase Brown

Monday, August 4, 12:51 PM

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs' presence is hard to miss at training camp practices and he "gets targeted a lot, and not just in the short area." Downs appears to be getting separation in practices this summer. Quarterback Daniel Jones wasn't very accurate deep down the field in his time with the New York Giants but if he's more comfortable in the short-to-intermediate areas, Fowler thinks Downs will be a primary target. The Colts' QB situation is far from settled, but Anthony Richardson Sr. is also improving in the middle of the field. The 23-year-old former third-rounder (79th overall) in 2023 out of North Carolina took the next step with a 72-803-5 line in 14 games (eight starts) a year ago. However, a lack of size and the unattractive Colts QB battle hurt Downs' overall fantasy upside as a WR4/flex.

Monday, August 4, 1:50 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown is expected to see an uptick in his passing-game numbers in 2025 after he caught 14 passes for 156 yards a year ago, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Brown has worked to improve his receiving abilities, and head coach Zac Taylor thinks it can be a strength for him. Despite the fact that the Bengals have studs in the passing game with receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and tight end Mike Gesicki, the expectation is that Brown "will serve as a safety valve in the screen game when defenses try to take away Chase or Higgins." The 25-year-old took over the backfield from Zack Moss (no longer on the team) last year and came 10 yards shy of reaching the 1,000-yard rushing mark while adding 11 total touchdowns in 16 games (10 starts). Brown is the focal point of one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, making him a low-end RB1 target.