Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Chase Brown

Wednesday, September 17, 4:42 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (ankle) was unable to practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status. If he is unable to log a limited session by the end of the week, he could be in danger of missing their Week 3 contest against the Tennessee Titans. Through the first two games of the season, Downs has been deployed as their No. 3 WR. In Week 1, Downs only saw three targets. He was able to bring in two of them for 12 yards. However, in Week 2, Downs was able to see eight targets and caught six for 51 yards. Seeing that Downs is typically not on the field as often as Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr., his upside will continue to be limited. If he can play against the Titans, he carries high-risk flex upside given his lower role in the offense.

Saturday, September 13, 12:17 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown had only 43 yards off 21 carries in the Week 1 win over Cleveland. His 2.0 yards per carry was a tough pill to swallow for fantasy managers. Still, he at least found the end zone, so the afternoon wasn't a total flop. The same can't be said for the rest of the Bengals offense, with Joe Burrow throwing for 113 yards and one touchdown. To make matters worse, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for five receptions. Despite the subpar offensive showing, Cincinnati managed to pull off a narrow one-point victory. With a win in the books, Brown and company will host the Jaguars in Week 2. Without question, the Bengals have struggled to begin the season in the last few years. However, Brown and company have a great chance of turning things around. Although he sometimes struggles picking up yards on the ground, his versatility as a pass-catching back makes a difference. Sunday's game is expected to be one of the highest-scoring contests on the schedule, so both offenses may be clicking on all cylinders. All things considered, Brown should be more productive in Week 2, especially if Burrow can get the offense into the Red Zone more than he did against Cleveland. Keep Brown rolling in all fantasy lineups.