Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or DeMario Douglas

Wednesday, September 3, 4:09 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (hamstring) is not on the team's initial injury report. This is an excellent sign as the wideout was battling a hamstring injury throughout most of August. However, seeing him practice in full on Wednesday should put him in an excellent position to be at full strength in their season opener on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the week in case he faces a setback. Last season, despite playing with subpar QB play, Downs flashed immense upside as he averaged 13.1 PPR points per game across 14 contests. During this stretch, Downs tallied 57.4 yards per game and scored five touchdowns. With Daniel Jones slated to serve as the QB1 in Indianapolis, Downs possesses high-end WR3 upside facing the Dolphins.

Monday, August 11, 1:10 PM

During the New England Patriots' walkthrough practice on Monday, quarterback Drake Maye has gone to wide receiver DeMario Douglas "a ton," according to Taylor Kyles. Douglas is on the rise on fantasy draft boards this year as one of the most productive and consistent wideouts for the Patriots during training camp. The 24-year-old slot receiver could flourish in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' system after he caught 66 of his 87 targets for 621 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games a year ago. The Patriots also have Stefon Diggs coming back from a torn ACL last year in Houston. If healthy, Diggs will be the team's WR1, but it doesn't mean that Douglas can't be fantasy relevant alongside him, mainly in PPR formats. Right now, Douglas is ranked at RotoBaller as the WR69, so fantasy managers won't need to spend much on him.