Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Jack Bech

Sunday, January 5, 8:52 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs caught 10 of his 13 targets for 94 yards during Sunday's Week 18 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts' passing attack has seen a significant boost ever since quarterback Joe Flacco took over for the injured Anthony Richardson (back), but Downs truly took his productivity to the next level during Sunday's season finale. He finishes the 2024 campaign with 72 catches, 803 yards, and five touchdowns. Each of these three marks represented season-highs, topping the totals he delivered as a rookie last year. Downs has firmly established himself as an appealing 1B option with the Colts, pairing nicely alongside their 1A receiver, Michael Pittman Jr. The UNC product will rank as a high-end WR3 when 2025 fantasy football drafts kick off next summer, and he has even greater appeal in dynasty leagues.

Tuesday, April 29, 4:56 PM

Las Vegas Raiders second-round rookie wide receiver Jack Bech is a strong candidate to be an immediate starter in his first NFL season, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore. The TCU product was taken with the 58th overall pick on Day 2 and should line up next to Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker in starting three-wide sets. Rookie fourth-rounder Dont'e Thornton Jr. out of Tennessee could also push Tucker for playing time as a deep threat in 2025. Like Meyers and Tucker, Bech can play inside and outside and will likely be used in different spots on the field. The 23-year-old will probably be behind tight Brock Bowers and Meyers in terms of targets in his rookie year, but he'll be working with an established veteran quarterback in Geno Smith and could be worth a late-round dart throw in deep redraft leagues. Bech will be a solid target in rookie-only drafts once the top names at receiver come off the board.