Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Jayden Reed

Thursday, December 4, 4:07 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (hip, knee) was upgraded to a full participant in practice on Thursday after he was held out on Wednesday with hip and knee injuries. It looks like Downs will be able to play in a crucial divisional game this weekend on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he's become very hard to trust in weekly fantasy football lineups. The 24-year-old former third-rounder in 2023 out of North Carolina has seen a healthy 12 targets the last two games, but he has turned that into only four receptions for 54 yards and no touchdowns while he continues to see fellow wideout Alec Pierce take on a bigger role in the passing attack. Downs is still an integral part of Indy's offense, but he ranks just inside the top 50 receivers in half-PPR points this year on 40 catches, 370 yards, and three touchdowns. He hasn't done much outside of a three-week stretch from Oct. 12 through Nov. 2, where he caught all three of his TDs on the season.

Monday, December 8, 10:51 AM

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed returned from foot and shoulder injuries that had sidelined him since Week 2 in his team's Week 14 win over the Chicago Bears. Reed recorded four catches for 31 yards on four targets and also logged 22 rushing yards on two carries. The 25-year-old played 47% of Green Bay's offensive snaps, third-most among Packers wide receivers behind Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson. Green Bay may up Reed's snap share as he re-integrates himself into the offense, but his upside is limited by the Packers' run-heavy offense and their crowded wide receiver room. Still, Reed has proven he can be a playmaker in the past, recording 1,020 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns across 17 games in 2024. In leagues where he is available, Reed is worth targeting as an upside play heading into his Week 15 matchup against the Denver Broncos.