Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Luther Burden III

Wednesday, May 28, 10:24 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (undisclosed) and tight end Drew Ogletree (undisclosed) both miss Wednesday's voluntary practice with soft-tissue injuries. Downs has had his share of injuries already through two NFL seasons, so although it's early in the offseason, his health is worth watching closely the closer we get to training camp and the preseason. The 23-year-old former third-rounder (79th overall) in 2023 out of North Carolina took a small step forward in 2024 with a 72-803-5 line on 107 targets over 14 games (eight starts). A lot of his production last year came with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco under center, and his 5-foot-9, 171-pound frame limits his overall upside. Downs' 2025 fantasy value will likely hinge on who wins the Colts' QB competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.

Tuesday, July 29, 1:55 PM

Chicago Bears rookie second-round wide receiver Luther Burden III (hamstring) made his return to team drills in training camp practice on Tuesday and was then promptly kicked out of drills by head coach Ben Johnson after a pre-snap alignment/motion issue, according to Adam Hoge of CHGO Sports. "It shows up already. I mean, we were in the walk-through yesterday afternoon and the misalignments - we have to re-huddle, we have to start it all over again. He's a little bit behind right now," Johnson said about the time that Burden has missed in camp. The 21-year-old missed OTAs, minicamp and the start of training camp, so the rookie is definitely behind, and it's showing. There's time for him to get it straightened out before the regular season, but he's off to a bad start as he competes with Olamide Zaccheaus for the WR3 role behind DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.