Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Marvin Mims Jr.

Monday, August 4, 12:51 PM

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs' presence is hard to miss at training camp practices and he "gets targeted a lot, and not just in the short area." Downs appears to be getting separation in practices this summer. Quarterback Daniel Jones wasn't very accurate deep down the field in his time with the New York Giants but if he's more comfortable in the short-to-intermediate areas, Fowler thinks Downs will be a primary target. The Colts' QB situation is far from settled, but Anthony Richardson Sr. is also improving in the middle of the field. The 23-year-old former third-rounder (79th overall) in 2023 out of North Carolina took the next step with a 72-803-5 line in 14 games (eight starts) a year ago. However, a lack of size and the unattractive Colts QB battle hurt Downs' overall fantasy upside as a WR4/flex.

Sunday, August 10, 12:41 AM

Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. notably participated in all three series with the first-string offense during Saturday's 30-9 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Mims Jr. and the rest of the starters played into the second quarter in their preseason debut, and it likely would have been just two opportunities if their second possession didn't end in an intentional grounding-induced safety. The 23-year-old pulled in his lone target for a gain of three yards, which is negligible primarily, as the real story here is that he left the field, while fellow wideouts Pat Bryant, Devaughn Vele, and Troy Franklin finished out the half. That Mims Jr. is locked in as the team's No. 2 pass-catcher isn't set in stone, but he seems to be at least leading the rest of the pack at this point. He's currently an afterthought in drafts, selected just inside the top 300.