Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Matthew Golden

Wednesday, March 4, 7:12 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs was a popular breakout candidate heading into 2025, but it was ultimately his teammate, Alec Pierce, who took the next step and led the team with his first career 1,000-yard season. With Pierce now facing unrestricted free agency, it seems inevitable that a shakeup is coming to the Colts' wide receiver room. Should Pierce end up leaving for a top-of-market deal, a giant hole will be left atop the depth chart. However, for Downs' fantasy future, it might be more beneficial if Pierce stays in Indianapolis. Pierce and Downs play very different games, as evidenced by the 11.6-yard differential in their 2025 ADoT. For the Colts to retain Pierce likely means moving on from Michael Pittman Jr. and his $29 million cap hit, either through trade or release, which would represent a best-case scenario for Downs. Pittman has led the team in targets every season since 2021, with most of his looks coming in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, also patrolled by Downs.