Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Ricky Pearsall

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, June 10, 9:22 PM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) was healthy to take part in mandatory minicamp this week, but the team is being careful with him and want him to be ready for training camp in late July. It makes sense for the Niners to play it safe with the former first-rounder since fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk (knee) likely won't be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. If the 24-year-old can return in training camp and develop chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy, he'll have plenty of opportunity as a starter in three-wide sets in his sophomore season in the NFL. Pearsall missed the first six games of his rookie season after being shot in the chest, but he was more involved late in the year with Aiyuk out. If healthy, he should make much more noise in 2025. RotoBaller has Pearsall ranked as the No. 45 fantasy wideout.