Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Rome Odunze

Saturday, November 15, 12:41 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs saw a massive reduction in snaps and targets during his last game against the Atlanta Falcons. In Berlin, Downs played a mere 43 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps, converting two targets into one catch for three yards. The 24-year-old impressed as the WR35 in PPR leagues last season, but he has taken a step backward this year. He ranks outside the top 40 receivers and can no longer be trusted on a week-to-week basis. One reason for Downs' struggles is the increased competition around him. Indy is leaning on the run more than usual given Jonathan Taylor's success, and they've also gotten exceptional contributions from Tyler Warren, Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce. This has left Downs as somewhat of the odd man out. We do expect him to command more than two targets per game going forward, but he's not startable for the time being. Managers should leave Downs on the bench when the Colts return from their bye in Week 12.

Saturday, November 15, 12:30 PM

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze has been fantastic in his second season in the NFL. In nine games, Odunze has hauled in 37 of 69 targets, for 559 yards and six touchdowns, ranking as the WR15 on a per-game basis. Despite going through a rough patch since the bye week, Odunze has strung together good outings, including last week, where he had 86 yards and a touchdown in less-than-ideal conditions. The weather will be a non-factor this week, as the Bears play in a dome for the first time since Week 2 (where Odunze had his best game of the season). The Vikings' defense has looked better as of late, but so has the Bears' offense, who currently rank seventh in the NFL in scoring offense. Odunze is a high-end WR2 in Week 11.