Who Should I Start? Khalil Shakir or Josh Downs

Wednesday, September 3, 5:09 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle), who suffered a high-ankle sprain in practice a month ago, was listed as a full participant in practice on Wednesday on the team's initial injury report, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Head coach Sean McDermott initially said that Shakir would be limited in the first practice of the week, so this is a pleasant surprise for those getting ready to start the 25-year-old in the Week 1 showdown on Sunday night versus the Baltimore Ravens. As long as he does not suffer a setback later this week, Shakir should be pretty close to 100 percent for the season opener as the starting slot receiver. Shakir had his best season in his third year in the NFL in 2024 with 76 catches, 821 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games (nine starts), but that might be his ceiling in a Bills offense that likes to spread the ball around.

Wednesday, September 3, 4:09 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (hamstring) is not on the team's initial injury report. This is an excellent sign as the wideout was battling a hamstring injury throughout most of August. However, seeing him practice in full on Wednesday should put him in an excellent position to be at full strength in their season opener on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the week in case he faces a setback. Last season, despite playing with subpar QB play, Downs flashed immense upside as he averaged 13.1 PPR points per game across 14 contests. During this stretch, Downs tallied 57.4 yards per game and scored five touchdowns. With Daniel Jones slated to serve as the QB1 in Indianapolis, Downs possesses high-end WR3 upside facing the Dolphins.